Socio-Economic Indexes
SEIFA – disadvantage
About this topic
SEIFA (Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas) ranks Australian areas by relative advantage and disadvantage using Census data. The ABS constructs each index from a weighted combination of variables including household income, educational attainment, employment status, occupation skill level, and housing conditions.
Scores are relative, not absolute - they show how an area compares to all other areas in Australia, not whether residents are "poor" or "wealthy" in dollar terms. A score of 1000 represents the national average. Areas scoring below 1000 have relatively greater disadvantage; areas above have relatively less.
IRSD measures disadvantage only - it identifies areas where residents have fewer economic and social resources, but cannot distinguish between advantaged and average areas. IRSAD captures both ends of the spectrum, incorporating indicators of advantage such as high income and tertiary qualifications alongside disadvantage indicators.
SEIFA scores are widely used in grant applications, needs assessments, and service planning to identify areas requiring targeted investment or support.
Related topics
Key insight
In 2021, Barunga West (DC)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 950.1, placing it in the 30th percentile nationally. Within Barunga West (DC), scores ranged from Fisherman Bay to Kulpara.
View
950.1
Barunga West (DC) IRSD score
30th percentile nationally
1079.2
Highest local score
Kulpara
704
Lowest local score
Fisherman Bay
Chart view
SEIFA – disadvantage across South Australia LGAs
Compare the selected index across South Australia LGAs with the current municipality highlighted.
Burnside (C)
1082.7
Adelaide Hills (DC)
1081.3
Walkerville (M)
1075.5
Mitcham (C)
1074.9
Unley (C)
1067.2
Prospect (C)
1054.1
Roxby Downs (M)
1047.7
Holdfast Bay (C)
1046.9
Norwood Payneham St Peters (C)
1038.5
Mount Barker (DC)
1037
Lower Eyre Peninsula (DC)
1032.7
Tea Tree Gully (C)
1030.4
Light (RegC)
1027
Grant (DC)
1025.7
Robe (DC)
1022.9
Campbelltown (C) (SA)
1021.4
Kimba (DC)
1019.6
West Torrens (C)
1015
Barossa (DC)
1014.3
Wudinna (DC)
1009.3
Marion (C)
1008
Orroroo/Carrieton (DC)
1005.9
Adelaide (C)
1002.2
Charles Sturt (C)
1000.7
Streaky Bay (DC)
1000.3
Clare and Gilbert Valleys (DC)
997.6
Southern Mallee (DC)
996.8
Tumby Bay (DC)
993.5
Kangaroo Island (DC)
991.5
Cleve (DC)
989.4
Adelaide Plains
987.9
Alexandrina (DC)
987.8
Onkaparinga (C)
987.5
Tatiara (DC)
981.6
Northern Areas (DC)
979.2
Yankalilla (DC)
977.8
Naracoorte and Lucindale (DC)
977.6
Kingston (DC) (SA)
976.9
Mount Remarkable (DC)
974.2
Victor Harbor (C)
962.3
Gawler (T)
960.1
Franklin Harbour (DC)
959
Elliston (DC)
959
Loxton Waikerie (DC)
957.8
Karoonda East Murray (DC)
956.5
Port Adelaide Enfield (C)
952.6
Yorke Peninsula (DC)
951.6
Barunga West (DC)
950.1
Port Lincoln (C)
948.2
Goyder (DC)
946.6
Ceduna (DC)
943.2
Wattle Range (DC)
941.7
The Coorong (DC)
938.6
Flinders Ranges (DC)
933
Mount Gambier (C)
924.1
Copper Coast (DC)
923.7
Renmark Paringa (DC)
922.6
Wakefield (DC)
921
Mid Murray (DC)
914.5
Berri and Barmera (DC)
906.9
Unincorporated SA
904.8
Salisbury (C)
903.7
Murray Bridge (RC)
891
Port Pirie City and Dists (M)
889.4
Port Augusta (C)
888.6
Whyalla (C)
883
Coober Pedy (DC)
868.3
Playford (C)
852.4
Peterborough (DC)
773.1
Maralinga Tjarutja (AC)
643.9
Anangu Pitjantjatjara (AC)
496.3
Data table
SEIFA – disadvantage across South Australia LGAs table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Burnside (C) | 1082.7 | 97 |
