# Far West vs Balranald - Wentworth — 2021 Census comparison

Indigenous Area comparison · about 310 km apart

Far West and Balranald - Wentworth are two sprawling regions in New South Wales. Far West is much more walkable, with 83.2% of homes in a 15-minute-city walkshed compared to 53.0% in Balranald - Wentworth. This accessibility extends to basic needs, as Far West has far higher shares of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries (77.4% versus 44.3%), schools (78.3% versus 54.7%), and health services (64.6% versus 34.4%). Far West also has a far larger First Nations population, with 2,410 people compared to 765 in Balranald - Wentworth.

While their terrain is similar, with both areas having a nearly identical mean slope of around 3%, the gap in walkability is widening. This difference is seen in the walkability scores, which are somewhat walkable in Far West but mostly car-dependent in Balranald - Wentworth. In Balranald - Wentworth, First Nations residents are noticeably older, with a typical age of 29, and the unemployment rate for this group is well higher at 18.8% compared to 11.5% in Far West.

## First Nations

| Statistic | Far West | Balranald - Wentworth | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 2,410 | 765 | 1,645 larger in Far West |  |
| Median age | 24 yrs | 29 yrs | 5 yrs older in Balranald - Wentworth |  |
| Year 12 | 21.0% | 18.1% | 2.9 pts higher in Far West |  |
| Unemployment | 11.5% | 18.8% | 7.4 pts higher in Balranald - Wentworth |  |
| Median income | $505 | $415 | $90 higher in Far West |  |
| Household income | $1,181 | $1,046 | $135 higher in Far West |  |
| Indigenous language | 3.9% | 1.7% | 2.2 pts higher in Far West |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Far West | Balranald - Wentworth | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 6.0 | 3.8 | 2.2 higher in Far West |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 6.3 | 4.0 | 2.3 more in Far West |  |
| 15-min city | 83.2% | 53.0% | 30.2 pts higher in Far West |  |
| Walk to shops | 77.4% | 44.3% | 33.1 pts higher in Far West |  |
| Walk to transit | 82.2% | 40.8% | 41.5 pts higher in Far West |  |
| Walk to school | 78.3% | 54.7% | 23.6 pts higher in Far West |  |
| Walk to a park | 87.5% | 64.0% | 23.5 pts higher in Far West |  |
| Walk to health | 64.6% | 34.4% | 30.2 pts higher in Far West |  |
| Intersections/km² | 0 | 0 |  |  |
| Mean slope | 3.2% | 3.0% | 0.1 pts higher in Far West |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/iare/IARE103005/far-west/vs/IARE105002/balranald-wentworth