Bega vs Narooma

Bega and Narooma are two New South Wales towns located about 59 km apart. Bega is more walkable for basic needs, with far more homes within a 15-minute walk of health services (68% compared to 46.4% in Narooma) and schools (83.9% compared to 62.9%). While Bega has a larger First Nations population, Narooma is better suited for walking to get groceries, with 75.3% of homes near shops compared to 59.8% in Bega.

Both towns have tracked similarly since 2011, but some gaps have changed. Narooma has a higher share of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport and more street intersections per square kilometre. In both places, about 5% of people speak a First Nations language, and personal incomes for First Nations residents are nearly identical at around $450. However, the gap in First Nations household income is wide, with Bega's typical income well higher at $1,237 compared to $974 in Narooma.