Kempsey - Surrounds vs Hastings

Kempsey - Surrounds and Hastings are two nearby rural areas in New South Wales. There are stark differences in First Nations outcomes; in Hastings, 36.2% of First Nations people finished Year 12, compared to 20.4% in Kempsey - Surrounds. This gap is reflected in income and jobs, with First Nations household income well higher in Hastings ($1,714 versus $1,337) and the First Nations unemployment rate well higher in Kempsey - Surrounds (12.8% versus 7.6%).

Both areas share similar landscapes, with almost identical mean terrain slopes of around 7%. They are also alike in that about 3% to 4% of people speak a First Nations language. Despite these similarities, the two areas differ in how people get around. Kempsey - Surrounds is more connected to public transport, while Hastings has a far higher share of homes within a 15-minute walk of parks (58.8% versus 41.3%) and health services (23.1% versus 8.2%).