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

Indigenous Region comparison · about 771 km apart

North-Western NSW and South-Eastern NSW are two large, distant regions with very different layouts. North-Western NSW is more walkable, with 69.5% of homes in a 15-minute-city walkshed compared to 42.6% in South-Eastern NSW. This advantage extends to essential services; North-Western NSW has far higher rates of homes within a 15-minute walk of schools (67.1% vs 41.2%), health services (58.3% vs 32.7%), and groceries (66.2% vs 41.0%).

Both areas share a similar proportion of people who speak a First Nations language, and both sit near the national figure for First Nations unemployment. However, South-Eastern NSW has a larger First Nations population of 17,504 people and a far higher rate of Year 12 completions for First Nations students at 33.0%, compared to 22.7% in North-Western NSW. Typical First Nations household income is also well higher in South-Eastern NSW at $1,501, while it is $1,137 in North-Western NSW.

## First Nations

| Statistic | North-Western NSW | South-Eastern NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 6,838 | 17,504 | 10,666 larger in South-Eastern NSW |  |
| Median age | 27 yrs | 24 yrs | 3 yrs older in North-Western NSW |  |
| Year 12 | 22.7% | 33.0% | 10.2 pts higher in South-Eastern NSW |  |
| Unemployment | 12.7% | 9.0% | 3.7 pts higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Median income | $494 | $584 | $90 higher in South-Eastern NSW |  |
| Household income | $1,137 | $1,501 | $364 higher in South-Eastern NSW |  |
| Indigenous language | 3.0% | 3.7% | 0.8 pts higher in South-Eastern NSW |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | North-Western NSW | South-Eastern NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 5.1 | 3.9 | 1.2 higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 5.4 | 3.9 | 1.6 more in North-Western NSW |  |
| 15-min city | 69.5% | 42.6% | 26.9 pts higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Walk to shops | 66.2% | 41.0% | 25.1 pts higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Walk to transit | 56.9% | 65.2% | 8.3 pts higher in South-Eastern NSW |  |
| Walk to school | 67.1% | 41.2% | 25.9 pts higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Walk to a park | 79.0% | 72.0% | 7.0 pts higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Walk to health | 58.3% | 32.7% | 25.6 pts higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Intersections/km² | 0 | 1 | 1 higher in South-Eastern NSW |  |
| Mean slope | 3.1% | 7.3% | 4.2 pts higher in South-Eastern NSW |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ireg/IREG103/north-western-nsw/vs/IREG106/south-eastern-nsw