Broome vs Katherine

Broome and Katherine are both large regional areas, but they differ significantly in their social and urban layouts. Broome is much more walkable, with 67.8% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries compared to 36.6% in Katherine. There are also stark differences in education and language; First Nations Year 12 completion is far higher in Broome at 35.6% than in Katherine at 16.2%, while 69.8% of people in Katherine speak a First Nations language compared to 18.7% in Broome.

First Nations household incomes are almost identical in both places, sitting at $1,266 in Broome and $1,173 in Katherine. Both areas are mostly car-dependent and have no homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. While Katherine has a far larger First Nations population with 8,620 people, the gap in First Nations unemployment is smaller, being well higher in Katherine at 23.1% compared to 17.8% in Broome.