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 Vic's Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 1012.4, placing it in the 75th percentile nationally. Within Unincorporated Vic, scores ranged from Falls Creek (Vic.) (part) to Hotham Heights (part).
View
1012.4
Unincorporated Vic IRSD score
75th percentile nationally
1062
Highest local score
Hotham Heights (part)
985.5
Lowest local score
Falls Creek (Vic.) (part)
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 Unincorporated Vic
See the spread of scores across smaller areas within the municipality.
Hotham Heights (part)
1062
Percentile 80
Mount Buller (part)
1025.5
Percentile 57
French Island
997.4
Percentile 41
Falls Creek (Vic.) (part)
985.5
Percentile 34
Data table
Variation within Unincorporated Vic table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Hotham Heights (part) | 1062 | 80 |
| Mount Buller (part) | 1025.5 | 57 |
| French Island | 997.4 | 41 |
| Falls Creek (Vic.) (part) | 985.5 | 34 |