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, Whitehorse (C)'s Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score was 1042.7, placing it in the 88th percentile nationally. Within Whitehorse (C), scores ranged from Box Hill (Vic.) to Mont Albert (part).
View
1042.7
Whitehorse (C) IRSD score
88th percentile nationally
1087.6
Highest local score
Mont Albert (part)
958.9
Lowest local score
Box Hill (Vic.)
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 Whitehorse (C)
See the spread of scores across smaller areas within the municipality.
Mont Albert (part)
1087.6
Percentile 93
Mont Albert North
1082.5
Percentile 91
Blackburn
1076.5
Percentile 88
Vermont (part)
1062.9
Percentile 81
Mitcham (Vic.)
1062.4
Percentile 81
Vermont South
1059.7
Percentile 79
Blackburn North
1054.7
Percentile 76
Blackburn South
1054.3
Percentile 76
Box Hill South
1045.4
Percentile 70
Nunawading (part)
1041.3
Percentile 67
Burwood East
1030.8
Percentile 60
Burwood (Vic.) (part)
1022.1
Percentile 55
Box Hill North
1021.9
Percentile 55
Forest Hill (Vic.)
1021.5
Percentile 55
Box Hill (Vic.)
958.9
Percentile 22
Data table
Variation within Whitehorse (C) table
Download the underlying SEIFA scores and percentiles shown in the current view.
| Area | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Mont Albert (part) | 1087.6 | 93 |
| Mont Albert North | 1082.5 | 91 |
| Blackburn | 1076.5 | 88 |
| Vermont (part) | 1062.9 | 81 |
| Mitcham (Vic.) | 1062.4 | 81 |
| Vermont South | 1059.7 | 79 |
| Blackburn North | 1054.7 | 76 |
| Blackburn South | 1054.3 | 76 |
| Box Hill South | 1045.4 | 70 |
| Nunawading (part) | 1041.3 | 67 |
| Burwood East | 1030.8 | 60 |
| Burwood (Vic.) (part) | 1022.1 | 55 |
| Box Hill North | 1021.9 | 55 |
| Forest Hill (Vic.) | 1021.5 | 55 |
| Box Hill (Vic.) | 958.9 | 22 |