City Compass

Shoalhaven (C)

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, Shoalhaven (C)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 979.5, placing it in the 51st percentile nationally. Within Shoalhaven (C), scores ranged from Nowra to Bellawongarah.

View

979.5

Shoalhaven (C) IRSD score

51st percentile nationally

1150.1

Highest local score

Bellawongarah

835.3

Lowest local score

Nowra

Chart view

SEIFA – disadvantage across New South Wales LGAs

Compare the selected index across New South Wales LGAs with the current municipality highlighted.

New South Wales:1000.6 · Percentile 62
Australia:1001.5 · Percentile 64
814961.81109.7
More disadvantagedLess disadvantaged

Woollahra (A)

1109.7

Mosman (A)

1109.5

Ku-ring-gai (A)

1108.1

Lane Cove (A)

1104.9

Hunters Hill (A)

1100.6

The Hills Shire (A)

1098.1

North Sydney (A)

1096

Waverley (A)

1092.2

Northern Beaches (A)

1088.6

Hornsby (A)

1082.2

Sutherland Shire (A)

1078.8

Willoughby (C)

1074.7

Kiama (A)

1070

Canada Bay (A)

1066.8

Yass Valley (A)

1065.3

Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional (A)

1061.2

Randwick (C)

1059.1

Inner West (A)

1057

Ryde (C)

1055.2

Blue Mountains (C)

1048.2

Unincorporated NSW

1045.6

Wingecarribee (A)

1045.5

Camden (A)

1044.8

Wollondilly (A)

1041

Sydney (C)

1030.6

Parramatta (C)

1029.5

Hawkesbury (C)

1025.9

Cabonne (A)

1022.9

Upper Lachlan Shire (A)

1021.9

Byron (A)

1020.7

Snowy Monaro Regional (A)

1019.7

Ballina (A)

1015.1

Newcastle (C)

1012.1

Georges River (A)

1011.3

Strathfield (A)

1011

Dungog (A)

1008.9

Bayside (NSW)

1003.9

Lake Macquarie (C)

1003.7

Wollongong (C)

999.8

Greater Hume Shire (A)

999.3

Singleton (A)

998.1

Murray River (A)

997.9

Orange (C)

997.2

Central Coast (C) (NSW)

994.2

Bland (A)

992.6

Walcha (A)

992.5

Bathurst Regional (A)

991.5

Penrith (C)

991.3

Blayney (A)

991.2

Uralla (A)

989.9

Wagga Wagga (C)

989.4

Tweed (A)

988.7

Maitland (C)

988.5

Blacktown (C)

987.3

Bega Valley (A)

985.8

Dubbo Regional

985.5

Port Macquarie-Hastings (A)

985

Eurobodalla (A)

984.7

Coolamon (A)

983.3

Murrumbidgee (A)

983.2

Shellharbour (C)

982.9

Port Stephens (A)

982.1

Bellingen (A)

980.9

Armidale Regional

980.4

Shoalhaven (C)

979.5

Mid-Western Regional (A)

978.6

Oberon (A)

977.6

Burwood (A)

977.2

Lockhart (A)

976

Upper Hunter Shire (A)

974.8

Griffith (C)

974.2

Wentworth (A)

973.6

Carrathool (A)

973.1

Coffs Harbour (C)

972

Temora (A)

971.7

Goulburn Mulwaree (A)

971.7

Federation (A)

969.4

Forbes (A)

968.5

Albury (C)

967.9

Gunnedah (A)

966.7

Edward River (A)

966.5

Bogan (A)

965.9

Berrigan (A)

965.8

Lismore (C)

965.6

Cobar (A)

965.3

Narrabri (A)

963.9

Warren (A)

961.6

Tamworth Regional (A)

961.1

Weddin (A)

960.5

Balranald (A)

960.2

Narromine (A)

958.3

Gwydir (A)

956.6

Hay (A)

955.9

Hilltops (A)

954.3

Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional

952.9

Snowy Valleys (A)

952.5

Lachlan (A)

950.2

Leeton (A)

949.1

Campbelltown (C) (NSW)

947.5

Bourke (A)

946.7

Parkes (A)

945.8

Mid-Coast (A)

942.5

Moree Plains (A)

940.3

Clarence Valley (A)

940

Cessnock (C)

939.4

Muswellbrook (A)

937

Lithgow (C)

934.7

Junee (A)

933.9

Cowra (A)

931.8

Liverpool (C)

930.8

Gilgandra (A)

929.6

Narrandera (A)

929.1

Inverell

928.3

Warrumbungle Shire (A)

927.2

Liverpool Plains (A)

925.7

Richmond Valley (A)

923.6

Kyogle (A)

921.1

Tenterfield (A)

920.3

Nambucca (A)

920.3

Canterbury-Bankstown (A)

916.8

Broken Hill (C)

913.2

Glen Innes Severn (A)

906.1

Cumberland (A)

903.6

Kempsey (A)

903.3

Walgett (A)

887.7

Coonamble (A)

883.2

Central Darling (A)

826.7

Brewarrina (A)

817.9

Fairfield (C)

814

Data table

SEIFA – disadvantage across New South Wales LGAs table

Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.

