Walgett - Lightning Ridge · Statistical Area 2 (SA2)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A score of 1 for access to money and resources marks Walgett - Lightning Ridge as an area facing significant hardship. It is one of the most disadvantaged regions in the country, with very few residents having the money or education needed to get ahead.
All statistical area 2 (sa2) areas, 2021. The marker is Walgett - Lightning Ridge — lower than 86% of areas.
| Walgett - Lightning Ridge | 2 |
|---|---|
| 2832, NSW | 3 |
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
The overall advantage score is 894, which is lower than the national figure. This reflects a high level of disadvantage, as the area ranks smaller than about 90% of similar places for both general disadvantage and access to resources.
2
Lower than 86% of statistical area 2 (sa2) 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 statistical area 2 (sa2) 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 statistical area 2 (sa2) 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 statistical area 2 (sa2) 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.
894
Lower than 89% of statistical area 2 (sa2) 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 has fallen by 3.0% since 2021, a trend that is among the lowest for similar areas. This decline is well below the New South Wales growth rate of 6.1%.
5,708
Lower than 76% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
-3.0%
Lower than 99% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
There are 769 businesses operating in the area, which is a smaller number than about 58% of similar regions.
769
Lower than 58% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Walgett - Lightning Ridge [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/105011096/walgett-lightning-ridge/topic/economy-advantage
