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 Smithfield (Qld), accounting for 69.6% (3,728 people). This share was higher than Cairns (R) (65.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not doing unpaid domestic work, which increased by 634 people and 8.7 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid domestic work
Smithfield (Qld) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid domestic work for Smithfield (Qld) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Cairns (R) and change since 2016.
Chart view
Unpaid domestic work snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Smithfield (Qld), with comparison markers for Cairns (R).
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
3,728
% of total
69.6%
Change from 2016
-9.1pp
3,728
69.6%
-9.1pp
Less Than 5 Hours
2021 count
1,204
% of total
22.5%
Change from 2016
-4.3pp
1,204
22.5%
-4.3pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
2021 count
1,518
% of total
28.3%
Change from 2016
-2.8pp
1,518
28.3%
-2.8pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
2021 count
612
% of total
11.4%
Change from 2016
-1.8pp
612
11.4%
-1.8pp
30 Hours Or More
2021 count
394
% of total
7.4%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
394
7.4%
-0.2pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
1,298
% of total
24.2%
Change from 2016
+8.7pp
1,298
24.2%
+8.7pp
Not Stated
2021 count
322
% of total
6.0%
Change from 2016
+0.2pp
322
6.0%
+0.2pp
Unpaid domestic work change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
+349
-9.1pp
Less Than 5 Hours
+52
-4.3pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
+184
-2.8pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
+47
-1.8pp
30 Hours Or More
+66
-0.2pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
+634
+8.7pp
Not Stated
+71
+0.2pp
Data table
Unpaid domestic work for Smithfield (Qld). 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 | 3,728 | 69.6% | 65.3% | 3,379 | 78.7% | 68.3% | +349 | -9.1pp |
| Less Than 5 Hours | 1,204 | 22.5% | 19.7% | 1,152 | 26.8% | 21.2% | +52 | -4.3pp |
| Between 5 And 14 Hours | 1,518 | 28.3% | 27.1% | 1,334 | 31.1% | 27.6% | +184 | -2.8pp |
| Between 15 And 29 Hours | 612 | 11.4% | 11.1% | 565 | 13.2% | 11.1% | +47 | -1.8pp |
| 30 Hours Or More | 394 | 7.4% | 7.5% | 328 | 7.6% | 8.4% | +66 | -0.2pp |
| Did No Unpaid Domestic Work | 1,298 | 24.2% | 24.8% | 664 | 15.5% | 20.3% | +634 | +8.7pp |
| Not Stated | 322 | 6.0% | 9.9% | 251 | 5.8% | 11.4% | +71 | +0.2pp |
| Total | 5,356 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 4,291 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +1,065 | 0.0pp |