| Adelaide Hills (DC) | 1081.3 | 96 |
| Walkerville (M) | 1075.5 | 95 |
| Mitcham (C) | 1074.9 | 95 |
| Unley (C) | 1067.2 | 94 |
| Prospect (C) | 1054.1 | 91 |
| Roxby Downs (M) | 1047.7 | 90 |
| Holdfast Bay (C) | 1046.9 | 90 |
| Norwood Payneham St Peters (C) | 1038.5 | 86 |
| Mount Barker (DC) | 1037 | 85 |
| Lower Eyre Peninsula (DC) | 1032.7 | 85 |
| Tea Tree Gully (C) | 1030.4 | 84 |
| Light (RegC) | 1027 | 81 |
| Grant (DC) | 1025.7 | 80 |
| Robe (DC) | 1022.9 | 79 |
| Campbelltown (C) (SA) | 1021.4 | 78 |
| Kimba (DC) | 1019.6 | 77 |
| West Torrens (C) | 1015 | 75 |
| Barossa (DC) | 1014.3 | 75 |
| Wudinna (DC) | 1009.3 | 73 |
| Marion (C) | 1008 | 72 |
| Orroroo/Carrieton (DC) | 1005.9 | 71 |
| Adelaide (C) | 1002.2 | 68 |
| Charles Sturt (C) | 1000.7 | 67 |
| Streaky Bay (DC) | 1000.3 | 67 |
| Clare and Gilbert Valleys (DC) | 997.6 | 65 |
| Southern Mallee (DC) | 996.8 | 65 |
| Tumby Bay (DC) | 993.5 | 62 |
| Kangaroo Island (DC) | 991.5 | 61 |
| Cleve (DC) | 989.4 | 58 |
| Adelaide Plains | 987.9 | 57 |
| Alexandrina (DC) | 987.8 | 57 |
| Onkaparinga (C) | 987.5 | 57 |
| Tatiara (DC) | 981.6 | 53 |
| Northern Areas (DC) | 979.2 | 51 |
| Yankalilla (DC) | 977.8 | 50 |
| Naracoorte and Lucindale (DC) | 977.6 | 49 |
| Kingston (DC) (SA) | 976.9 | 49 |
| Mount Remarkable (DC) | 974.2 | 47 |
| Victor Harbor (C) | 962.3 | 38 |
| Gawler (T) | 960.1 | 37 |
| Franklin Harbour (DC) | 959 | 36 |
| Elliston (DC) | 959 | 36 |
| Loxton Waikerie (DC) | 957.8 | 35 |
| Karoonda East Murray (DC) | 956.5 | 34 |
| Port Adelaide Enfield (C) | 952.6 | 32 |
| Yorke Peninsula (DC) | 951.6 | 31 |
| Barunga West (DC) | 950.1 | 30 |
| Port Lincoln (C) | 948.2 | 29 |
| Goyder (DC) | 946.6 | 28 |
| Ceduna (DC) | 943.2 | 26 |
| Wattle Range (DC) | 941.7 | 26 |
| The Coorong (DC) | 938.6 | 23 |
| Flinders Ranges (DC) | 933 | 22 |
| Mount Gambier (C) | 924.1 | 19 |
| Copper Coast (DC) | 923.7 | 19 |
| Renmark Paringa (DC) | 922.6 | 18 |
| Wakefield (DC) | 921 | 18 |
| Mid Murray (DC) | 914.5 | 17 |
| Berri and Barmera (DC) | 906.9 | 14 |
| Unincorporated SA | 904.8 | 13 |
| Salisbury (C) | 903.7 | 13 |
| Murray Bridge (RC) | 891 | 11 |
| Port Pirie City and Dists (M) | 889.4 | 11 |
| Port Augusta (C) | 888.6 | 11 |
| Whyalla (C) | 883 | 10 |
| Coober Pedy (DC) | 868.3 | 9 |
| Playford (C) | 852.4 | 8 |
| Peterborough (DC) | 773.1 | 7 |
| Maralinga Tjarutja (AC) | 643.9 | 5 |
| Anangu Pitjantjatjara (AC) | 496.3 | 1 |
Chart view
Variation within Barunga West (DC)
See the spread of scores across smaller areas within the municipality.
Kulpara
1079.2
Percentile 90
Melton (SA)
1079.2
Percentile 90
Ninnes
1079.2
Percentile 90
Thomas Plain
1079.2
Percentile 90
South Hummocks (part)
1034.3
Percentile 62
Wokurna (part)
1001.5
Percentile 43
Mundoora (part)
999.8
Percentile 42
Clements Gap (part)
995.4
Percentile 40
Ward Hill
995.4
Percentile 40
Alford
964.7
Percentile 25
Tickera (part)
964.7
Percentile 25
Port Broughton
955.7
Percentile 21
Bute
910.3
Percentile 11
Fisherman Bay
704
Percentile 2
Data table
Variation within Barunga West (DC) table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Kulpara | 1079.2 | 90 |
| Melton (SA) | 1079.2 | 90 |
| Ninnes | 1079.2 | 90 |
| Thomas Plain | 1079.2 | 90 |
| South Hummocks (part) | 1034.3 | 62 |
| Wokurna (part) | 1001.5 | 43 |
| Mundoora (part) | 999.8 | 42 |
| Clements Gap (part) | 995.4 | 40 |
| Ward Hill | 995.4 | 40 |
| Alford | 964.7 | 25 |
| Tickera (part) | 964.7 | 25 |
| Port Broughton | 955.7 | 21 |
| Bute | 910.3 | 11 |
| Fisherman Bay | 704 | 2 |