Employment
Unpaid domestic work
About this topic
Unpaid domestic work measures how much time people aged 15 years and over spent doing housework for their household in the week before the Census. It helps show the distribution of unpaid labour that supports home and family life.
This topic is useful for understanding household roles, time pressures, and gender or life-stage differences in unpaid work. It is best read with household type, employment, and income, because the amount of unpaid domestic work can be shaped by family structure and the ability to outsource tasks.
Interpretation notes
- The hours refer to unpaid domestic work done for the person's household in the week before the Census.
- This topic does not measure childcare, disability care, or other unpaid help unless it falls within domestic work for the household.
Related topics
Key insight
In 2021, doing unpaid domestic work was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in West Ballina, accounting for 65% (1,812 people). This share was lower than Ballina (A) (72.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not doing unpaid domestic work, which increased by 195 people and 5.6 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid domestic work
West Ballina - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid domestic work for West Ballina in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Ballina (A) and change since 2016.
Unpaid domestic work snapshot
2021 distribution by category for West Ballina, with comparison markers for Ballina (A).
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
1,812
% of total
65.0%
Change from 2016
-1.7pp
1,812
65.0%
-1.7pp
Less Than 5 Hours
2021 count
471
% of total
16.9%
Change from 2016
+0.4pp
471
16.9%
+0.4pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
2021 count
705
% of total
25.3%
Change from 2016
+1.0pp
705
25.3%
+1.0pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
2021 count
386
% of total
13.8%
Change from 2016
-0.6pp
386
13.8%
-0.6pp
30 Hours Or More
2021 count
250
% of total
9.0%
Change from 2016
-2.6pp
250
9.0%
-2.6pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
744
% of total
26.7%
Change from 2016
+5.6pp
744
26.7%
+5.6pp
Not Stated
2021 count
233
% of total
8.4%
Change from 2016
-3.6pp
233
8.4%
-3.6pp
Chart view
Unpaid domestic work change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
+74
-1.7pp
Less Than 5 Hours
+40
+0.4pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
+73
+1.0pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
+12
-0.6pp
30 Hours Or More
-51
-2.6pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
+195
+5.6pp
Not Stated
-79
-3.6pp
Data table
Unpaid domestic work for West Ballina. Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Ballina (A).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Ballina (A)% | Count | % | Ballina (A)% | Count | pp | |
| Did Unpaid Domestic Work | 1,812 | 65.0% | 72.3% | 1,738 | 66.7% | 71.5% | +74 | -1.7pp |
| Less Than 5 Hours | 471 | 16.9% | 19.7% | 431 | 16.5% | 19.6% | +40 | +0.4pp |
| Between 5 And 14 Hours | 705 | 25.3% | 29.2% | 632 | 24.3% | 27.9% | +73 | +1.0pp |
| Between 15 And 29 Hours | 386 | 13.8% | 14.2% | 374 | 14.4% | 13.8% | +12 | -0.6pp |
| 30 Hours Or More | 250 | 9.0% | 9.2% | 301 | 11.6% | 10.2% | -51 | -2.6pp |
| Did No Unpaid Domestic Work | 744 | 26.7% | 21.3% | 549 | 21.1% | 18.5% | +195 | +5.6pp |
| Not Stated | 233 | 8.4% | 6.4% | 312 | 12.0% | 9.9% | -79 | -3.6pp |
| Total | 2,789 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2,605 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +184 | 0.0pp |