# North-Eastern NSW vs South Hedland — 2021 Census comparison

Indigenous Region comparison · about 3,051 km apart

North-Eastern NSW and South Hedland are two vast regions separated by over 3,000 kilometres. There are stark differences in their First Nations populations; while North-Eastern NSW has a far larger number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (24,949), South Hedland has a far higher proportion of people who speak a First Nations language (29.3% compared to 3.1%). In South Hedland, First Nations household income is well higher at $2,034, and residents in this group are noticeably older with a typical age of 26. Accessibility also varies, as South Hedland has a far higher share of homes within a 15 minute walk of a park (87.3%) and a school (67.9%).

Both areas are almost identical in their walkability score, and both are mostly car-dependent. They also share similar figures for First Nations unemployment (about 12.7% to 12.8%) and typical personal incomes for this group. While North-Eastern NSW has better access to public transport and health services, South Hedland's access to parks is much more common.

## First Nations

| Statistic | North-Eastern NSW | South Hedland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 24,949 | 8,113 | 16,836 larger in North-Eastern NSW |  |
| Median age | 22 yrs | 26 yrs | 4 yrs older in South Hedland |  |
| Year 12 | 28.3% | 32.8% | 4.5 pts higher in South Hedland |  |
| Unemployment | 12.7% | 12.8% | 0.1 pts higher in South Hedland |  |
| Median income | $538 | $520 | $18 higher in North-Eastern NSW |  |
| Household income | $1,329 | $2,034 | $705 higher in South Hedland |  |
| Indigenous language | 3.1% | 29.3% | 26.1 pts higher in South Hedland |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | North-Eastern NSW | South Hedland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 3.9 | 3.9 |  |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 4.0 | 4.3 | 0.2 more in South Hedland |  |
| 15-min city | 47.7% | 45.0% | 2.8 pts higher in North-Eastern NSW |  |
| Walk to shops | 41.2% | 40.9% | 0.3 pts higher in North-Eastern NSW |  |
| Walk to transit | 53.7% | 46.1% | 7.6 pts higher in North-Eastern NSW |  |
| Walk to school | 53.6% | 67.9% | 14.3 pts higher in South Hedland |  |
| Walk to a park | 66.7% | 87.3% | 20.6 pts higher in South Hedland |  |
| Walk to health | 36.5% | 32.0% | 4.4 pts higher in North-Eastern NSW |  |
| Intersections/km² | 0 | 0 |  |  |
| Mean slope | 5.5% | 2.8% | 2.7 pts higher in North-Eastern NSW |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ireg/IREG102/north-eastern-nsw/vs/IREG506/south-hedland