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.

Key insight

In 2021, Coober Pedy (DC)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 868.3, placing it in the 9th percentile nationally. Within Coober Pedy (DC), scores ranged from Coober Pedy (part) to Coober Pedy (part).

View

868.3

Coober Pedy (DC) IRSD score

9th percentile nationally

868.3

Highest local score

Coober Pedy (part)

868.3

Lowest local score

Coober Pedy (part)

Chart view

SEIFA – disadvantage across South Australia LGAs

Compare the selected index across South Australia LGAs with the current municipality highlighted.

South Australia:982.1 · Percentile 55
Australia:1001.5 · Percentile 64
496.3789.51082.7
More disadvantagedLess disadvantaged

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.

AreaScorePercentile
Burnside (C)1082.797
Adelaide Hills (DC)1081.396
Walkerville (M)1075.595
Mitcham (C)1074.995
Unley (C)1067.294
Prospect (C)1054.191
Roxby Downs (M)1047.790
Holdfast Bay (C)1046.990
Norwood Payneham St Peters (C)1038.586
Mount Barker (DC)103785
Lower Eyre Peninsula (DC)1032.785
Tea Tree Gully (C)1030.484
Light (RegC)102781
Grant (DC)1025.780
Robe (DC)1022.979
Campbelltown (C) (SA)1021.478
Kimba (DC)1019.677
West Torrens (C)101575
Barossa (DC)1014.375
Wudinna (DC)1009.373
Marion (C)100872
Orroroo/Carrieton (DC)1005.971
Adelaide (C)1002.268
Charles Sturt (C)1000.767
Streaky Bay (DC)1000.367
Clare and Gilbert Valleys (DC)997.665
Southern Mallee (DC)996.865
Tumby Bay (DC)993.562
Kangaroo Island (DC)991.561
Cleve (DC)989.458
Adelaide Plains987.957
Alexandrina (DC)987.857
Onkaparinga (C)987.557
Tatiara (DC)981.653
Northern Areas (DC)979.251
Yankalilla (DC)977.850
Naracoorte and Lucindale (DC)977.649
Kingston (DC) (SA)976.949
Mount Remarkable (DC)974.247
Victor Harbor (C)962.338
Gawler (T)960.137
Franklin Harbour (DC)95936
Elliston (DC)95936
Loxton Waikerie (DC)957.835
Karoonda East Murray (DC)956.534
Port Adelaide Enfield (C)952.632
Yorke Peninsula (DC)951.631
Barunga West (DC)950.130
Port Lincoln (C)948.229
Goyder (DC)946.628
Ceduna (DC)943.226
Wattle Range (DC)941.726
The Coorong (DC)938.623
Flinders Ranges (DC)93322
Mount Gambier (C)924.119
Copper Coast (DC)923.719
Renmark Paringa (DC)922.618
Wakefield (DC)92118
Mid Murray (DC)914.517
Berri and Barmera (DC)906.914
Unincorporated SA904.813
Salisbury (C)903.713
Murray Bridge (RC)89111
Port Pirie City and Dists (M)889.411
Port Augusta (C)888.611
Whyalla (C)88310
Coober Pedy (DC)868.39
Playford (C)852.48
Peterborough (DC)773.17
Maralinga Tjarutja (AC)643.95
Anangu Pitjantjatjara (AC)496.31
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021. Compiled by Geografia.