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, Towong (S)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 1000.8, placing it in the 68th percentile nationally. Within Towong (S), scores ranged from Tallangatta to Georges Creek (Vic.).
View
1000.8
Towong (S) IRSD score
68th percentile nationally
1080.7
Highest local score
Georges Creek (Vic.)
944
Lowest local score
Tallangatta
Chart view
SEIFA – disadvantage across Victoria LGAs
Compare the selected index across Victoria LGAs with the current municipality highlighted.
Nillumbik (S)
1092.9
Bayside (C)
1090.4
Boroondara (C)
1089.6
Surf Coast (S)
1086.2
Stonnington (C)
1084.5
Queenscliffe (B)
1082.2
Glen Eira (C)
1074.6
Macedon Ranges (S)
1062.8
Port Phillip (C)
1061
Banyule (C)
1057.7
Manningham (C)
1056.1
Yarra (C)
1045.7
Kingston (C) (Vic.)
1044.3
Whitehorse (C)
1042.7
Monash (C)
1042.3
Knox (C)
1042.2
Yarra Ranges (S)
1041.2
Maroondah (C)
1041
Moonee Valley (C)
1040.7
Golden Plains (S)
1039.9
Mornington Peninsula (S)
1037.5
Indigo (S)
1029.4
Moyne (S)
1029
Mansfield (S)
1027.6
Alpine (S)
1027.6
Moreland (C)
1026.5
Cardinia (S)
1021
Hobsons Bay (C)
1020.7
Darebin (C)
1018.3
Moorabool (S)
1017.2
Melbourne (C)
1016.7
Unincorporated Vic
1012.4
Maribyrnong (C)
1009.7
Mount Alexander (S)
1007.5
Greater Geelong (C)
1007.3
Hepburn (S)
1006.3
Wyndham (C)
1005.5
Murrindindi (S)
1004.7
Baw Baw (S)
1003.3
Frankston (C)
1003.1
South Gippsland (S)
1002.6
Towong (S)
1000.8
Mitchell (S)
999.5
Warrnambool (C)
994.9
Casey (C)
994.7
Southern Grampians (S)
993.7
Bass Coast (S)
992.8
West Wimmera (S)
991
Horsham (RC)
990.1
Whittlesea (C)
989.6
Wangaratta (RC)
988.4
Ballarat (C)
985.7
Melton (C)
985.2
Greater Bendigo (C)
985
Corangamite (S)
984.6
Strathbogie (S)
982
Buloke (S)
975
Wodonga (C)
973.1
Wellington (S)
973
Colac-Otway (S)
972.6
Benalla (RC)
968.4
Campaspe (S)
964.9
East Gippsland (S)
963.3
Pyrenees (S)
958.7
Moira (S)
958.3
Ararat (RC)
955.2
Gannawarra (S)
952.4
Glenelg (S)
952.3
Northern Grampians (S)
951.3
Loddon (S)
948.1
Yarriambiack (S)
945.9
Greater Shepparton (C)
944
Hume (C)
940.8
Swan Hill (RC)
940.6
Hindmarsh (S)
940.1
Mildura (RC)
940
Latrobe (C) (Vic.)
930.8
Brimbank (C)
912.5
Central Goldfields (S)
897.6
Greater Dandenong (C)
886.7
Data table
SEIFA – disadvantage across Victoria LGAs table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Nillumbik (S) | 1092.9 | 98 |
| Bayside (C) | 1090.4 | 98 |
| Boroondara (C) | 1089.6 | 98 |
| Surf Coast (S) | 1086.2 | 97 |
| Stonnington (C) | 1084.5 | 97 |
| Queenscliffe (B) | 1082.2 | 97 |
| Glen Eira (C) | 1074.6 | 95 |
| Macedon Ranges (S) | 1062.8 | 93 |
| Port Phillip (C) | 1061 | 92 |
| Banyule (C) | 1057.7 | 92 |
| Manningham (C) | 1056.1 | 91 |
| Yarra (C) | 1045.7 | 90 |
| Kingston (C) (Vic.) | 1044.3 | 88 |
| Whitehorse (C) | 1042.7 | 88 |
| Monash (C) | 1042.3 | 88 |
| Knox (C) | 1042.2 | 87 |
| Yarra Ranges (S) | 1041.2 | 87 |
| Maroondah (C) | 1041 | 87 |
| Moonee Valley (C) | 1040.7 | 87 |
| Golden Plains (S) | 1039.9 | 86 |
| Mornington Peninsula (S) | 1037.5 | 86 |
| Indigo (S) | 1029.4 | 83 |
| Moyne (S) | 1029 | 82 |
| Mansfield (S) | 1027.6 | 82 |
| Alpine (S) | 1027.6 | 81 |
| Moreland (C) | 1026.5 | 80 |
| Cardinia (S) | 1021 | 78 |
| Hobsons Bay (C) | 1020.7 | 78 |
| Darebin (C) | 1018.3 | 77 |
| Moorabool (S) | 1017.2 | 76 |
| Melbourne (C) | 1016.7 | 76 |
| Unincorporated Vic | 1012.4 | 75 |
| Maribyrnong (C) | 1009.7 | 74 |
| Mount Alexander (S) | 1007.5 | 72 |
| Greater Geelong (C) | 1007.3 | 72 |
| Hepburn (S) | 1006.3 | 71 |
| Wyndham (C) | 1005.5 | 71 |
| Murrindindi (S) | 1004.7 | 70 |
| Baw Baw (S) | 1003.3 | 69 |
| Frankston (C) | 1003.1 | 69 |
| South Gippsland (S) | 1002.6 | 68 |
| Towong (S) | 1000.8 | 68 |
