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, Douglas (S)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 978.9, placing it in the 51st percentile nationally. Within Douglas (S), scores ranged from Mossman Gorge to Cassowary.
View
978.9
Douglas (S) IRSD score
51st percentile nationally
1069.1
Highest local score
Cassowary
738.8
Lowest local score
Mossman Gorge
Chart view
SEIFA – disadvantage across Queensland LGAs
Compare the selected index across Queensland LGAs with the current municipality highlighted.
Weipa (T)
1058.1
Brisbane (C)
1045.2
Noosa (S)
1029.5
Redland (C)
1023.9
Sunshine Coast (R)
1021.7
Gold Coast (C)
1018.6
McKinlay (S)
1014
Isaac (R)
1012
Richmond (S)
1009.2
Livingstone (S)
1004.8
Longreach (R)
1002.7
Barcaldine (R)
1002.1
Mackay (R)
999.3
Quilpie (S)
997.9
Central Highlands (R) (Qld)
995.7
Maranoa (R)
995.2
Winton (S)
993.3
Moreton Bay (R)
991.8
Banana (S)
991.6
Townsville (C)
989.6
Bulloo (S)
989.6
Barcoo (S)
987.9
Scenic Rim (R)
985.8
Etheridge (S)
982.4
Cairns (R)
981.1
Toowoomba (R)
979.4
Douglas (S)
978.9
Mount Isa (C)
971.9
Flinders (S) (Qld)
970.1
Whitsunday (R)
969.4
Burdekin (S)
965.8
Cloncurry (S)
965.1
Goondiwindi (R)
965
Blackall-Tambo (R)
961.1
Ipswich (C)
957.9
Tablelands (R)
955.3
Gladstone (R)
954.1
Hinchinbrook (S)
953.7
Diamantina (S)
951.8
Rockhampton (R)
948.8
Murweh (S)
948.4
Lockyer Valley (R)
948
Western Downs (R)
946
Logan (C)
944
Somerset (R)
943.9
Balonne (S)
943.5
Burke (S)
941.3
Southern Downs (R)
938.9
Mareeba (S)
937.4
Charters Towers (R)
933.3
Gympie (R)
930.5
Cassowary Coast (R)
929.4
Bundaberg (R)
924.5
Fraser Coast (R)
914.8
Cook (S)
913
South Burnett (R)
907
Torres (S)
904.3
North Burnett (R)
902.5
Boulia (S)
877.5
Croydon (S)
875.5
Paroo (S)
865.7
Carpentaria (S)
850.8
Northern Peninsula Area (R)
702.1
Torres Strait Island (R)
649.5
Hope Vale (S)
630.8
Napranum (S)
623.2
Lockhart River (S)
621.6
Mornington (S)
609
Palm Island (S)
566.9
Mapoon (S)
566.8
Pormpuraaw (S)
547.2
Doomadgee (S)
533.8
Kowanyama (S)
528.1
Yarrabah (S)
512.5
Wujal Wujal (S)
510.3
Aurukun (S)
501.5
Cherbourg (S)
498.1
Woorabinda (S)
492.5
Data table
SEIFA – disadvantage across Queensland LGAs table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Weipa (T) | 1058.1 | 92 |
| Brisbane (C) | 1045.2 | 89 |
| Noosa (S) | 1029.5 | 83 |
| Redland (C) | 1023.9 | 80 |
| Sunshine Coast (R) | 1021.7 | 78 |
| Gold Coast (C) | 1018.6 | 77 |
| McKinlay (S) | 1014 | 75 |
| Isaac (R) | 1012 | 74 |
| Richmond (S) | 1009.2 | 73 |
| Livingstone (S) | 1004.8 | 70 |
| Longreach (R) | 1002.7 | 69 |
| Barcaldine (R) | 1002.1 | 68 |
| Mackay (R) | 999.3 | 67 |
| Quilpie (S) | 997.9 | 66 |
| Central Highlands (R) (Qld) | 995.7 | 64 |
| Maranoa (R) | 995.2 | 64 |
| Winton (S) | 993.3 | 62 |
| Moreton Bay (R) | 991.8 | 61 |
| Banana (S) | 991.6 | 61 |
| Townsville (C) | 989.6 | 59 |
| Bulloo (S) | 989.6 | 59 |
| Barcoo (S) | 987.9 | 57 |
| Scenic Rim (R) | 985.8 | 55 |
| Etheridge (S) | 982.4 | 53 |
| Cairns (R) | 981.1 | 52 |
| Toowoomba (R) | 979.4 | 51 |
| Douglas (S) | 978.9 | 51 |
| Mount Isa (C) | 971.9 | 45 |
| Flinders (S) (Qld) | 970.1 | 44 |
| Whitsunday (R) | 969.4 | 44 |
| Burdekin (S) | 965.8 | 42 |
| Cloncurry (S) | 965.1 | 41 |
| Goondiwindi (R) | 965 | 40 |
| Blackall-Tambo (R) | 961.1 | 38 |
| Ipswich (C) | 957.9 | 35 |
| Tablelands (R) | 955.3 | 34 |
