# Mount Isa vs South Hedland — 2021 Census comparison

Indigenous Region comparison · about 1,888 km apart

Mount Isa and South Hedland are remote hubs located nearly 1,900km apart. South Hedland has a much higher proportion of people who speak a First Nations language at 29.3%, compared to 7.8% in Mount Isa. This is reflected in First Nations household incomes, which are well higher in South Hedland at $2,034 against $1,303 in Mount Isa. South Hedland also has far better access to public transport, with 46.1% of homes within a 10-minute walk, while Mount Isa has none.

Daily life in both places shares a similar landscape with almost identical terrain slopes and nearly the same number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents. Both are mostly car-dependent, though South Hedland's walkability score is a little higher. Over time, the gap in First Nations unemployment has remained a point of difference, as it is well higher in Mount Isa at 15.9% compared to 12.8% in South Hedland.

## First Nations

| Statistic | Mount Isa | South Hedland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 8,265 | 8,113 | 152 larger in Mount Isa |  |
| Median age | 25 yrs | 26 yrs | 1 yrs older in South Hedland |  |
| Year 12 | 27.5% | 32.8% | 5.2 pts higher in South Hedland |  |
| Unemployment | 15.9% | 12.8% | 3.1 pts higher in Mount Isa |  |
| Median income | $435 | $520 | $85 higher in South Hedland |  |
| Household income | $1,303 | $2,034 | $731 higher in South Hedland |  |
| Indigenous language | 7.8% | 29.3% | 21.5 pts higher in South Hedland |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Mount Isa | South Hedland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 3.0 | 3.9 | 0.9 higher in South Hedland |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 3.4 | 4.3 | 0.8 more in South Hedland |  |
| 15-min city | 37.4% | 45.0% | 7.5 pts higher in South Hedland |  |
| Walk to shops | 42.3% | 40.9% | 1.4 pts higher in Mount Isa |  |
| Walk to transit | 0.0% | 46.1% | 46.1 pts higher in South Hedland |  |
| Walk to school | 69.8% | 67.9% | 1.9 pts higher in Mount Isa |  |
| Walk to a park | 75.2% | 87.3% | 12.1 pts higher in South Hedland |  |
| Walk to health | 37.6% | 32.0% | 5.5 pts higher in Mount Isa |  |
| Intersections/km² | 0 | 0 |  |  |
| Mean slope | 3.2% | 2.8% | 0.4 pts higher in Mount Isa |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ireg/IREG304/mount-isa/vs/IREG506/south-hedland