| Mitchell (S) | 999.5 | 67 |
| Warrnambool (C) | 994.9 | 64 |
| Casey (C) | 994.7 | 63 |
| Southern Grampians (S) | 993.7 | 62 |
| Bass Coast (S) | 992.8 | 62 |
| West Wimmera (S) | 991 | 60 |
| Horsham (RC) | 990.1 | 60 |
| Whittlesea (C) | 989.6 | 59 |
| Wangaratta (RC) | 988.4 | 57 |
| Ballarat (C) | 985.7 | 55 |
| Melton (C) | 985.2 | 55 |
| Greater Bendigo (C) | 985 | 55 |
| Corangamite (S) | 984.6 | 54 |
| Strathbogie (S) | 982 | 53 |
| Buloke (S) | 975 | 48 |
| Wodonga (C) | 973.1 | 46 |
| Wellington (S) | 973 | 46 |
| Colac-Otway (S) | 972.6 | 46 |
| Benalla (RC) | 968.4 | 43 |
| Campaspe (S) | 964.9 | 40 |
| East Gippsland (S) | 963.3 | 39 |
| Pyrenees (S) | 958.7 | 36 |
| Moira (S) | 958.3 | 35 |
| Ararat (RC) | 955.2 | 34 |
| Gannawarra (S) | 952.4 | 32 |
| Glenelg (S) | 952.3 | 32 |
| Northern Grampians (S) | 951.3 | 31 |
| Loddon (S) | 948.1 | 29 |
| Yarriambiack (S) | 945.9 | 28 |
| Greater Shepparton (C) | 944 | 27 |
| Hume (C) | 940.8 | 25 |
| Swan Hill (RC) | 940.6 | 25 |
| Hindmarsh (S) | 940.1 | 25 |
| Mildura (RC) | 940 | 24 |
| Latrobe (C) (Vic.) | 930.8 | 21 |
| Brimbank (C) | 912.5 | 16 |
| Central Goldfields (S) | 897.6 | 12 |
| Greater Dandenong (C) | 886.7 | 11 |
Chart view
Variation within Towong (S)
See the spread of scores across smaller areas within the municipality.
Georges Creek (Vic.)
1080.7
Percentile 90
Talgarno
1080.7
Percentile 90
Tallangatta East
1078.7
Percentile 89
Tallangatta Valley
1078.7
Percentile 89
Jarvis Creek
1066.1
Percentile 83
Old Tallangatta
1066.1
Percentile 83
Bethanga
1059.7
Percentile 79
Tallangatta South
1048.5
Percentile 71
Bullioh
1042.8
Percentile 68
Granya
1042.8
Percentile 68
Thologolong
1042.8
Percentile 68
Bellbridge
1040.3
Percentile 67
Biggara
1038.3
Percentile 65
Nariel Valley (part)
1038.3
Percentile 65
Thowgla Valley
1038.3
Percentile 65
Tom Groggin (part)
1038.3
Percentile 65
Towong Upper
1038.3
Percentile 65
Colac Colac
1035.8
Percentile 63
Towong
1035.8
Percentile 63
Berringama
1024
Percentile 56
Cudgewa
1024
Percentile 56
Koetong
1024
Percentile 56
Lucyvale
1024
Percentile 56
Shelley (Vic.)
1024
Percentile 56
Tintaldra
1024
Percentile 56
Burrowye
1014.4
Percentile 50
Guys Forest
1014.4
Percentile 50
Mount Alfred
1014.4
Percentile 50
Pine Mountain (Vic.)
1014.4
Percentile 50
Walwa
1014.4
Percentile 50
Eskdale (Vic.)
1002.4
Percentile 43
Tallandoon
1002.4
Percentile 43
Dartmouth (part)
972.3
Percentile 28
Mitta Mitta (part)
972.3
Percentile 28
Corryong
951.8
Percentile 20
Tallangatta
944
Percentile 18
Data table
Variation within Towong (S) table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Georges Creek (Vic.) | 1080.7 | 90 |
| Talgarno | 1080.7 | 90 |
| Tallangatta East | 1078.7 | 89 |
| Tallangatta Valley | 1078.7 | 89 |
| Jarvis Creek | 1066.1 | 83 |
| Old Tallangatta | 1066.1 | 83 |
| Bethanga | 1059.7 | 79 |
| Tallangatta South | 1048.5 | 71 |
| Bullioh | 1042.8 | 68 |
| Granya | 1042.8 | 68 |
| Thologolong | 1042.8 | 68 |
| Bellbridge | 1040.3 | 67 |
| Biggara | 1038.3 | 65 |
| Nariel Valley (part) | 1038.3 | 65 |
| Thowgla Valley | 1038.3 | 65 |
| Tom Groggin (part) | 1038.3 | 65 |
| Towong Upper | 1038.3 | 65 |
| Colac Colac | 1035.8 | 63 |
| Towong | 1035.8 | 63 |
| Berringama | 1024 | 56 |
| Cudgewa | 1024 | 56 |
| Koetong | 1024 | 56 |
| Lucyvale | 1024 | 56 |
| Shelley (Vic.) | 1024 | 56 |
| Tintaldra | 1024 | 56 |
| Burrowye | 1014.4 | 50 |
| Guys Forest | 1014.4 | 50 |
| Mount Alfred | 1014.4 | 50 |
| Pine Mountain (Vic.) | 1014.4 | 50 |
| Walwa | 1014.4 | 50 |
| Eskdale (Vic.) | 1002.4 | 43 |
| Tallandoon | 1002.4 | 43 |
| Dartmouth (part) | 972.3 | 28 |
| Mitta Mitta (part) | 972.3 | 28 |
| Corryong | 951.8 | 20 |
| Tallangatta | 944 | 18 |