# NSW Central and North Coast vs Victoria exc. Melbourne — 2021 Census comparison

Indigenous Region comparison · about 985 km apart

NSW Central and North Coast and Victoria exc. Melbourne are both large regional areas, but they differ in how people move and live. Public transport is much more accessible in NSW Central and North Coast, where 79.3% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of a stop, compared to 64.2% in Victoria exc. Melbourne. This is consistent with a higher street connectivity score and a larger First Nations population, with 95,714 people in NSW Central and North Coast compared to 33,452 in Victoria exc. Melbourne.

Both areas have tracked similarly since 2011, maintaining a similar level of walkability. They are both considered somewhat walkable, and both have around 39% of homes within a 15-minute walk of health services. They also share very similar First Nations profiles, with a typical age of 23 and unemployment rates around 10% in both regions.

## First Nations

| Statistic | NSW Central and North Coast | Victoria exc. Melbourne | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 95,714 | 33,452 | 62,262 larger in NSW Central and North Coast |  |
| Median age | 23 yrs | 23 yrs |  |  |
| Year 12 | 34.2% | 35.4% | 1.2 pts higher in Victoria exc. Melbourne |  |
| Unemployment | 10.3% | 10.4% | 0.1 pts higher in Victoria exc. Melbourne |  |
| Median income | $579 | $564 | $15 higher in NSW Central and North Coast |  |
| Household income | $1,555 | $1,371 | $184 higher in NSW Central and North Coast |  |
| Indigenous language | 3.9% | 4.3% | 0.5 pts higher in Victoria exc. Melbourne |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | NSW Central and North Coast | Victoria exc. Melbourne | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 4.9 | 4.5 | 0.4 higher in NSW Central and North Coast |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 4.7 | 4.4 | 0.3 more in NSW Central and North Coast |  |
| 15-min city | 53.8% | 50.6% | 3.2 pts higher in NSW Central and North Coast |  |
| Walk to shops | 49.7% | 51.1% | 1.3 pts higher in Victoria exc. Melbourne |  |
| Walk to transit | 79.3% | 64.2% | 15.1 pts higher in NSW Central and North Coast |  |
| Walk to school | 58.1% | 56.1% | 2.0 pts higher in NSW Central and North Coast |  |
| Walk to a park | 81.3% | 79.0% | 2.2 pts higher in NSW Central and North Coast |  |
| Walk to health | 39.0% | 39.2% | 0.2 pts higher in Victoria exc. Melbourne |  |
| Intersections/km² | 3 | 2 | 2 higher in NSW Central and North Coast |  |
| Mean slope | 7.0% | 4.7% | 2.3 pts higher in NSW Central and North Coast |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ireg/IREG104/nsw-central-and-north-coast/vs/IREG202/victoria-exc-melbourne