Young vs Southern Tablelands

Young and Southern Tablelands are two rural New South Wales areas that differ significantly in their layout and First Nations outcomes. Young is more walkable, with 64.7% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park and 40.6% near health services, compared to 40.0% and 22.3% in Southern Tablelands. In Southern Tablelands, First Nations residents typically earn more, with a typical household income of $1,829 compared to $1,163 in Young. First Nations Year 12 completion is also far higher in Southern Tablelands at 39.1%, while Young sits at 26.7%.

Both areas are mostly car-dependent, but the gap in walkability is a little higher in Young. While Young has better access to local amenities like groceries and schools, Southern Tablelands has a larger First Nations population and a lower unemployment rate for this group at 7.2%, compared to 11.8% in Young. These differences in income and employment for First Nations people stand out, as Southern Tablelands sits a little above the national figure for household income, while Young is well below it.