Narrabri vs Balonne

Narrabri and Balonne are large regional areas separated by over 260km. Narrabri has a far larger Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, with 1,881 people compared to 884 in Balonne. Access to services differs between them; Narrabri has far more homes within a 15-minute walk of public transport (45.7% compared to 0.0% in Balonne), while Balonne has far higher access to health services, with 51.3% of homes within a 15-minute walk compared to 36.3% in Narrabri.

Both areas are mostly car-dependent, and they share very similar First Nations outcomes. The typical personal income for First Nations residents is almost identical at around $570 to $580, and Year 12 completion rates are nearly the same at about 29%. While Balonne has a well higher share of people speaking a First Nations language (5.5% versus 1.5% in Narrabri), the typical First Nations resident in Narrabri is noticeably younger at 23 compared to 26 in Balonne.