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, Kowanyama (S)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 528.1, placing it in the 3rd percentile nationally. Within Kowanyama (S), scores ranged from Kowanyama to Kowanyama.
View
528.1
Kowanyama (S) IRSD score
3rd percentile nationally
528.1
Highest local score
Kowanyama
528.1
Lowest local score
Kowanyama
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 Kowanyama (S)
See the spread of scores across smaller areas within the municipality.
Kowanyama
528.1
Percentile 1
Data table
Variation within Kowanyama (S) table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Kowanyama | 528.1 | 1 |