Is lower balance number always better?

[BJennet]

I don't usually pay much attention to this feature of the Sartin software - when I get down to three or so contenders, I find they're often tied. But I've been noticing something lately that made me ask this question. My understanding was that a lower balance is always better, but it seems to me that when I do check this readout, more often than not, the winner is often 5 or when not, 4, rather than higher or lower numbers. I seem to remember reading that distance also affects the interpretation of balance, so I'd appreciate anyone who's knowledgeable on interpreting this readout.