Aurukun · Council (LGA)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A total lack of financial and educational resources marks daily life in Aurukun, where the overall advantage score is among the smallest in the country at 700. This is a heavily disadvantaged area with very few services and limited opportunities for residents.
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Aurukun — lower than 99% of areas.
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
Scores for education, job skills, and access to money are all at the lowest possible level. These figures are smaller than about 90% of similar areas across Australia.
1
Lower than 99% 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.
1
Lower than 99% 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.
1
Lower than 99% 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.
1
Lower than 99% 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.
700
Lower than 99% 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.
The population grew by 3.1% since 2021, which is around the middle for its level but well below the Queensland figure of 8.7%.
1,165
Lower than 86% of council (lga) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
3.1%
Lower than 56% of council (lga) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
Economic activity is very limited with only 18 businesses. There were 17 new dwellings approved, a number smaller than about 67% of similar areas.
18
Lower than 98% of council (lga) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
17
Lower than 67% of council (lga) areas.
Dwelling units approved in 2024-25 (ABS Building Approvals).
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Aurukun [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA30250/aurukun/topic/economy-advantage
