City Compass

Unincorporated ACT

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, Unincorporated ACT's Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 1070.9, placing it in the 94th percentile nationally. Within Unincorporated ACT, scores ranged from Symonston to ACT Remainder - Majura.

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1070.9

Unincorporated ACT IRSD score

94th percentile nationally

1171.7

Highest local score

ACT Remainder - Majura

782.8

Lowest local score

Symonston

Chart view

SEIFA – disadvantage across Australian Capital Territory LGAs

Compare the selected index across Australian Capital Territory LGAs with the current municipality highlighted.

Australian Capital Territory:1070.9 · Percentile 94
Australia:1001.5 · Percentile 64
1070.91071.41070.9
More disadvantagedLess disadvantaged

Unincorporated ACT

1070.9

Data table

SEIFA – disadvantage across Australian Capital Territory LGAs table

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

AreaScorePercentile
Unincorporated ACT1070.994
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021. Compiled by Geografia.