Longreach · Council (LGA)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A score of 7 for overall advantage means Longreach is better off than about 70% of similar areas. While the town faces some challenges with access to money and resources, this is balanced by a workforce with strong education and job skills.
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Longreach — higher than 64% of areas.
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
Residents here have a high level of education and job skills, scoring 7 out of 10. This helps the area's overall advantage score reach 976, which is larger than about 68% of similar places.
7
Higher than 64% 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.
7
Higher 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.
7
Higher than 64% 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.
976
Higher than 67% 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 1.4% since 2021, which is lower than most areas and well below the Queensland figure of 8.7%.
3,741
Lower than 72% of council (lga) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
1.4%
Lower than 74% of council (lga) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
There are 631 businesses operating in the region. Recent growth is slow, with only 10 new dwellings approved, a figure smaller than about 71% of similar areas.
631
Lower than 66% of council (lga) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
10
Lower than 71% of council (lga) areas.
Dwelling units approved in 2024-25 (ABS Building Approvals).
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Longreach [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA34710/longreach/topic/economy-advantage
