Wakefield · Council (LGA)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A typical advantage score of 897 puts Wakefield well below the national average, reflecting a community with fewer resources. This area faces significant challenges with education and job skills, which places it behind the vast majority of other regions across the country.
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Wakefield — lower than 86% of areas.
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
Overall advantage is low, with a score of 2 out of 10. This reflects a similar trend in education and job skills, which are also rated at 2, leaving the area smaller than about 80% of similar places.
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.
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.
3
Lower than 71% 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.
2
Lower than 86% 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.
897
Lower than 85% 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 been slow at 1.0% since 2021. This is much lower than most areas and sits well below the South Australian figure of 5.6%.
6,993
Lower than 63% 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 716 businesses operating in the area. Construction activity is also modest, with only 20 new dwellings approved, a figure smaller than about 64% of similar areas.
716
Lower than 64% of council (lga) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
20
Lower than 65% of council (lga) areas.
Dwelling units approved in 2024-25 (ABS Building Approvals).
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Wakefield [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA48130/wakefield/topic/economy-advantage