AreaScorePercentile
Woollahra (A)1109.799
Mosman (A)1109.599
Ku-ring-gai (A)1108.199
Lane Cove (A)1104.999
Hunters Hill (A)1100.699
The Hills Shire (A)1098.198
North Sydney (A)109698
Waverley (A)1092.298
Northern Beaches (A)1088.697
Hornsby (A)1082.296
Sutherland Shire (A)1078.896
Willoughby (C)1074.795
Kiama (A)107094
Canada Bay (A)1066.893
Yass Valley (A)1065.393
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional (A)1061.292
Randwick (C)1059.192
Inner West (A)105792
Ryde (C)1055.291
Blue Mountains (C)1048.290
Unincorporated NSW1045.689
Wingecarribee (A)1045.589
Camden (A)1044.889
Wollondilly (A)104187
Sydney (C)1030.684
Parramatta (C)1029.583
Hawkesbury (C)1025.980
Cabonne (A)1022.979
Upper Lachlan Shire (A)1021.978
Byron (A)1020.778
Snowy Monaro Regional (A)1019.777
Ballina (A)1015.176
Newcastle (C)1012.175
Georges River (A)1011.374
Strathfield (A)101174
Dungog (A)1008.973
Bayside (NSW)1003.970
Lake Macquarie (C)1003.769
Wollongong (C)999.867
Greater Hume Shire (A)999.366
Singleton (A)998.166
Murray River (A)997.966
Orange (C)997.265
Central Coast (C) (NSW)994.263
Bland (A)992.661
Walcha (A)992.561
Bathurst Regional (A)991.561
Penrith (C)991.360
Blayney (A)991.260
Uralla (A)989.959
Wagga Wagga (C)989.459
Tweed (A)988.758
Maitland (C)988.558
Blacktown (C)987.356
Bega Valley (A)985.856
Dubbo Regional985.555
Port Macquarie-Hastings (A)98555
Eurobodalla (A)984.754
Coolamon (A)983.354
Murrumbidgee (A)983.254
Shellharbour (C)982.953
Port Stephens (A)982.153
Bellingen (A)980.952
Armidale Regional980.452
Shoalhaven (C)979.551
Mid-Western Regional (A)978.650
Oberon (A)977.649
Burwood (A)977.249
Lockhart (A)97649
Upper Hunter Shire (A)974.848
Griffith (C)974.247
Wentworth (A)973.647
Carrathool (A)973.146
Coffs Harbour (C)97245
Temora (A)971.745
Goulburn Mulwaree (A)971.745
Federation (A)969.444
Forbes (A)968.543
Albury (C)967.943
Gunnedah (A)966.743
Edward River (A)966.542
Bogan (A)965.942
Berrigan (A)965.842
Lismore (C)965.641
Cobar (A)965.341
Narrabri (A)963.940
Warren (A)961.638
Tamworth Regional (A)961.138
Weddin (A)960.537
Balranald (A)960.237
Narromine (A)958.335
Gwydir (A)956.634
Hay (A)955.934
Hilltops (A)954.333
Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional952.932
Snowy Valleys (A)952.532
Lachlan (A)950.230
Leeton (A)949.130
Campbelltown (C) (NSW)947.529
Bourke (A)946.728
Parkes (A)945.828
Mid-Coast (A)942.526
Moree Plains (A)940.325
Clarence Valley (A)94024
Cessnock (C)939.424
Muswellbrook (A)93723
Lithgow (C)934.722
Junee (A)933.922
Cowra (A)931.822
Liverpool (C)930.821
Gilgandra (A)929.621
Narrandera (A)929.120
Inverell928.320
Warrumbungle Shire (A)927.220
Liverpool Plains (A)925.719
Richmond Valley (A)923.619
Kyogle (A)921.118
Tenterfield (A)920.317
Nambucca (A)920.317
Canterbury-Bankstown (A)916.817
Broken Hill (C)913.216
Glen Innes Severn (A)906.114
Cumberland (A)903.613
Kempsey (A)903.313
Walgett (A)887.711
Coonamble (A)883.210
Central Darling (A)826.77
Brewarrina (A)817.97
Fairfield (C)8147
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021. Compiled by Geografia.