Gannawarra · Council (LGA)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A population drop of 2.9% since 2021 marks a tough period for Gannawarra, which has seen its growth fall far below the Victorian average. The area faces challenges with limited resources and a typical advantage score of 919, which is lower than most other regions across the country.
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Gannawarra — lower than 71% of areas.
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
Most residents have limited access to money and job skills, with the area scoring a 3 out of 10 for education. This puts Gannawarra in a position of lower overall advantage than about 70% of similar areas.
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.
4
Lower than 64% 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.
4
Lower than 64% 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.
3
Lower than 71% 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.
919
Lower than 74% 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 plummeted to -2.9% since 2021, a figure that is far below the 8.0% increase seen across Victoria. This decline is among the lowest for areas of this size.
10,311
Lower than 56% of council (lga) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
-2.9%
Lower than 99% of council (lga) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
The region supports 1,330 businesses, which is more than half of similar areas. However, only 22 new dwellings were approved, a number smaller than about 62% of comparable places.
1,330
Lower than 51% of council (lga) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
22
Lower than 63% of council (lga) areas.
Dwelling units approved in 2024-25 (ABS Building Approvals).
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Gannawarra [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA22250/gannawarra/topic/economy-advantage
