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, Cardinia (S)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 1021, placing it in the 78th percentile nationally. Within Cardinia (S), scores ranged from Pakenham to Guys Hill.
View
1021
Cardinia (S) IRSD score
78th percentile nationally
1122
Highest local score
Guys Hill
983.2
Lowest local score
Pakenham
Chart view
SEIFA – disadvantage across Victoria LGAs
Compare the selected index across Victoria LGAs with the current municipality highlighted.
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.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Nillumbik (S) | 1092.9 | 98 |
| Bayside (C) | 1090.4 | 98 |
| Boroondara (C) | 1089.6 | 98 |
| Surf Coast (S) | 1086.2 | 97 |
| Stonnington (C) | 1084.5 | 97 |
| Queenscliffe (B) | 1082.2 | 97 |
| Glen Eira (C) | 1074.6 | 95 |
| Macedon Ranges (S) | 1062.8 | 93 |
| Port Phillip (C) | 1061 | 92 |
| Banyule (C) | 1057.7 | 92 |
| Manningham (C) | 1056.1 | 91 |
| Yarra (C) | 1045.7 | 90 |
| Kingston (C) (Vic.) | 1044.3 | 88 |
| Whitehorse (C) | 1042.7 | 88 |
| Monash (C) | 1042.3 | 88 |
| Knox (C) | 1042.2 | 87 |
| Yarra Ranges (S) | 1041.2 | 87 |
| Maroondah (C) | 1041 | 87 |
| Moonee Valley (C) | 1040.7 | 87 |
| Golden Plains (S) | 1039.9 | 86 |
| Mornington Peninsula (S) | 1037.5 | 86 |
| Indigo (S) | 1029.4 | 83 |
| Moyne (S) | 1029 | 82 |
| Mansfield (S) | 1027.6 | 82 |
| Alpine (S) | 1027.6 | 81 |
| Moreland (C) | 1026.5 | 80 |
| Cardinia (S) | 1021 | 78 |
| Hobsons Bay (C) | 1020.7 | 78 |
| Darebin (C) | 1018.3 | 77 |
| Moorabool (S) | 1017.2 | 76 |
| Melbourne (C) | 1016.7 | 76 |
| Unincorporated Vic | 1012.4 | 75 |
| Maribyrnong (C) | 1009.7 | 74 |
| Mount Alexander (S) | 1007.5 | 72 |
| Greater Geelong (C) | 1007.3 | 72 |
| Hepburn (S) | 1006.3 | 71 |
| Wyndham (C) | 1005.5 | 71 |
| Murrindindi (S) | 1004.7 | 70 |
| Baw Baw (S) | 1003.3 | 69 |
| Frankston (C) | 1003.1 | 69 |
| South Gippsland (S) | 1002.6 | 68 |
| Towong (S) | 1000.8 | 68 |
| Mitchell (S) | 999.5 | 67 |
| Warrnambool (C) | 994.9 | 64 |
| Casey (C) | 994.7 | 63 |
| Southern Grampians (S) | 993.7 | 62 |
| Bass Coast (S) | 992.8 | 62 |
| West Wimmera (S) | 991 | 60 |
| Horsham (RC) | 990.1 | 60 |
| Whittlesea (C) | 989.6 | 59 |
| Wangaratta (RC) | 988.4 | 57 |
| Ballarat (C) | 985.7 | 55 |
| Melton (C) | 985.2 | 55 |
| Greater Bendigo (C) | 985 | 55 |
| Corangamite (S) | 984.6 | 54 |
| Strathbogie (S) | 982 | 53 |
| Buloke (S) | 975 | 48 |
| Wodonga (C) | 973.1 | 46 |
| Wellington (S) | 973 | 46 |
| Colac-Otway (S) | 972.6 | 46 |
| Benalla (RC) | 968.4 | 43 |
| Campaspe (S) | 964.9 | 40 |
| East Gippsland (S) | 963.3 | 39 |
| Pyrenees (S) | 958.7 | 36 |
| Moira (S) | 958.3 | 35 |
| Ararat (RC) | 955.2 | 34 |
| Gannawarra (S) | 952.4 | 32 |
| Glenelg (S) | 952.3 | 32 |
| Northern Grampians (S) | 951.3 | 31 |
| Loddon (S) | 948.1 | 29 |
| Yarriambiack (S) | 945.9 | 28 |
| Greater Shepparton (C) | 944 | 27 |
| Hume (C) | 940.8 | 25 |
| Swan Hill (RC) | 940.6 | 25 |
| Hindmarsh (S) | 940.1 | 25 |
| Mildura (RC) | 940 | 24 |
| Latrobe (C) (Vic.) | 930.8 | 21 |
| Brimbank (C) | 912.5 | 16 |
| Central Goldfields (S) | 897.6 | 12 |
| Greater Dandenong (C) | 886.7 | 11 |
Chart view
Variation within Cardinia (S)
See the spread of scores across smaller areas within the municipality.
