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, Christmas Island's Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 970.5, placing it in the 44th percentile nationally. Within Christmas Island, scores ranged from Christmas Island to Christmas Island.
View
970.5
Christmas Island IRSD score
44th percentile nationally
970.5
Highest local score
Christmas Island
970.5
Lowest local score
Christmas Island
Chart view
SEIFA – disadvantage across Western Australia LGAs
Compare the selected index across Western Australia LGAs with the current municipality highlighted.
Nedlands (C)
1114.9
Cambridge (T)
1112.6
Cottesloe (T)
1112
Peppermint Grove (S)
1111.1
East Fremantle (T)
1082.2
Claremont (T)
1081
Subiaco (C)
1078.8
Kent (S)
1072.2
Joondalup (C)
1071.7
Melville (C)
1070
Vincent (C)
1067.5
South Perth (C)
1065.6
Mosman Park (T)
1061.5
Dalwallinu (S)
1056.5
Karratha (C)
1052
Lake Grace (S)
1050.6
Kulin (S)
1045.1
Perenjori (S)
1044.4
Mundaring (S)
1042.3
Perth (C)
1040.4
Exmouth (S)
1037.8
Kalamunda (S)
1033.6
Cockburn (C)
1033.3
Augusta-Margaret River (S)
1031.4
Fremantle (C)
1031.2
Westonia (S)
1030.2
Chittering (S)
1030.2
Victoria Park (T)
1030.1
Williams (S)
1029.7
Serpentine-Jarrahdale (S)
1028.2
Narembeen (S)
1028.1
Victoria Plains (S)
1028
West Arthur (S)
1027.7
Chapman Valley (S)
1027.3
Stirling (C)
1026.6
Jerramungup (S)
1024.9
Mukinbudin (S)
1024.8
Ashburton (S)
1023.6
Corrigin (S)
1023.3
Canning (C)
1023.3
Busselton (C)
1018.6
Bayswater (C)
1017.7
Capel (S)
1015.6
Bassendean (T)
1015.1
Port Hedland (T)
1011.2
Dumbleyung (S)
1009.3
Cunderdin (S)
1008.2
Kalgoorlie/Boulder (C)
1008
Mingenew (S)
1006.8
Dardanup (S)
1005.6
Wanneroo (C)
1005.3
Wandering (S)
1003.7
Denmark (S)
1003.2
Woodanilling (S)
1003.1
Ravensthorpe (S)
1002
Bridgetown-Greenbushes (S)
1000.5
Goomalling (S)
998
Harvey (S)
997.8
Kojonup (S)
996.9
Gnowangerup (S)
995.7
Dandaragan (S)
995.1
Swan (C)
994.8
Boyup Brook (S)
994.8
Esperance (S)
994.8
Wickepin (S)
994
Armadale (C)
990
Rockingham (C)
989.3
Albany (C)
987.3
Donnybrook-Balingup (S)
986.9
Belmont (C)
986.7
Toodyay (S)
986.1
Dowerin (S)
982.7
Koorda (S)
980.4
Mount Marshall (S)
979.9
Nungarin (S)
979
Bruce Rock (S)
978.7
Coorow (S)
978.4
Nannup (S)
978.4
Kondinin (S)
977.6
Boddington (S)
975.7
Gingin (S)
975.1
Gosnells (C)
974.6
Yilgarn (S)
973.5
Cuballing (S)
972.4
Merredin (S)
971
Kwinana (C)
970.5
Christmas Island
970.5
Shark Bay (S)
970.3
York (S)
967.9
Irwin (S)
966.2
Greater Geraldton (C)
965.4
Carnamah (S)
965.4
Cranbrook (S)
964.3
Narrogin (S)
963.8
Quairading (S)
963.5
Wongan-Ballidu (S)
963.5
Three Springs (S)
962.8
Murray (S)
962.5
Broome (S)
961.6
Broomehill-Tambellup (S)
961.1
Manjimup (S)
959.5
Mandurah (C)
959.1
Moora (S)
959.1
Tammin (S)
958.9
Beverley (S)
