# Townsville - Mackay vs Apatula — 2021 Census comparison

Indigenous Region comparison · about 1,512 km apart

Townsville - Mackay and Apatula are both vast regions, but they differ sharply in their social and economic landscapes. First Nations residents in Townsville - Mackay generally have higher incomes and education levels, with a typical household income of $1,555 and a Year 12 completion rate of 42.6%. In contrast, Apatula has a much higher unemployment rate for First Nations people at 23.7% and a typical household income of $955. Apatula is also far more likely to have people speaking a First Nations language, at 80.7% compared to 11.0% in Townsville - Mackay.

Both areas are mostly car-dependent, though Townsville - Mackay has more homes within reach of public transport and a higher share of homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed. While Townsville - Mackay has a larger First Nations population, those residents are noticeably younger, with a typical age of 22 compared to 27 in Apatula. The gap in First Nations Year 12 completion is very large, at 31 percentage points, which helps explain the difference in typical incomes between these two far-apart regions.

## First Nations

| Statistic | Townsville - Mackay | Apatula | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 31,062 | 8,238 | 22,824 larger in Townsville - Mackay |  |
| Median age | 22 yrs | 27 yrs | 5 yrs older in Apatula |  |
| Year 12 | 42.6% | 11.9% | 30.8 pts higher in Townsville - Mackay |  |
| Unemployment | 12.8% | 23.7% | 11.0 pts higher in Apatula |  |
| Median income | $591 | $278 | $313 higher in Townsville - Mackay |  |
| Household income | $1,555 | $955 | $600 higher in Townsville - Mackay |  |
| Indigenous language | 11.0% | 80.7% | 69.7 pts higher in Apatula |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Townsville - Mackay | Apatula | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 3.9 | 2.8 | 1.1 higher in Townsville - Mackay |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 3.9 | 3.2 | 0.7 more in Townsville - Mackay |  |
| 15-min city | 45.0% | 25.4% | 19.6 pts higher in Townsville - Mackay |  |
| Walk to shops | 46.3% | 60.7% | 14.4 pts higher in Apatula |  |
| Walk to transit | 49.4% | 0.0% | 49.4 pts higher in Townsville - Mackay |  |
| Walk to school | 51.0% | 61.5% | 10.4 pts higher in Apatula |  |
| Walk to a park | 76.5% | 64.6% | 11.9 pts higher in Townsville - Mackay |  |
| Walk to health | 36.1% | 49.0% | 12.9 pts higher in Apatula |  |
| Intersections/km² | 0 | 0 |  |  |
| Mean slope | 4.6% | 3.4% | 1.2 pts higher in Townsville - Mackay |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ireg/IREG310/townsville-mackay/vs/IREG709/apatula