Port Pirie · Council (LGA)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A low overall advantage score of 868 marks Port Pirie as an area where many residents face significant financial and social challenges. Most people here have less access to money and job skills than those in similar regions across the country. This struggle is mirrored in a shrinking population, which has fallen by 0.5% since the last census.
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Port Pirie — lower than 99% of areas.
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
The area ranks in the lowest 10% of Australian regions for overall advantage. This is driven by very low scores for education and job skills, as well as limited access to money and resources.
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.
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.
2
Lower than 86% 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.
868
Lower than 88% 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 in Port Pirie is well below the South Australian figure, with the local population shrinking by 0.5% while the state grew by 5.6%.
17,664
Higher than 55% of council (lga) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
-0.5%
Lower than 88% of council (lga) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
There are 947 businesses operating in the area, a figure that is smaller than about 58% of similar regions. Recently, only 41 new dwellings were approved for building.
947
Lower than 58% of council (lga) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
41
Lower than 54% of council (lga) areas.
Dwelling units approved in 2024-25 (ABS Building Approvals).
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Port Pirie [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA46450/port-pirie/topic/economy-advantage