955.9
Sandstone (S)
954.4
Northampton (S)
953.7
Plantagenet (S)
948.6
Leonora (S)
948.4
Wagin (S)
946.8
Bunbury (C)
944.1
Brookton (S)
944
Morawa (S)
942.9
East Pilbara (S)
939.4
Northam (S)
938.4
Waroona (S)
935.9
Carnarvon (S)
926
Kellerberrin (S)
920.5
Upper Gascoyne (S)
910.1
Trayning (S)
909.4
Collie (S)
908.2
Pingelly (S)
907
Katanning (S)
906.7
Yalgoo (S)
899.7
Wyndham-East Kimberley (S)
899.4
Wyalkatchem (S)
899
Cue (S)
898.3
Coolgardie (S)
897.2
Mount Magnet (S)
863.9
Menzies (S)
860.3
Dundas (S)
855.5
Cocos Islands
850
Meekatharra (S)
847.7
Murchison (S)
833.7
Wiluna (S)
772.6
Laverton (S)
751.1
Derby-West Kimberley (S)
734.1
Halls Creek (S)
540.1
Ngaanyatjarraku (S)
509.4
Data table
SEIFA – disadvantage across Western Australia LGAs table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Nedlands (C) | 1114.9 | 100 |
| Cambridge (T) | 1112.6 | 100 |
| Cottesloe (T) | 1112 | 100 |
| Peppermint Grove (S) | 1111.1 | 100 |
| East Fremantle (T) | 1082.2 | 96 |
| Claremont (T) | 1081 | 96 |
| Subiaco (C) | 1078.8 | 96 |
| Kent (S) | 1072.2 | 95 |
| Joondalup (C) | 1071.7 | 94 |
| Melville (C) | 1070 | 94 |
| Vincent (C) | 1067.5 | 94 |
| South Perth (C) | 1065.6 | 93 |
| Mosman Park (T) | 1061.5 | 93 |
| Dalwallinu (S) | 1056.5 | 91 |
| Karratha (C) | 1052 | 91 |
| Lake Grace (S) | 1050.6 | 90 |
| Kulin (S) | 1045.1 | 89 |
| Perenjori (S) | 1044.4 | 88 |
| Mundaring (S) | 1042.3 | 88 |
| Perth (C) | 1040.4 | 86 |
| Exmouth (S) | 1037.8 | 86 |
| Kalamunda (S) | 1033.6 | 85 |
| Cockburn (C) | 1033.3 | 85 |
| Augusta-Margaret River (S) | 1031.4 | 85 |
| Fremantle (C) | 1031.2 | 84 |
| Westonia (S) | 1030.2 | 84 |
| Chittering (S) | 1030.2 | 84 |
| Victoria Park (T) | 1030.1 | 83 |
| Williams (S) | 1029.7 | 83 |
| Serpentine-Jarrahdale (S) | 1028.2 | 82 |
| Narembeen (S) | 1028.1 | 82 |
| Victoria Plains (S) | 1028 | 82 |
| West Arthur (S) | 1027.7 | 82 |
| Chapman Valley (S) | 1027.3 | 81 |
| Stirling (C) | 1026.6 | 81 |
| Jerramungup (S) | 1024.9 | 80 |
| Mukinbudin (S) | 1024.8 | 80 |
| Ashburton (S) | 1023.6 | 79 |
| Corrigin (S) | 1023.3 | 79 |
| Canning (C) | 1023.3 | 79 |
| Busselton (C) | 1018.6 | 77 |
| Bayswater (C) | 1017.7 | 76 |
| Capel (S) | 1015.6 | 76 |
| Bassendean (T) | 1015.1 | 76 |
| Port Hedland (T) | 1011.2 | 74 |
| Dumbleyung (S) | 1009.3 | 73 |
| Cunderdin (S) | 1008.2 | 72 |
| Kalgoorlie/Boulder (C) | 1008 | 72 |
| Mingenew (S) | 1006.8 | 71 |
| Dardanup (S) | 1005.6 | 71 |
| Wanneroo (C) | 1005.3 | 71 |
| Wandering (S) | 1003.7 | 70 |
| Denmark (S) | 1003.2 | 69 |
| Woodanilling (S) | 1003.1 | 69 |
| Ravensthorpe (S) | 1002 | 68 |
| Bridgetown-Greenbushes (S) | 1000.5 | 67 |
| Goomalling (S) | 998 | 66 |
| Harvey (S) | 997.8 | 65 |
| Kojonup (S) | 996.9 | 65 |
