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, Isaac (R)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 1012, placing it in the 74th percentile nationally. Within Isaac (R), scores ranged from St Lawrence to Mackenzie River.
View
1012
Isaac (R) IRSD score
74th percentile nationally
1089.5
Highest local score
Mackenzie River
924.6
Lowest local score
St Lawrence
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 Isaac (R)
See the spread of scores across smaller areas within the municipality.
Mackenzie River
1089.5
Percentile 94
May Downs
1089.5
Percentile 94
Frankfield
1072.8
Percentile 87
Gemini Mountains
1072.8
Percentile 87
Kilcummin
1072.8
Percentile 87
Pasha
1072.8
Percentile 87
Winchester
1072.8
Percentile 87
Wolfang
1072.8
Percentile 87
Burton (Qld)
1052.7
Percentile 74
Eaglefield
1052.7
Percentile 74
Elphinstone (Isaac - Qld)
1052.7
Percentile 74
Hail Creek
1052.7
Percentile 74
Kemmis
1052.7
Percentile 74
Mount Britton
1052.7
Percentile 74
Strathfield (Qld)
1052.7
Percentile 74
Suttor
1052.7
Percentile 74
Turrawulla
1052.7
Percentile 74
Glenden
1036.4
Percentile 64
Moranbah
1036.3
Percentile 64
Clarke Creek
1023.5
Percentile 56
Lotus Creek
1023.5
Percentile 56
Oxford
1023.5
Percentile 56
Valkyrie
1023.5
Percentile 56
Middlemount
1019.7
Percentile 53
Belyando
1019
Percentile 53
Elgin (Qld)
1019
Percentile 53
Laglan
1019
Percentile 53
Clermont
991
Percentile 37
Dysart (Qld)
972.1
Percentile 28
Ilbilbie
966.2
Percentile 25
Blue Mountain
965.9
Percentile 25
Epsom (Qld)
965.9
Percentile 25
Carmila
964.4
Percentile 24
Nebo
941.8
Percentile 17
Clairview
924.6
Percentile 13
St Lawrence
924.6
Percentile 13
Data table
Variation within Isaac (R) table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Mackenzie River | 1089.5 | 94 |
| May Downs | 1089.5 | 94 |
| Frankfield | 1072.8 | 87 |
| Gemini Mountains | 1072.8 | 87 |
| Kilcummin | 1072.8 | 87 |
| Pasha | 1072.8 | 87 |
| Winchester | 1072.8 | 87 |
| Wolfang | 1072.8 | 87 |
| Burton (Qld) | 1052.7 | 74 |
| Eaglefield | 1052.7 | 74 |
| Elphinstone (Isaac - Qld) | 1052.7 | 74 |
| Hail Creek | 1052.7 | 74 |
| Kemmis | 1052.7 | 74 |
| Mount Britton | 1052.7 | 74 |
| Strathfield (Qld) | 1052.7 | 74 |
| Suttor | 1052.7 | 74 |
| Turrawulla | 1052.7 | 74 |
| Glenden | 1036.4 | 64 |
| Moranbah | 1036.3 | 64 |
| Clarke Creek | 1023.5 | 56 |
| Lotus Creek | 1023.5 | 56 |
| Oxford | 1023.5 | 56 |
| Valkyrie | 1023.5 | 56 |
| Middlemount | 1019.7 | 53 |
| Belyando | 1019 | 53 |
| Elgin (Qld) | 1019 | 53 |
| Laglan | 1019 | 53 |
| Clermont | 991 | 37 |
| Dysart (Qld) | 972.1 | 28 |
| Ilbilbie | 966.2 | 25 |
| Blue Mountain | 965.9 | 25 |
| Epsom (Qld) | 965.9 | 25 |
| Carmila | 964.4 | 24 |
| Nebo | 941.8 | 17 |
| Clairview | 924.6 | 13 |
| St Lawrence | 924.6 | 13 |