Warrumbungle Shire · Council (LGA)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
Lower levels of wealth and opportunity define the economy of Warrumbungle Shire, where the overall advantage score of 914 is smaller than about 77% of similar areas. Residents face more challenges than most, with an overall advantage rank of 3 out of 10. This reflects a community with limited access to money and resources.
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Warrumbungle Shire — lower than 71% of areas.
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
Access to money and resources is low, ranking 3 out of 10, which is smaller than about 70% of similar areas. However, education and job skills are slightly stronger, sitting at 5 out of 10 and performing better than half of comparable regions.
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.
2
Lower than 86% 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.
5
Lower than 57% 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.
914
Lower than 77% 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.
Population growth has essentially stalled since 2021, falling by 0.1%. This is much lower than most areas and sits well below the New South Wales growth rate of 6.1%.
9,246
Lower than 57% of council (lga) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
-0.1%
Lower than 87% of council (lga) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
There are 1,221 businesses operating in the shire. Building activity is very low, with only 6 new dwellings approved, a figure smaller than about 75% of similar areas.
1,221
Lower than 53% of council (lga) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
6
Lower than 79% of council (lga) areas.
Dwelling units approved in 2024-25 (ABS Building Approvals).
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Warrumbungle Shire [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA18020/warrumbungle-shire/topic/economy-advantage
