Lithgow · Council (LGA)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A typical score of 912 for overall advantage means Lithgow faces more financial and social challenges than most Australian areas. This is a place where limited access to money and job skills makes daily life harder for many residents.
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Lithgow — lower than 71% of areas.
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
The area ranks low for both overall advantage and education, with an advantage score that is smaller than about 78% of similar areas. Access to money and resources is also low, sitting below about 70% of other places.
3
Lower than 71% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% most disadvantaged areas in Australia, 10 = among the 10% most advantaged. IRSAD summarises both advantage and disadvantage, so a high score reflects relatively many high-income, well-educated households and few low-income, low-skill ones.
3
Lower than 71% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% most disadvantaged areas in Australia, 10 = among the least disadvantaged. IRSD focuses on disadvantage alone (low income, low education, unemployment, unskilled occupations), so a higher decile means relatively less disadvantage.
3
Lower than 71% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Economic Resources, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% lowest areas for economic resources in Australia, 10 = among the highest. IER reflects the income, housing costs, dwelling size and assets of households, so a higher decile means relatively greater economic resources.
2
Lower than 86% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Education and Occupation, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% lowest areas for education and occupation in Australia, 10 = among the highest. IEO reflects residents' qualifications and the skill level of their jobs, so a higher decile means a more highly educated and skilled workforce.
912
Lower than 78% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, 2021, as a raw index score (standardised so the Australian average is about 1000). Higher scores indicate relatively greater advantage; lower scores greater disadvantage.
Annual population estimates and change since the census.
While the population is 20,693, the area has shrunk by 0.8% since 2021. This decline is much lower than most areas and well below the New South Wales growth rate of 6.1%.
20,693
Higher than 58% of council (lga) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
-0.8%
Lower than 90% of council (lga) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
There are 1,410 businesses operating in the region, which is more than about 51% of similar areas. However, activity is slow in the building sector, with only 32 new dwellings approved.
1,410
Higher than 50% of council (lga) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
32
Lower than 57% of council (lga) areas.
Dwelling units approved in 2024-25 (ABS Building Approvals).
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Lithgow [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA14870/lithgow/topic/economy-advantage
