# Mount Isa vs Alice Springs — 2021 Census comparison

Indigenous Region comparison · about 688 km apart

Mount Isa and Alice Springs are both major regional hubs, but they differ sharply in layout and language. Alice Springs is more compact and accessible, with a walkability score of 4.9 (somewhat walkable) compared to 3.0 (mostly car-dependent) in Mount Isa. This is most evident in public transport, where 86.4% of Alice Springs homes are within a 10-minute walk of a stop, while Mount Isa has 0.0%. Culturally, Alice Springs has a much higher proportion of people who speak a First Nations language, at 36.5%, while Mount Isa is at 7.8%.

Daily life in both places shares similar financial realities for First Nations residents, with typical household incomes sitting at $1,303 in Mount Isa and $1,355 in Alice Springs. Both areas also share very similar flat terrain, with a mean slope around 3%. While Alice Springs generally offers more walkable access to services, Mount Isa has a larger First Nations population and a higher rate of Year 12 completion for First Nations people, at 27.5% compared to 23.4% in Alice Springs.

## First Nations

| Statistic | Mount Isa | Alice Springs | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 8,265 | 5,343 | 2,922 larger in Mount Isa |  |
| Median age | 25 yrs | 27 yrs | 2 yrs older in Alice Springs |  |
| Year 12 | 27.5% | 23.4% | 4.1 pts higher in Mount Isa |  |
| Unemployment | 15.9% | 14.4% | 1.5 pts higher in Mount Isa |  |
| Median income | $435 | $452 | $17 higher in Alice Springs |  |
| Household income | $1,303 | $1,355 | $52 higher in Alice Springs |  |
| Indigenous language | 7.8% | 36.5% | 28.8 pts higher in Alice Springs |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Mount Isa | Alice Springs | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 3.0 | 4.9 | 1.9 higher in Alice Springs |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 3.4 | 4.8 | 1.3 more in Alice Springs |  |
| 15-min city | 37.4% | 56.4% | 19.0 pts higher in Alice Springs |  |
| Walk to shops | 42.3% | 57.1% | 14.8 pts higher in Alice Springs |  |
| Walk to transit | 0.0% | 86.4% | 86.4 pts higher in Alice Springs |  |
| Walk to school | 69.8% | 76.7% | 7.0 pts higher in Alice Springs |  |
| Walk to a park | 75.2% | 90.8% | 15.6 pts higher in Alice Springs |  |
| Walk to health | 37.6% | 34.7% | 2.8 pts higher in Mount Isa |  |
| Intersections/km² | 0 | 10 | 10 higher in Alice Springs |  |
| Mean slope | 3.2% | 2.9% | 0.3 pts higher in Mount Isa |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ireg/IREG304/mount-isa/vs/IREG708/alice-springs