Guys Hill
1122
Percentile 100
Dewhurst
1103.8
Percentile 97
Beaconsfield Upper
1103.8
Percentile 97
Officer South
1098.2
Percentile 96
Pakenham Upper
1091
Percentile 94
Maryknoll
1089.9
Percentile 94
Garfield North
1081.5
Percentile 91
Avonsleigh
1078.5
Percentile 89
Nar Nar Goon North
1072.2
Percentile 86
Mount Burnett
1070.5
Percentile 86
Tynong North
1069.7
Percentile 85
Emerald (Vic.) (part)
1065.3
Percentile 83
Nangana
1064.4
Percentile 82
Bunyip North
1064.3
Percentile 82
Tonimbuk
1064.3
Percentile 82
Beaconsfield (Vic.) (part)
1063.4
Percentile 81
Clematis
1060.7
Percentile 80
Caldermeade
1059.7
Percentile 79
Monomeith
1059.7
Percentile 79
Officer
1055.5
Percentile 76
Bunyip
1051
Percentile 73
Gembrook
1047
Percentile 71
Cora Lynn
1045
Percentile 69
Heath Hill (part)
1041.2
Percentile 67
Lang Lang East
1040.9
Percentile 67
Yannathan
1040.8
Percentile 67
Cockatoo (Vic.)
1039.8
Percentile 66
Bayles
1039.6
Percentile 66
Garfield
1032.6
Percentile 61
Iona
1030.8
Percentile 60
Vervale
1030.8
Percentile 60
Tynong
1026.7
Percentile 58
Cardinia
1024.9
Percentile 57
Catani
1019.1
Percentile 53
Lang Lang (part)
1015.6
Percentile 51
Dalmore
1008.9
Percentile 47
Nar Nar Goon
1003.7
Percentile 44
Koo Wee Rup North
1002.2
Percentile 43
Pakenham South
999.7
Percentile 42
Rythdale
999.7
Percentile 42
Koo Wee Rup
993
Percentile 38
Pakenham
983.2
Percentile 33
Data table
Variation within Cardinia (S) table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Guys Hill | 1122 | 100 |
| Dewhurst | 1103.8 | 97 |
| Beaconsfield Upper | 1103.8 | 97 |
| Officer South | 1098.2 | 96 |
| Pakenham Upper | 1091 | 94 |
| Maryknoll | 1089.9 | 94 |
| Garfield North | 1081.5 | 91 |
| Avonsleigh | 1078.5 | 89 |
| Nar Nar Goon North | 1072.2 | 86 |
| Mount Burnett | 1070.5 | 86 |
| Tynong North | 1069.7 | 85 |
| Emerald (Vic.) (part) | 1065.3 | 83 |
| Nangana | 1064.4 | 82 |
| Bunyip North | 1064.3 | 82 |
| Tonimbuk | 1064.3 | 82 |
| Beaconsfield (Vic.) (part) | 1063.4 | 81 |
| Clematis | 1060.7 | 80 |
| Caldermeade | 1059.7 | 79 |
| Monomeith | 1059.7 | 79 |
| Officer | 1055.5 | 76 |
| Bunyip | 1051 | 73 |
| Gembrook | 1047 | 71 |
| Cora Lynn | 1045 | 69 |
| Heath Hill (part) | 1041.2 | 67 |
| Lang Lang East | 1040.9 | 67 |
| Yannathan | 1040.8 | 67 |
| Cockatoo (Vic.) | 1039.8 | 66 |
| Bayles | 1039.6 | 66 |
| Garfield | 1032.6 | 61 |
| Iona | 1030.8 | 60 |
| Vervale | 1030.8 | 60 |
| Tynong | 1026.7 | 58 |
| Cardinia | 1024.9 | 57 |
| Catani | 1019.1 | 53 |
| Lang Lang (part) | 1015.6 | 51 |
| Dalmore | 1008.9 | 47 |
| Nar Nar Goon | 1003.7 | 44 |
| Koo Wee Rup North | 1002.2 | 43 |
| Pakenham South | 999.7 | 42 |
| Rythdale | 999.7 | 42 |
| Koo Wee Rup | 993 | 38 |
| Pakenham | 983.2 | 33 |