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, Mount Barker (DC)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 1037, placing it in the 85th percentile nationally. Within Mount Barker (DC), scores ranged from Kanmantoo to Biggs Flat.
View
1037
Mount Barker (DC) IRSD score
85th percentile nationally
1109.8
Highest local score
Biggs Flat
1014.7
Lowest local score
Kanmantoo
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 Mount Barker (DC)
See the spread of scores across smaller areas within the municipality.
Biggs Flat
1109.8
Percentile 98
Chapel Hill (SA)
1109.8
Percentile 98
Paechtown
1106.2
Percentile 98
Blakiston
1096.5
Percentile 96
Mount Barker Springs
1078.9
Percentile 90
Mount Barker Summit
1078.9
Percentile 90
Petwood
1078.9
Percentile 90
St Ives (SA)
1078.9
Percentile 90
Jupiter Creek
1077.4
Percentile 89
Dawesley
1070.9
Percentile 86
Littlehampton
1068.3
Percentile 84
Bugle Ranges
1063.2
Percentile 81
Mount Barker Junction
1062.8
Percentile 81
Totness
1062.5
Percentile 81
Echunga
1061.7
Percentile 80
Meadows
1061.5
Percentile 80
Hahndorf
1060.5
Percentile 80
Prospect Hill (part)
1056.1
Percentile 77
Bull Creek (SA) (part)
1052.4
Percentile 74
Wistow
1050.4
Percentile 73
Harrogate
1049.5
Percentile 72
Macclesfield (SA) (part)
1046.9
Percentile 71
Flaxley
1046.3
Percentile 70
Green Hills Range
1046.3
Percentile 70
Brukunga
1042
Percentile 68
Hay Valley
1042
Percentile 68
Nairne
1034.3
Percentile 62
Mount Barker (SA)
1018.9
Percentile 53
Kanmantoo
1014.7
Percentile 50
Data table
Variation within Mount Barker (DC) table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Biggs Flat | 1109.8 | 98 |
| Chapel Hill (SA) | 1109.8 | 98 |
| Paechtown | 1106.2 | 98 |
| Blakiston | 1096.5 | 96 |
| Mount Barker Springs | 1078.9 | 90 |
| Mount Barker Summit | 1078.9 | 90 |
| Petwood | 1078.9 | 90 |
| St Ives (SA) | 1078.9 | 90 |
| Jupiter Creek | 1077.4 | 89 |
| Dawesley | 1070.9 | 86 |
| Littlehampton | 1068.3 | 84 |
| Bugle Ranges | 1063.2 | 81 |
| Mount Barker Junction | 1062.8 | 81 |
| Totness | 1062.5 | 81 |
| Echunga | 1061.7 | 80 |
| Meadows | 1061.5 | 80 |
| Hahndorf | 1060.5 | 80 |
| Prospect Hill (part) | 1056.1 | 77 |
| Bull Creek (SA) (part) | 1052.4 | 74 |
| Wistow | 1050.4 | 73 |
| Harrogate | 1049.5 | 72 |
| Macclesfield (SA) (part) | 1046.9 | 71 |
| Flaxley | 1046.3 | 70 |
| Green Hills Range | 1046.3 | 70 |
| Brukunga | 1042 | 68 |
| Hay Valley | 1042 | 68 |
| Nairne | 1034.3 | 62 |
| Mount Barker (SA) | 1018.9 | 53 |
| Kanmantoo | 1014.7 | 50 |