Atherton vs Herberton

Atherton and Herberton are nearby Queensland towns with distinct profiles. Atherton has a much larger First Nations population, where residents are far older with a typical age of 23 compared to 15 in Herberton. First Nations people in Atherton also have far higher Year 12 completion rates (38.6% versus 22.8%) and a well higher typical household income of $1,310, while the unemployment rate for this group is far higher in Atherton at 14.0% compared to 0.0% in Herberton.

Both areas have tracked similarly since 2011 in their lack of nearby public transport, with no homes within a 10-minute walk of a stop. Herberton is more compact and walkable; it has far more street connectivity and a much higher share of homes within a 15-minute walk of health services (70.2% versus 26.4%) and groceries (63.6% versus 25.5%). Despite this, both places are still mostly car-dependent. Herberton also stands out for its language diversity, with 37.9% of people speaking a First Nations language, which is far higher than the 6.3% in Atherton.