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, Mareeba (S)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 937.4, placing it in the 23rd percentile nationally. Within Mareeba (S), scores ranged from Mona Mona to Speewah.
View
937.4
Mareeba (S) IRSD score
23rd percentile nationally
1056.3
Highest local score
Speewah
594.8
Lowest local score
Mona Mona
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 Mareeba (S)
See the spread of scores across smaller areas within the municipality.
Speewah
1056.3
Percentile 77
Paddys Green
1020
Percentile 54
Petford
1012.3
Percentile 49
Biboohra
1005.7
Percentile 45
Arriga
989.4
Percentile 36
Chewko
989.4
Percentile 36
Glen Russell
989.4
Percentile 36
Koah
986.2
Percentile 34
Mutchilba
984.3
Percentile 33
Thornborough
961.5
Percentile 23
Kuranda
944.5
Percentile 18
Julatten
936.8
Percentile 16
Mount Molloy
925
Percentile 13
Southedge
925
Percentile 13
Mareeba
922.2
Percentile 13
Dimbulah
913.8
Percentile 11
Almaden
893
Percentile 8
Arbouin
893
Percentile 8
Crystalbrook
893
Percentile 8
Desailly
893
Percentile 8
Forty Mile
893
Percentile 8
Gamboola
893
Percentile 8
Groganville
893
Percentile 8
Highbury (Qld)
893
Percentile 8
Hurricane
893
Percentile 8
Lyndside
893
Percentile 8
Mount Carbine
893
Percentile 8
Mount Mulgrave
893
Percentile 8
Mount Mulligan
893
Percentile 8
Munderra
893
Percentile 8
Rookwood (Qld)
893
Percentile 8
Springfield (Mareeba - Qld)
893
Percentile 8
Wrotham
893
Percentile 8
Irvinebank
851.2
Percentile 5
Watsonville
851.2
Percentile 5
Chillagoe
841.6
Percentile 4
Mona Mona
594.8
Percentile 1
Data table
Variation within Mareeba (S) table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Speewah | 1056.3 | 77 |
| Paddys Green | 1020 | 54 |
| Petford | 1012.3 | 49 |
| Biboohra | 1005.7 | 45 |
| Arriga | 989.4 | 36 |
| Chewko | 989.4 | 36 |
| Glen Russell | 989.4 | 36 |
| Koah | 986.2 | 34 |
| Mutchilba | 984.3 | 33 |
| Thornborough | 961.5 | 23 |
| Kuranda | 944.5 | 18 |
| Julatten | 936.8 | 16 |
| Mount Molloy | 925 | 13 |
| Southedge | 925 | 13 |
| Mareeba | 922.2 | 13 |
| Dimbulah | 913.8 | 11 |
| Almaden | 893 | 8 |
| Arbouin | 893 | 8 |
| Crystalbrook | 893 | 8 |
| Desailly | 893 | 8 |
| Forty Mile | 893 | 8 |
| Gamboola | 893 | 8 |
| Groganville | 893 | 8 |
| Highbury (Qld) | 893 | 8 |
| Hurricane | 893 | 8 |
| Lyndside | 893 | 8 |
| Mount Carbine | 893 | 8 |
| Mount Mulgrave | 893 | 8 |
| Mount Mulligan | 893 | 8 |
| Munderra | 893 | 8 |
| Rookwood (Qld) | 893 | 8 |
| Springfield (Mareeba - Qld) | 893 | 8 |
| Wrotham | 893 | 8 |
| Irvinebank | 851.2 | 5 |
| Watsonville | 851.2 | 5 |
| Chillagoe | 841.6 | 4 |
| Mona Mona | 594.8 | 1 |