| Gnowangerup (S) | 995.7 | 65 |
| Dandaragan (S) | 995.1 | 64 |
| Swan (C) | 994.8 | 64 |
| Boyup Brook (S) | 994.8 | 63 |
| Esperance (S) | 994.8 | 63 |
| Wickepin (S) | 994 | 63 |
| Armadale (C) | 990 | 59 |
| Rockingham (C) | 989.3 | 58 |
| Albany (C) | 987.3 | 57 |
| Donnybrook-Balingup (S) | 986.9 | 56 |
| Belmont (C) | 986.7 | 56 |
| Toodyay (S) | 986.1 | 56 |
| Dowerin (S) | 982.7 | 53 |
| Koorda (S) | 980.4 | 52 |
| Mount Marshall (S) | 979.9 | 52 |
| Nungarin (S) | 979 | 51 |
| Bruce Rock (S) | 978.7 | 51 |
| Coorow (S) | 978.4 | 50 |
| Nannup (S) | 978.4 | 50 |
| Kondinin (S) | 977.6 | 50 |
| Boddington (S) | 975.7 | 48 |
| Gingin (S) | 975.1 | 48 |
| Gosnells (C) | 974.6 | 48 |
| Yilgarn (S) | 973.5 | 46 |
| Cuballing (S) | 972.4 | 46 |
| Merredin (S) | 971 | 45 |
| Kwinana (C) | 970.5 | 44 |
| Christmas Island | 970.5 | 44 |
| Shark Bay (S) | 970.3 | 44 |
| York (S) | 967.9 | 43 |
| Irwin (S) | 966.2 | 42 |
| Greater Geraldton (C) | 965.4 | 41 |
| Carnamah (S) | 965.4 | 41 |
| Cranbrook (S) | 964.3 | 40 |
| Narrogin (S) | 963.8 | 40 |
| Quairading (S) | 963.5 | 40 |
| Wongan-Ballidu (S) | 963.5 | 39 |
| Three Springs (S) | 962.8 | 39 |
| Murray (S) | 962.5 | 39 |
| Broome (S) | 961.6 | 38 |
| Broomehill-Tambellup (S) | 961.1 | 38 |
| Manjimup (S) | 959.5 | 37 |
| Mandurah (C) | 959.1 | 36 |
| Moora (S) | 959.1 | 36 |
| Tammin (S) | 958.9 | 36 |
| Beverley (S) | 955.9 | 34 |
| Sandstone (S) | 954.4 | 33 |
| Northampton (S) | 953.7 | 33 |
| Plantagenet (S) | 948.6 | 30 |
| Leonora (S) | 948.4 | 30 |
| Wagin (S) | 946.8 | 28 |
| Bunbury (C) | 944.1 | 27 |
| Brookton (S) | 944 | 27 |
| Morawa (S) | 942.9 | 26 |
| East Pilbara (S) | 939.4 | 24 |
| Northam (S) | 938.4 | 23 |
| Waroona (S) | 935.9 | 23 |
| Carnarvon (S) | 926 | 19 |
| Kellerberrin (S) | 920.5 | 18 |
| Upper Gascoyne (S) | 910.1 | 15 |
| Trayning (S) | 909.4 | 15 |
| Collie (S) | 908.2 | 15 |
| Pingelly (S) | 907 | 15 |
| Katanning (S) | 906.7 | 14 |
| Yalgoo (S) | 899.7 | 12 |
| Wyndham-East Kimberley (S) | 899.4 | 12 |
| Wyalkatchem (S) | 899 | 12 |
| Cue (S) | 898.3 | 12 |
| Coolgardie (S) | 897.2 | 11 |
| Mount Magnet (S) | 863.9 | 9 |
| Menzies (S) | 860.3 | 9 |
| Dundas (S) | 855.5 | 8 |
| Cocos Islands | 850 | 8 |
| Meekatharra (S) | 847.7 | 8 |
| Murchison (S) | 833.7 | 7 |
| Wiluna (S) | 772.6 | 7 |
| Laverton (S) | 751.1 | 6 |
| Derby-West Kimberley (S) | 734.1 | 6 |
| Halls Creek (S) | 540.1 | 3 |
| Ngaanyatjarraku (S) | 509.4 | 2 |
Chart view
Variation within Christmas Island
See the spread of scores across smaller areas within the municipality.
Christmas Island
970.5
Percentile 27
Data table
Variation within Christmas Island table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas Island | 970.5 | 27 |