# North-Western NSW vs Cape York — 2021 Census comparison

Indigenous Region comparison · about 1,876 km apart

North-Western NSW and Cape York are both remote regions, but they differ sharply in their cultural and physical layouts. Cape York has a much stronger connection to traditional languages, with 54.4% of people speaking a First Nations language compared to just 3.0% in North-Western NSW. Cape York also has a far higher First Nations unemployment rate at 23.4%, while the rate in North-Western NSW is 12.7%. In terms of layout, North-Western NSW is somewhat walkable and 56.9% of homes are within a 10 minute walk of public transport, whereas Cape York is car-dependent and no homes have that same access to transport.

Everyday life in both places shares a similar financial reality, with typical First Nations household incomes sitting at $1,137 in North-Western NSW and $1,140 in Cape York. Outside of this similarity, the two areas diverge in other ways. First Nations residents are noticeably older in North-Western NSW, with a typical age of 27 compared to 24 in Cape York. Meanwhile, Year 12 completion is well higher in Cape York at 31.1%, compared to 22.7% in North-Western NSW.

## First Nations

| Statistic | North-Western NSW | Cape York | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 6,838 | 8,906 | 2,068 larger in Cape York |  |
| Median age | 27 yrs | 24 yrs | 3 yrs older in North-Western NSW |  |
| Year 12 | 22.7% | 31.1% | 8.4 pts higher in Cape York |  |
| Unemployment | 12.7% | 23.4% | 10.7 pts higher in Cape York |  |
| Median income | $494 | $402 | $92 higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Household income | $1,137 | $1,140 | $3 higher in Cape York |  |
| Indigenous language | 3.0% | 54.4% | 51.4 pts higher in Cape York |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | North-Western NSW | Cape York | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 5.1 | 1.8 | 3.2 higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 5.4 | 2.3 | 3.1 more in North-Western NSW |  |
| 15-min city | 69.5% | 20.1% | 49.4 pts higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Walk to shops | 66.2% | 34.3% | 31.8 pts higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Walk to transit | 56.9% | 0.0% | 56.9 pts higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Walk to school | 67.1% | 49.1% | 18.0 pts higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Walk to a park | 79.0% | 36.2% | 42.8 pts higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Walk to health | 58.3% | 25.6% | 32.7 pts higher in North-Western NSW |  |
| Intersections/km² | 0 | 0 |  |  |
| Mean slope | 3.1% | 5.6% | 2.5 pts higher in Cape York |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ireg/IREG103/north-western-nsw/vs/IREG303/cape-york