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, Indigo (S)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 1029.4, placing it in the 83rd percentile nationally. Within Indigo (S), scores ranged from Rutherglen to Osbornes Flat.
View
1029.4
Indigo (S) IRSD score
83rd percentile nationally
1123.8
Highest local score
Osbornes Flat
975
Lowest local score
Rutherglen
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 Indigo (S)
See the spread of scores across smaller areas within the municipality.
Osbornes Flat
1123.8
Percentile 100
Allans Flat
1114.3
Percentile 99
Staghorn Flat (part)
1102.9
Percentile 97
Indigo Valley
1085.5
Percentile 92
Huon (part)
1084.5
Percentile 92
Kergunyah
1083.3
Percentile 92
Charleroi
1073.8
Percentile 87
Gundowring (part)
1073.8
Percentile 87
Sandy Creek (Vic.)
1073.8
Percentile 87
Stanley (Vic.)
1072.1
Percentile 86
Kiewa
1071
Percentile 86
Carlyle
1063.7
Percentile 82
Gooramadda
1063.7
Percentile 82
Browns Plains (Vic.)
1059.3
Percentile 79
Yackandandah
1058.7
Percentile 78
Wooragee
1054.6
Percentile 76
Chiltern Valley
1052.9
Percentile 75
Cornishtown
1052.9
Percentile 75
Bruarong
1046.7
Percentile 70
Tangambalanga
1040.9
Percentile 67
Brimin
1036.4
Percentile 64
Lilliput
1036.4
Percentile 64
Norong
1036.4
Percentile 64
Barnawartha
1035.5
Percentile 63
Beechworth
1023.4
Percentile 56
Wahgunyah
993.3
Percentile 38
Chiltern
991.4
Percentile 37
Rutherglen
975
Percentile 29
Data table
Variation within Indigo (S) table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Osbornes Flat | 1123.8 | 100 |
| Allans Flat | 1114.3 | 99 |
| Staghorn Flat (part) | 1102.9 | 97 |
| Indigo Valley | 1085.5 | 92 |
| Huon (part) | 1084.5 | 92 |
| Kergunyah | 1083.3 | 92 |
| Charleroi | 1073.8 | 87 |
| Gundowring (part) | 1073.8 | 87 |
| Sandy Creek (Vic.) | 1073.8 | 87 |
| Stanley (Vic.) | 1072.1 | 86 |
| Kiewa | 1071 | 86 |
| Carlyle | 1063.7 | 82 |
| Gooramadda | 1063.7 | 82 |
| Browns Plains (Vic.) | 1059.3 | 79 |
| Yackandandah | 1058.7 | 78 |
| Wooragee | 1054.6 | 76 |
| Chiltern Valley | 1052.9 | 75 |
| Cornishtown | 1052.9 | 75 |
| Bruarong | 1046.7 | 70 |
| Tangambalanga | 1040.9 | 67 |
| Brimin | 1036.4 | 64 |
| Lilliput | 1036.4 | 64 |
| Norong | 1036.4 | 64 |
| Barnawartha | 1035.5 | 63 |
| Beechworth | 1023.4 | 56 |
| Wahgunyah | 993.3 | 38 |
| Chiltern | 991.4 | 37 |
| Rutherglen | 975 | 29 |