In 2016, Wondunna had the lowest level of Disadvantage in Fraser Coast Regional Council, with a SEIFA index score of 1,051.0.

The Fraser Coast Regional Council Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) measure the relative level of socio-economic disadvantage and/or advantage based on a range of Census characteristics. Two of the SEIFA indexes: the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (IRSD) and the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Advantage and Disadvantage (IRSAD) can be selected below.

This index contains only disadvantage indicators (e.g. unemployment, low incomes or education levels, lack of internet access), so is best used to distinguish between disadvantaged areas, but doesn鈥檛 differentiate between those areas which are highly advantaged, and those just lacking a lot of disadvantage. This index is most commonly used for funding allocations and advocacy.

This index contains indicators of disadvantage (above) as well as additional indicators of advantage (e.g. professional occupations, high income, higher education levels, larger houses), Characteristics are also weighted differently than the IRSD, so areas do score differently on either measure.

SEIFA indexes are a good place to start to get a general view of the relative level of disadvantage in one area compared to others, but it is important to also look at these underlying characteristics as they can differ markedly between areas with similar SEIFA scores and shed light on the type of disadvantage being experienced.

A higher score on the index means a lower level of disadvantage. A lower score on the index means a higher level of disadvantage or, in the case of IRSAD, a higher level of advantage.

The percentile column indicates the approximate position of this small area in a ranked list of Australia鈥檚 suburbs and localities. It's meant to give an indication of where the area sits within the whole nation. A higher number indicates a higher socio-economic status. For instance, a percentile of 72 indicates that approximately 72% of Australia鈥檚 suburbs have a SEIFA index lower than this area (more disadvantaged), while 28% are higher.

Learn more about SEIFA and how it is used for funding and advocacy here.