City Compass

Baw Baw (S)

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, Baw Baw (S)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 1003.3, placing it in the 69th percentile nationally. Within Baw Baw (S), scores ranged from Rawson to Buln Buln.

View

1003.3

Baw Baw (S) IRSD score

69th percentile nationally

1098.1

Highest local score

Buln Buln

787.4

Lowest local score

Rawson

Chart view

SEIFA – disadvantage across Victoria LGAs

Compare the selected index across Victoria LGAs with the current municipality highlighted.

Victoria:1009.9 · Percentile 68
Australia:1001.5 · Percentile 64
886.7989.81092.9
More disadvantagedLess disadvantaged

Nillumbik (S)

1092.9

Bayside (C)

1090.4

Boroondara (C)

1089.6

Surf Coast (S)

1086.2

Stonnington (C)

1084.5

Queenscliffe (B)

1082.2

Glen Eira (C)

1074.6

Macedon Ranges (S)

1062.8

Port Phillip (C)

1061

Banyule (C)

1057.7

Manningham (C)

1056.1

Yarra (C)

1045.7

Kingston (C) (Vic.)

1044.3

Whitehorse (C)

1042.7

Monash (C)

1042.3

Knox (C)

1042.2

Yarra Ranges (S)

1041.2

Maroondah (C)

1041

Moonee Valley (C)

1040.7

Golden Plains (S)

1039.9

Mornington Peninsula (S)

1037.5

Indigo (S)

1029.4

Moyne (S)

1029

Mansfield (S)

1027.6

Alpine (S)

1027.6

Moreland (C)

1026.5

Cardinia (S)

1021

Hobsons Bay (C)

1020.7

Darebin (C)

1018.3

Moorabool (S)

1017.2

Melbourne (C)

1016.7

Unincorporated Vic

1012.4

Maribyrnong (C)

1009.7

Mount Alexander (S)

1007.5

Greater Geelong (C)

1007.3

Hepburn (S)

1006.3

Wyndham (C)

1005.5

Murrindindi (S)

1004.7

Baw Baw (S)

1003.3

Frankston (C)

1003.1

South Gippsland (S)

1002.6

Towong (S)

1000.8

Mitchell (S)

999.5

Warrnambool (C)

994.9

Casey (C)

994.7

Southern Grampians (S)

993.7

Bass Coast (S)

992.8

West Wimmera (S)

991

Horsham (RC)

990.1

Whittlesea (C)

989.6

Wangaratta (RC)

988.4

Ballarat (C)

985.7

Melton (C)

985.2

Greater Bendigo (C)

985

Corangamite (S)

984.6

Strathbogie (S)

982

Buloke (S)

975

Wodonga (C)

973.1

Wellington (S)

973

Colac-Otway (S)

972.6

Benalla (RC)

968.4

Campaspe (S)

964.9

East Gippsland (S)

963.3

Pyrenees (S)

958.7

Moira (S)

958.3

Ararat (RC)

955.2

Gannawarra (S)

952.4

Glenelg (S)

952.3

Northern Grampians (S)

951.3

Loddon (S)

948.1

Yarriambiack (S)

945.9

Greater Shepparton (C)

944

Hume (C)

940.8

Swan Hill (RC)

940.6

Hindmarsh (S)

940.1

Mildura (RC)

940

Latrobe (C) (Vic.)

930.8

Brimbank (C)

912.5

Central Goldfields (S)

897.6

Greater Dandenong (C)

886.7

Data table

SEIFA – disadvantage across Victoria LGAs table

Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.

AreaScorePercentile
Nillumbik (S)1092.998
Bayside (C)1090.498
Boroondara (C)1089.698
Surf Coast (S)1086.297
Stonnington (C)1084.597
Queenscliffe (B)1082.297
Glen Eira (C)1074.695
Macedon Ranges (S)1062.893
Port Phillip (C)106192
Banyule (C)1057.792
Manningham (C)1056.191
Yarra (C)1045.790
Kingston (C) (Vic.)1044.388
Whitehorse (C)1042.788
Monash (C)1042.388
Knox (C)1042.287
Yarra Ranges (S)1041.287
Maroondah (C)104187
Moonee Valley (C)1040.787
Golden Plains (S)1039.986
Mornington Peninsula (S)1037.586
Indigo (S)1029.483
Moyne (S)102982
Mansfield (S)1027.682
Alpine (S)1027.681
Moreland (C)1026.580
Cardinia (S)102178
Hobsons Bay (C)1020.778
Darebin (C)1018.377
Moorabool (S)1017.276
Melbourne (C)1016.776
Unincorporated Vic1012.475
Maribyrnong (C)1009.774
Mount Alexander (S)1007.572
Greater Geelong (C)1007.372
Hepburn (S)1006.371
Wyndham (C)1005.571
Murrindindi (S)1004.770
Baw Baw (S)1003.369
Frankston (C)1003.169
South Gippsland (S)1002.668
Towong (S)1000.868
Mitchell (S)999.567
Warrnambool (C)994.964
Casey (C)994.763
Southern Grampians (S)993.762
Bass Coast (S)992.862
West Wimmera (S)99160
Horsham (RC)990.160
Whittlesea (C)989.659
Wangaratta (RC)988.457
Ballarat (C)985.755
Melton (C)985.255
Greater Bendigo (C)98555
Corangamite (S)984.654
Strathbogie (S)98253
Buloke (S)97548
Wodonga (C)973.146
Wellington (S)97346
Colac-Otway (S)972.646
Benalla (RC)968.443
Campaspe (S)964.940
East Gippsland (S)963.339
Pyrenees (S)958.736
Moira (S)958.335
Ararat (RC)955.234
Gannawarra (S)952.432
Glenelg (S)952.332
Northern Grampians (S)951.331
Loddon (S)948.129
Yarriambiack (S)945.928
Greater Shepparton (C)94427
Hume (C)940.825
Swan Hill (RC)940.625
Hindmarsh (S)940.125
Mildura (RC)94024
Latrobe (C) (Vic.)930.821
Brimbank (C)912.516
Central Goldfields (S)897.612
Greater Dandenong (C)886.711
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021. Compiled by Geografia.