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, Kangaroo Island (DC)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 991.5, placing it in the 61st percentile nationally. Within Kangaroo Island (DC), scores ranged from Parndana to Bay Of Shoals.
View
991.5
Kangaroo Island (DC) IRSD score
61st percentile nationally
1060.2
Highest local score
Bay Of Shoals
899.1
Lowest local score
Parndana
Chart view
SEIFA – disadvantage across South Australia LGAs
Compare the selected index across South Australia LGAs with the current municipality highlighted.
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.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Burnside (C) | 1082.7 | 97 |
| Adelaide Hills (DC) | 1081.3 | 96 |
| Walkerville (M) | 1075.5 | 95 |
| Mitcham (C) | 1074.9 | 95 |
| Unley (C) | 1067.2 | 94 |
| Prospect (C) | 1054.1 | 91 |
| Roxby Downs (M) | 1047.7 | 90 |
| Holdfast Bay (C) | 1046.9 | 90 |
| Norwood Payneham St Peters (C) | 1038.5 | 86 |
| Mount Barker (DC) | 1037 | 85 |
| Lower Eyre Peninsula (DC) | 1032.7 | 85 |
| Tea Tree Gully (C) | 1030.4 | 84 |
| Light (RegC) | 1027 | 81 |
| Grant (DC) | 1025.7 | 80 |
| Robe (DC) | 1022.9 | 79 |
| Campbelltown (C) (SA) | 1021.4 | 78 |
| Kimba (DC) | 1019.6 | 77 |
| West Torrens (C) | 1015 | 75 |
| Barossa (DC) | 1014.3 | 75 |
| Wudinna (DC) | 1009.3 | 73 |
| Marion (C) | 1008 | 72 |
| Orroroo/Carrieton (DC) | 1005.9 | 71 |
| Adelaide (C) | 1002.2 | 68 |
| Charles Sturt (C) | 1000.7 | 67 |
| Streaky Bay (DC) | 1000.3 | 67 |
| Clare and Gilbert Valleys (DC) | 997.6 | 65 |
| Southern Mallee (DC) | 996.8 | 65 |
| Tumby Bay (DC) | 993.5 | 62 |
| Kangaroo Island (DC) | 991.5 | 61 |
| Cleve (DC) | 989.4 | 58 |
| Adelaide Plains | 987.9 | 57 |
| Alexandrina (DC) | 987.8 | 57 |
| Onkaparinga (C) | 987.5 | 57 |
| Tatiara (DC) | 981.6 | 53 |
| Northern Areas (DC) | 979.2 | 51 |
| Yankalilla (DC) | 977.8 | 50 |
| Naracoorte and Lucindale (DC) | 977.6 | 49 |
| Kingston (DC) (SA) | 976.9 | 49 |
| Mount Remarkable (DC) | 974.2 | 47 |
| Victor Harbor (C) | 962.3 | 38 |
| Gawler (T) | 960.1 | 37 |
| Franklin Harbour (DC) | 959 | 36 |
| Elliston (DC) | 959 | 36 |
| Loxton Waikerie (DC) | 957.8 | 35 |
| Karoonda East Murray (DC) | 956.5 | 34 |
| Port Adelaide Enfield (C) | 952.6 | 32 |
| Yorke Peninsula (DC) | 951.6 | 31 |
| Barunga West (DC) | 950.1 | 30 |
| Port Lincoln (C) | 948.2 | 29 |
| Goyder (DC) | 946.6 | 28 |
| Ceduna (DC) | 943.2 | 26 |
| Wattle Range (DC) | 941.7 | 26 |
| The Coorong (DC) | 938.6 | 23 |
| Flinders Ranges (DC) | 933 | 22 |
| Mount Gambier (C) | 924.1 | 19 |
| Copper Coast (DC) | 923.7 | 19 |
| Renmark Paringa (DC) | 922.6 | 18 |
| Wakefield (DC) | 921 | 18 |
| Mid Murray (DC) | 914.5 | 17 |
| Berri and Barmera (DC) | 906.9 | 14 |
| Unincorporated SA | 904.8 | 13 |
| Salisbury (C) | 903.7 | 13 |
| Murray Bridge (RC) | 891 | 11 |
| Port Pirie City and Dists (M) | 889.4 | 11 |
| Port Augusta (C) | 888.6 | 11 |
| Whyalla (C) | 883 | 10 |
| Coober Pedy (DC) | 868.3 | 9 |
| Playford (C) | 852.4 | 8 |
| Peterborough (DC) | 773.1 | 7 |
| Maralinga Tjarutja (AC) | 643.9 | 5 |
| Anangu Pitjantjatjara (AC) | 496.3 | 1 |
Chart view
Variation within Kangaroo Island (DC)
See the spread of scores across smaller areas within the municipality.