| Gladstone (R) | 954.1 | 33 |
| Hinchinbrook (S) | 953.7 | 33 |
| Diamantina (S) | 951.8 | 31 |
| Rockhampton (R) | 948.8 | 30 |
| Murweh (S) | 948.4 | 29 |
| Lockyer Valley (R) | 948 | 29 |
| Western Downs (R) | 946 | 28 |
| Logan (C) | 944 | 27 |
| Somerset (R) | 943.9 | 27 |
| Balonne (S) | 943.5 | 26 |
| Burke (S) | 941.3 | 25 |
| Southern Downs (R) | 938.9 | 23 |
| Mareeba (S) | 937.4 | 23 |
| Charters Towers (R) | 933.3 | 22 |
| Gympie (R) | 930.5 | 21 |
| Cassowary Coast (R) | 929.4 | 21 |
| Bundaberg (R) | 924.5 | 19 |
| Fraser Coast (R) | 914.8 | 17 |
| Cook (S) | 913 | 16 |
| South Burnett (R) | 907 | 14 |
| Torres (S) | 904.3 | 13 |
| North Burnett (R) | 902.5 | 13 |
| Boulia (S) | 877.5 | 10 |
| Croydon (S) | 875.5 | 10 |
| Paroo (S) | 865.7 | 9 |
| Carpentaria (S) | 850.8 | 8 |
| Northern Peninsula Area (R) | 702.1 | 6 |
| Torres Strait Island (R) | 649.5 | 6 |
| Hope Vale (S) | 630.8 | 5 |
| Napranum (S) | 623.2 | 5 |
| Lockhart River (S) | 621.6 | 5 |
| Mornington (S) | 609 | 5 |
| Palm Island (S) | 566.9 | 4 |
| Mapoon (S) | 566.8 | 4 |
| Pormpuraaw (S) | 547.2 | 4 |
| Doomadgee (S) | 533.8 | 3 |
| Kowanyama (S) | 528.1 | 3 |
| Yarrabah (S) | 512.5 | 2 |
| Wujal Wujal (S) | 510.3 | 2 |
| Aurukun (S) | 501.5 | 2 |
| Cherbourg (S) | 498.1 | 2 |
| Woorabinda (S) | 492.5 | 1 |
Chart view
Variation within Douglas (S)
See the spread of scores across smaller areas within the municipality.
Cassowary
1069.1
Percentile 85
Killaloe
1069.1
Percentile 85
Oak Beach
1057.3
Percentile 78
Bonnie Doon (Qld)
1041.8
Percentile 67
Craiglie
1041.2
Percentile 67
Mowbray (Qld)
1041
Percentile 67
Wangetti
1041
Percentile 67
Bamboo
1037.4
Percentile 64
Rocky Point (Douglas - Qld)
1037.4
Percentile 64
Whyanbeel
1037.4
Percentile 64
Newell
1035.4
Percentile 63
Finlayvale
1017.1
Percentile 52
Shannonvale
1017.1
Percentile 52
Port Douglas
998.6
Percentile 41
Miallo
988.3
Percentile 36
Cape Tribulation
967.4
Percentile 26
Forest Creek
967.4
Percentile 26
Kimberley (Qld)
967.4
Percentile 26
Stewart Creek Valley
967.4
Percentile 26
Thornton Beach
967.4
Percentile 26
Upper Daintree
967.4
Percentile 26
Lower Daintree
965.9
Percentile 25
Cooya Beach
953.5
Percentile 21
Wonga Beach
936
Percentile 16
Cow Bay
925.6
Percentile 13
Diwan
925.6
Percentile 13
Mossman
911.6
Percentile 11
Daintree
875.1
Percentile 6
Degarra
846.7
Percentile 5
Mossman Gorge
738.8
Percentile 2
Data table
Variation within Douglas (S) table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Cassowary | 1069.1 | 85 |
| Killaloe | 1069.1 | 85 |
| Oak Beach | 1057.3 | 78 |
| Bonnie Doon (Qld) | 1041.8 | 67 |
| Craiglie | 1041.2 | 67 |
| Mowbray (Qld) | 1041 | 67 |
| Wangetti | 1041 | 67 |
| Bamboo | 1037.4 | 64 |
| Rocky Point (Douglas - Qld) | 1037.4 | 64 |
| Whyanbeel | 1037.4 | 64 |
| Newell | 1035.4 | 63 |
| Finlayvale | 1017.1 | 52 |
| Shannonvale | 1017.1 | 52 |
| Port Douglas | 998.6 | 41 |
| Miallo | 988.3 | 36 |
| Cape Tribulation | 967.4 | 26 |
| Forest Creek | 967.4 | 26 |
| Kimberley (Qld) | 967.4 | 26 |
| Stewart Creek Valley | 967.4 | 26 |
| Thornton Beach | 967.4 | 26 |
| Upper Daintree | 967.4 | 26 |
| Lower Daintree | 965.9 | 25 |
| Cooya Beach | 953.5 | 21 |
| Wonga Beach | 936 | 16 |
| Cow Bay | 925.6 | 13 |
| Diwan | 925.6 | 13 |
| Mossman | 911.6 | 11 |
| Daintree | 875.1 | 6 |
| Degarra | 846.7 | 5 |
| Mossman Gorge | 738.8 | 2 |