The reports on social disadvantage by the Australian Bureau of Census and Statistics are some of the most eagerly awaited sections of data collected at the Australia wide census — last month it released preliminary data based on more than 37,000 individual collection districts for one of its four measures of disadvantage. At Crikey we’ve toiled through the numbers to come up with this summary of the most and least disadvantaged places in Australia.

Throughout the week, Crikey will present profiles of the best of the best places in Australia, and the worst of the very worst.

And the biggest loser is … Jilkminggan in the Lower Top End of the Northern Territory.

 

The Preliminary Index of Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage (PIRSD) recently published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics puts the 273 residents of Jilkminggan as being the most disadvantaged in the country. The PIRSD summarises a wide range of information on disadvantage collected from the 2006 census, including low income, little education, high unemployment and unskilled occupations.

The Northern Territory and Western Australia occupy all the positions in the top 10 list of disadvantaged areas.

THE 10 MOST SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED AREAS MEASURED IN THE 2006 CENSUS

State Census Collection District Location Rank Population
NT 7030708 Jilkminggan, Lower Top End, NT 1 273
WA 5020613 Ngaanyatjarraky, Lefroy, South Eastern WA 2 36
NT
7030418 East Arnhem, NT 3 90
NT
7030914 Walangeri Ngumpinki, NT 4 47
WA 5020507 Wiluna, WA 5 97
WA 5010346 St George Ranges, WA 6 30
WA 5010112 Kununurra, Wyndham,  East Kimberley,  Ord,  WA 7 126
NT 7030907 Daguragu, Lower Top End, NT 8
217
WA
5010521 Onslow, Ashburton, Fortescue, Pilbara, WA 9 78
WA
5010131 Kununurra,Wyndham, East Kimberley Ord, WA 10 40

(To see the location of each area click on the Census Collection District number)

And Australia’s Biggest Winners

The list of area of Australia with the least disadvantage is headed by Rockingham, Western Australia with its census collection district of 26 people ranked number 37457 on the PIRSD.

THE 10 LEAST SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED AREAS IN AUSTRALIA MEASURED IN THE 2006 CENSUS

State Census Collection District Location Rank Population
WA 5062137 Rockingham, SW metropolitan Perth 37457
26
VIC 2112704 Corio, Geelong
37456
572
NSW
1382501 Willoughby, Lower Northern Sydney
37455 421
NSW 1441108 Woolahra, Eastern Suburbs Sydney 37454 273
ACT 8014305 Kingston, South Canberra
37453
55
NSW 1381709 Lane Cove, Lower Northern Sydney
37452
461
WA 5061118 Dudley Park, Perth, WA
37451
16
QLD 3232501 Pullenvale, North West Outer Brisbane 37450
997
NSW
1440708 Bellevue Hill, Sydney, NSW
37449
292
NSW
1382908 Northbridge, Middle Harbour, Sydney
37448 499

(To see the location of each area click on the Census Collection District number.)

The full set of four Socio-economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), of which the Index of Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage featured today in Crikey, will be released on 26 March. The full release of SEIFA will also contain the following indexes:

  • Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage/Disadvantage – looks at the whole continuum of advantage to disadvantage;
  • Index of Economic Resources – focuses specifically on financial aspects of advantage and disadvantage; and the
  • Index of Education and Occupation – includes education and occupation variables only.

Information in this full release will be available for Postal Areas, Statistical Local Areas and Local Government as well as the smaller Census Collection Districts which the preliminary release is limited to.

The Best and Worst in Each State and Territory

MOST SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED AREA IN EACH STATE AND TERRITORY IN THE 2006 CENSUS

State Census Collection District Location Rank Population
NSW 1350101 Riverwood, Canterbury,  Canterbury-Bankstown 74 191
VIC 2290112 Kensington, Yarra Richmond, Inner Melbourne 50 335
QLD 3010915 Mossman Gorge, Douglas far north, Queensland 57 145
SA 4010117 Anangu Pitanjatjara, far north of South Australia 36 79
WA 5020613 Ngaanyatjarraky, Lefroy, South Eastern WA 2 36
TAS 6010806 Burnie, north west Tasmania 234 61
NT 7030708 Jilkminggan, Lower Top End, Northern Territory 1 273
ACT 8012805 Turner, North Canberra, Canberra 320 206

(To see the location of each area click on the Census Collection District number)

LEAST SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED AREA IN EACH STATE AND TERRITORY IN THE 2006 CENSUS

State Census Collection District Location Rank Population
NSW 1382501 Willoughby – Lower Northern Sydney 374554 421
VIC 2112704 Corio Geelong 37456 572
QLD 3232501 Pullenvale North West Outer Brisbane 37450 997
SA 4121405 Burnside – SW eastern Adelaide 37284 312
WA 5062137 Rockingham SW metropolitan Perth 37457 26
TAS 6050815 Tolmans Hill Greater Hobart 37256 394
NT 7014108 Stuart Highway 37161 679
ACT 8014305 Kingston South Canberra 37453 55

(To see the location of each area click on the Census Collection District number.)

Tomorrow: The best and worst suburbs in NSW and the ACT.