Bay Of Shoals
1060.2
Percentile 79
Emu Bay
1060.2
Percentile 79
Wisanger
1060.2
Percentile 79
Cassini
1049.6
Percentile 72
Cygnet River
1049.6
Percentile 72
Menzies (SA)
1049.6
Percentile 72
Stokes Bay
1049.6
Percentile 72
Ballast Head
1034.6
Percentile 62
Birchmore
1034.6
Percentile 62
D'Estrees Bay
1034.6
Percentile 62
Haines
1034.6
Percentile 62
Kohinoor
1034.6
Percentile 62
Macgillivray
1034.6
Percentile 62
Muston
1034.6
Percentile 62
Nepean Bay
1034.6
Percentile 62
Seal Bay
1034.6
Percentile 62
Seddon (SA)
1034.6
Percentile 62
Cape Borda
1018.8
Percentile 53
De Mole River
1018.8
Percentile 53
Duncan
1018.8
Percentile 53
Gosse
1018.8
Percentile 53
Karatta
1018.8
Percentile 53
Middle River
1018.8
Percentile 53
Newland
1018.8
Percentile 53
Stun'Sail Boom
1018.8
Percentile 53
Vivonne Bay
1018.8
Percentile 53
Western River
1018.8
Percentile 53
Penneshaw
1013.2
Percentile 49
Antechamber Bay
1011.2
Percentile 48
Baudin Beach
1011.2
Percentile 48
Brown Beach
1011.2
Percentile 48
Cuttlefish Bay
1011.2
Percentile 48
Dudley East
1011.2
Percentile 48
Dudley West
1011.2
Percentile 48
Ironstone
1011.2
Percentile 48
Island Beach
1011.2
Percentile 48
Kangaroo Head
1011.2
Percentile 48
Pelican Lagoon
1011.2
Percentile 48
Porky Flat
1011.2
Percentile 48
Sapphiretown
1011.2
Percentile 48
Willoughby (SA)
1011.2
Percentile 48
Willson River
1011.2
Percentile 48
Kingscote
969
Percentile 26
Brownlow Ki
962.4
Percentile 24
American River
914.7
Percentile 11
Parndana
899.1
Percentile 9
Data table
Variation within Kangaroo Island (DC) table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Bay Of Shoals | 1060.2 | 79 |
| Emu Bay | 1060.2 | 79 |
| Wisanger | 1060.2 | 79 |
| Cassini | 1049.6 | 72 |
| Cygnet River | 1049.6 | 72 |
| Menzies (SA) | 1049.6 | 72 |
| Stokes Bay | 1049.6 | 72 |
| Ballast Head | 1034.6 | 62 |
| Birchmore | 1034.6 | 62 |
| D'Estrees Bay | 1034.6 | 62 |
| Haines | 1034.6 | 62 |
| Kohinoor | 1034.6 | 62 |
| Macgillivray | 1034.6 | 62 |
| Muston | 1034.6 | 62 |
| Nepean Bay | 1034.6 | 62 |
| Seal Bay | 1034.6 | 62 |
| Seddon (SA) | 1034.6 | 62 |
| Cape Borda | 1018.8 | 53 |
| De Mole River | 1018.8 | 53 |
| Duncan | 1018.8 | 53 |
| Gosse | 1018.8 | 53 |
| Karatta | 1018.8 | 53 |
| Middle River | 1018.8 | 53 |
| Newland | 1018.8 | 53 |
| Stun'Sail Boom | 1018.8 | 53 |
| Vivonne Bay | 1018.8 | 53 |
| Western River | 1018.8 | 53 |
| Penneshaw | 1013.2 | 49 |
| Antechamber Bay | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Baudin Beach | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Brown Beach | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Cuttlefish Bay | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Dudley East | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Dudley West | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Ironstone | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Island Beach | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Kangaroo Head | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Pelican Lagoon | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Porky Flat | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Sapphiretown | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Willoughby (SA) | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Willson River | 1011.2 | 48 |
| Kingscote | 969 | 26 |
| Brownlow Ki | 962.4 | 24 |
| American River | 914.7 | 11 |
| Parndana | 899.1 | 9 |