Carnarvon · Council (LGA)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
Low levels of wealth and skill define the economy in Carnarvon, where the overall advantage score of 918 is lower than the national average. This region faces significant challenges with access to money and resources, ranking lower than about 80% of similar areas.
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Carnarvon — lower than 71% of areas.
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
The area is among the most disadvantaged in the country, scoring just 2 out of 10 for access to money and resources. This is consistent with low education and job skills, which rank lower than about 70% of similar areas.
3
Lower than 71% 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.
3
Lower than 71% 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.
918
Lower than 75% 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, rising by only 2.4% since 2021. This is well below the Western Australian figure of 10.7%.
5,655
Lower than 67% of council (lga) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
2.4%
Lower than 62% of council (lga) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
There are 572 businesses operating in the area, which is fewer than about 67% of similar regions. Recent building activity is also modest, with 44 new dwellings approved.
572
Lower than 67% of council (lga) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
44
Lower than 53% of council (lga) areas.
Dwelling units approved in 2024-25 (ABS Building Approvals).
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Carnarvon [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA51540/carnarvon/topic/economy-advantage
