City Compass

Toowoomba (R)

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, Toowoomba (R)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 979.4, placing it in the 51st percentile nationally. Within Toowoomba (R), scores ranged from Wattle Ridge (Qld) to Prince Henry Heights.

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979.4

Toowoomba (R) IRSD score

51st percentile nationally

1128.9

Highest local score

Prince Henry Heights

762.5

Lowest local score

Wattle Ridge (Qld)

Chart view

SEIFA – disadvantage across Queensland LGAs

Compare the selected index across Queensland LGAs with the current municipality highlighted.

Queensland:996 · Percentile 62
Australia:1001.5 · Percentile 64
492.5775.31058.1
More disadvantagedLess disadvantaged

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.

AreaScorePercentile
Weipa (T)1058.192
Brisbane (C)1045.289
Noosa (S)1029.583
Redland (C)1023.980
Sunshine Coast (R)1021.778
Gold Coast (C)1018.677
McKinlay (S)101475
Isaac (R)101274
Richmond (S)1009.273
Livingstone (S)1004.870
Longreach (R)1002.769
Barcaldine (R)1002.168
Mackay (R)999.367
Quilpie (S)997.966
Central Highlands (R) (Qld)995.764
Maranoa (R)995.264
Winton (S)993.362
Moreton Bay (R)991.861
Banana (S)991.661
Townsville (C)989.659
Bulloo (S)989.659
Barcoo (S)987.957
Scenic Rim (R)985.855
Etheridge (S)982.453
Cairns (R)981.152
Toowoomba (R)979.451
Douglas (S)978.951
Mount Isa (C)971.945
Flinders (S) (Qld)970.144
Whitsunday (R)969.444
Burdekin (S)965.842
Cloncurry (S)965.141
Goondiwindi (R)96540
Blackall-Tambo (R)961.138
Ipswich (C)957.935
Tablelands (R)955.334
Gladstone (R)954.133
Hinchinbrook (S)953.733
Diamantina (S)951.831
Rockhampton (R)948.830
Murweh (S)948.429
Lockyer Valley (R)94829
Western Downs (R)94628
Logan (C)94427
Somerset (R)943.927
Balonne (S)943.526
Burke (S)941.325
Southern Downs (R)938.923
Mareeba (S)937.423
Charters Towers (R)933.322
Gympie (R)930.521
Cassowary Coast (R)929.421
Bundaberg (R)924.519
Fraser Coast (R)914.817
Cook (S)91316
South Burnett (R)90714
Torres (S)904.313
North Burnett (R)902.513
Boulia (S)877.510
Croydon (S)875.510
Paroo (S)865.79
Carpentaria (S)850.88
Northern Peninsula Area (R)702.16
Torres Strait Island (R)649.56
Hope Vale (S)630.85
Napranum (S)623.25
Lockhart River (S)621.65
Mornington (S)6095
Palm Island (S)566.94
Mapoon (S)566.84
Pormpuraaw (S)547.24
Doomadgee (S)533.83
Kowanyama (S)528.13
Yarrabah (S)512.52
Wujal Wujal (S)510.32
Aurukun (S)501.52
Cherbourg (S)498.12
Woorabinda (S)492.51
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021. Compiled by Geografia.