Townsville - Mackay vs Geraldton

Townsville - Mackay and Geraldton are both large regional areas, but they differ sharply in their First Nations profiles. Townsville - Mackay has a far larger First Nations population, with 31,062 people compared to 6,114 in Geraldton. This group in Townsville - Mackay is younger, with a typical age of 22, and earns more, with typical personal incomes well higher at $591 compared to $464 in Geraldton. Schooling outcomes are also higher in Townsville - Mackay, where 42.6% of First Nations people finished Year 12, compared to 26.0% in Geraldton.

Both areas are mostly car-dependent, and residents in each place have similar access to schools and parks within a 15-minute walk. However, the gap in public transport access is widening, as Geraldton now has a far higher share of homes within a 10-minute walk of a stop at 59.5%, compared to 49.4% in Townsville - Mackay.