Palm Island · 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 707 for overall advantage places Palm Island among the smallest in the country. This community faces significant challenges, with very low access to money, resources, and education compared to other areas. It is a region of high disadvantage, though the population has grown by 7.1% since 2021.
All statistical area 2 (sa2) areas, 2021. The marker is Palm Island — lower than 99% of areas.
| Palm Island | 1 |
|---|---|
| 4816, QLD | 2 |
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
Access to money, resources, and job skills are all rated at the lowest possible level. This puts Palm Island in a position of much greater disadvantage than about 90% of similar areas.
1
Lower than 99% 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.
1
Lower than 99% 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.
707
Lower than 99% 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.
The population has grown by 7.1% since 2021, which is higher than most areas, although it sits a little below the Queensland growth rate of 8.7%.
2,335
Lower than 92% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
7.1%
Higher than 69% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
Commercial activity is very limited, with only 15 businesses operating in the area.
15
Lower than 99% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Palm Island [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/318011466/palm-island/topic/economy-advantage
