Derby-West Kimberley · Council (LGA)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A score of 1 for overall advantage makes Derby-West Kimberley one of the most disadvantaged areas in the country. The region struggles with very low access to money and a lack of formal education and job skills. These factors combine to place the area among the smallest for socio-economic advantage across Australia.
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Derby-West Kimberley — lower than 99% of areas.
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
The typical advantage score is 818, which is among the smallest at this level. This is driven by very low rankings for both education and job skills as well as poor 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.
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.
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.
818
Lower than 91% 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 3.2% since 2021, which is around the middle for similar areas. However, this is well below the Western Australian growth rate of 10.7%.
8,683
Lower than 59% of council (lga) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
3.2%
Lower than 55% of council (lga) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
There are 245 businesses in the region, a figure smaller than about 78% of similar areas. Similarly, the 23 approved dwellings are fewer than in about 62% of comparable places.
245
Lower than 80% of council (lga) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
23
Lower than 63% of council (lga) areas.
Dwelling units approved in 2024-25 (ABS Building Approvals).
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Derby-West Kimberley [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA52800/derby-west-kimberley/topic/economy-advantage
