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 Cairns North, accounting for 53.9% (2,542 people). This share was lower than Cairns (R) (65.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in doing unpaid domestic work, which increased by 2,493 people, while its share fell by 23.9 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid domestic work
Cairns North - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid domestic work for Cairns North in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Cairns (R) and change since 2016.
Unpaid domestic work snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Cairns North, with comparison markers for Cairns (R).
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
2,542
% of total
53.9%
Change from 2016
-23.9pp
2,542
53.9%
-23.9pp
Less Than 5 Hours
2021 count
959
% of total
20.3%
Change from 2016
+4.4pp
959
20.3%
+4.4pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
2021 count
1,074
% of total
22.8%
Change from 2016
+8.5pp
1,074
22.8%
+8.5pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
2021 count
329
% of total
7.0%
Change from 2016
-13.6pp
329
7.0%
-13.6pp
30 Hours Or More
2021 count
180
% of total
3.8%
Change from 2016
-23.2pp
180
3.8%
-23.2pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
1,305
% of total
27.7%
Change from 2016
+16.6pp
1,305
27.7%
+16.6pp
Not Stated
2021 count
863
% of total
18.3%
Change from 2016
+8.8pp
863
18.3%
+8.8pp
Chart view
Unpaid domestic work change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
+2,493
-23.9pp
Less Than 5 Hours
+949
+4.4pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
+1,065
+8.5pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
+316
-13.6pp
30 Hours Or More
+163
-23.2pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
+1,298
+16.6pp
Not Stated
+857
+8.8pp
Data table
Unpaid domestic work for Cairns North. Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cairns (R).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Cairns (R)% | Count | % | Cairns (R)% | Count | pp | |
| Did Unpaid Domestic Work | 2,542 | 53.9% | 65.3% | 49 | 77.8% | 68.3% | +2,493 | -23.9pp |
| Less Than 5 Hours | 959 | 20.3% | 19.7% | 10 | 15.9% | 21.2% | +949 | +4.4pp |
| Between 5 And 14 Hours | 1,074 | 22.8% | 27.1% | 9 | 14.3% | 27.6% | +1,065 | +8.5pp |
| Between 15 And 29 Hours | 329 | 7.0% | 11.1% | 13 | 20.6% | 11.1% | +316 | -13.6pp |
| 30 Hours Or More | 180 | 3.8% | 7.5% | 17 | 27.0% | 8.4% | +163 | -23.2pp |
| Did No Unpaid Domestic Work | 1,305 | 27.7% | 24.8% | 7 | 11.1% | 20.3% | +1,298 | +16.6pp |
| Not Stated | 863 | 18.3% | 9.9% | 6 | 9.5% | 11.4% | +857 | +8.8pp |
| Total | 4,718 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 63 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +4,655 | 0.0pp |