Balala vs Uralla

Uralla is the younger of the two, with a median age of 46 against 56 in Balala. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Balala, about half of households are couple families. In Uralla, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Balala tends to suit couples, while Uralla suits families with children.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Uralla

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (12 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Balala

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (13% vs 22%)
  • has cheaper rent ($175/wk vs $250/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Uralla

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (348 min vs 366 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (452.5 km vs 472.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Uralla

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Uralla

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (-0.5% vs -15.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Balala and Uralla drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Balala Uralla
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Balala Uralla
Walkability 8 / 10
Balala — Walkability: 8/100 Uralla — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 32 / 25
Balala — Safety: 32/100 Uralla — Safety: 25/100
Low fire risk 64 / 76
Balala — Low fire risk: 64/100 Uralla — Low fire risk: 76/100

Demographics

Uralla has more residents (2,728 vs 122); Uralla rents higher ($250/wk vs $175/wk).

Balala Uralla
Population 122 2,728
+2136% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -15.3% -0.5%
Median age 56 46
Median household income $71,500/yr
+16% vs other
 $59,800/yr
Median weekly rent $175/wk $250/wk
+43% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Balala Uralla
0-4 2.5% / 5.5%
Balala — 0-4: 2.5% Uralla — 0-4: 5.5%
5-14 11.5% / 13.1%
Balala — 5-14: 11.5% Uralla — 5-14: 13.1%
15-19 3.3% / 5.1%
Balala — 15-19: 3.3% Uralla — 15-19: 5.1%
20-24 5.7% / 4.3%
Balala — 20-24: 5.7% Uralla — 20-24: 4.3%
25-34 4.1% / 9.8%
Balala — 25-34: 4.1% Uralla — 25-34: 9.8%
35-44 2.5% / 10.9%
Balala — 35-44: 2.5% Uralla — 35-44: 10.9%
45-54 13.1% / 11.7%
Balala — 45-54: 13.1% Uralla — 45-54: 11.7%
55-64 29.5% / 15.2%
Balala — 55-64: 29.5% Uralla — 55-64: 15.2%
65-74 12.3% / 15.2%
Balala — 65-74: 12.3% Uralla — 65-74: 15.2%
75-84 7.4% / 7.4%
Balala — 75-84: 7.4% Uralla — 75-84: 7.4%
85+ 4.1% / 2.4%
Balala — 85+: 4.1% Uralla — 85+: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Balala 42.9% lone person
Balala — Lone Person: 42.9% Balala — Couple Families: 46.4% Balala — One Parent Families: 10.7% Balala — Group Household: 0.0% Balala — Other Families: 0.0%
Uralla 45.3% lone person
Uralla — Lone Person: 45.3% Uralla — Couple Families: 31.0% Uralla — One Parent Families: 19.1% Uralla — Group Household: 3.5% Uralla — Other Families: 1.2%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Balala 19.6% renting
Balala — Owned Outright: 47.1% Balala — Mortgage: 33.3% Balala — Renting: 19.6%
Uralla 26.1% renting
Uralla — Owned Outright: 40.5% Uralla — Mortgage: 33.4% Uralla — Renting: 26.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Balala Uralla
Certificate III & IV 25.4% / 16.9%
Balala — Certificate III & IV: 25.4% Uralla — Certificate III & IV: 16.9%
Bachelor Degree 5.7% / 9.0%
Balala — Bachelor Degree: 5.7% Uralla — Bachelor Degree: 9.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.9% / 7.6%
Balala — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9% Uralla — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6%
Postgraduate Degree 5.7% / 3.0%
Balala — Postgraduate Degree: 5.7% Uralla — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.6%
Balala — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Uralla — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.4%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Balala Uralla
England 6.6% / 2.2%
Balala — England: 6.6% Uralla — England: 2.2%
New Zealand 6.6% / 1.1%
Balala — New Zealand: 6.6% Uralla — New Zealand: 1.1%
South Africa 4.9% / —
Balala — South Africa: 4.9% Uralla — South Africa: not among its largest
Thailand — / 0.5%
Balala — Thailand: not among its largest Uralla — Thailand: 0.5%
Scotland — / 0.5%
Balala — Scotland: not among its largest Uralla — Scotland: 0.5%
Malaysia — / 0.2%
Balala — Malaysia: not among its largest Uralla — Malaysia: 0.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Balala 100.0% houses
Balala — Houses: 100.0% Balala — Townhouses: 0.0% Balala — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Uralla 91.0% houses
Uralla — Houses: 91.0% Uralla — Townhouses: 4.7% Uralla — Flats / Apartments: 4.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Balala Uralla
Median house price $572,500 $547,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $820,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 53 days
from 25 sales

Zoning mix

Balala Uralla
Rural and farming 100% 95%
Residential 0% 3%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Balala Uralla
New dwellings approved 17
across Uralla
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Balala Uralla
Houses — 4.5%
$545/wk on $630K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Balala Uralla
House price Higher than 19% of NSW Higher than 16% of NSW
Income Higher than 38% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 54% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 13% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 20% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 91% of NSW

Liveability

Balala Uralla
Grade — D
Score — 25/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Balala carries more bushfire risk (36 vs 24).

Balala Uralla
Bushfire Low
36/100
 Low
24/100
Crime Moderate
68/100
 High
75/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Balala Uralla
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Balala

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Uralla

  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Uralla Central School Government · Combined at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Balala Uralla
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 5
Parks & reserves 0 12
Childcare 1 2
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 4 34

Mobility

Balala sits further from the CBD (472.5 km vs 452.5 km).

Balala Uralla
Walkability score 8/100 10/100
Distance to Sydney 472.5 km
+4% vs other
 452.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 366 min 348 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2358
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 2358
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Balala Uralla
Car (driver) 54.2% / 69.2%
Balala — Car (driver): 54.2% Uralla — Car (driver): 69.2%
Worked from Home 31.2% / 21.8%
Balala — Worked from Home: 31.2% Uralla — Worked from Home: 21.8%
Walked Only 8.3% / 3.9%
Balala — Walked Only: 8.3% Uralla — Walked Only: 3.9%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / 4.0%
Balala — Car (passenger): 6.2% Uralla — Car (passenger): 4.0%
Bicycle — / 0.8%
Balala — Bicycle: not among its largest Uralla — Bicycle: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (69.2%).

Setting

Balala Uralla
Elevation 888 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 1,033 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Balala Uralla
Connectivity score 15/100 52/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
51 premises
 21%
1,521 premises

Climate

Balala Uralla
Annual rainfall 684 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Balala Uralla
Average residential rate $699/yr
same for both
Council Uralla
same for both

Federal electorate

Balala Uralla
Division New England
same for both
Member Barnaby Joyce
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Balala Uralla
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Balala

Affordable Rural

Uralla

Affordable Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Balala

Balala vs Bendemeer Balala vs Rocky River Balala vs Kentucky Balala vs Yarrowyck Balala vs Kingstown

Other comparisons with Uralla

Uralla vs Rocky River Uralla vs Arding Uralla vs Kentucky Uralla vs Kellys Plains Uralla vs Dangarsleigh Uralla vs Saumarez
Full data on Balala Full data on Uralla
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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