Paroo · Council (LGA)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A huge gap in resources separates Paroo from the rest of the state, with an overall advantage score of 884. This puts the area among the most disadvantaged in the country, scoring much lower than the national average.
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Paroo — lower than 86% of areas.
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
Access to money and resources is very low, ranking in the bottom 10% of similar areas. Education and job skills are slightly stronger but still lower than most other regions.
2
Lower than 86% 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.
4
Lower 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.
884
Lower than 87% 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 since 2021 has been just 1.0%, which is well below the Queensland rate of 8.7%. This slow increase is much lower than most other areas.
1,724
Lower than 83% of council (lga) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
1.0%
Lower than 77% of council (lga) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
There are 250 businesses in the area, a total that is smaller than about 78% of similar regions. Only two new dwellings were approved, which is also smaller than most other areas.
250
Lower than 80% of council (lga) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
2
Lower than 86% of council (lga) areas.
Dwelling units approved in 2024-25 (ABS Building Approvals).
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Paroo [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA35800/paroo/topic/economy-advantage
