A compact luminaire which includes a housing, a ballast, and a first and second electrical component. The housing has a back and a perimeter wall which extends generally perpendicularly from the back. The perimeter wall has a top wall portion, a bottom wall portion disposed in a downward direction with respect to the top wall portion and sidewall portions connecting the top wall portion and the bottom wall portion. The ballast is mounted to the back adjacent the bottom wall portion and is substantially equidistant to the side wall portions and the first and second electrical components are mounted to the housing on opposite sides of the ballast in a balanced fashion.