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 Cooktown, accounting for 60.1% (1,332 people). This share was higher than Cook (S) (56.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not doing unpaid domestic work, which increased by 96 people and 3.4 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid domestic work
Cooktown - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid domestic work for Cooktown in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Cook (S) and change since 2016.
Unpaid domestic work snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Cooktown, with comparison markers for Cook (S).
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
1,332
% of total
60.1%
Change from 2016
-1.4pp
1,332
60.1%
-1.4pp
Less Than 5 Hours
2021 count
344
% of total
15.5%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
344
15.5%
-0.1pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
2021 count
552
% of total
24.9%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
552
24.9%
-0.1pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
2021 count
230
% of total
10.4%
Change from 2016
-1.2pp
230
10.4%
-1.2pp
30 Hours Or More
2021 count
206
% of total
9.3%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
206
9.3%
0.0pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
495
% of total
22.3%
Change from 2016
+3.4pp
495
22.3%
+3.4pp
Not Stated
2021 count
391
% of total
17.7%
Change from 2016
-1.9pp
391
17.7%
-1.9pp
Chart view
Unpaid domestic work change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
+37
-1.4pp
Less Than 5 Hours
+15
-0.1pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
+26
-0.1pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
-14
-1.2pp
30 Hours Or More
+10
0.0pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
+96
+3.4pp
Not Stated
-21
-1.9pp
Data table
Unpaid domestic work for Cooktown. Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cook (S).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Cook (S)% | Count | % | Cook (S)% | Count | pp | |
| Did Unpaid Domestic Work | 1,332 | 60.1% | 56.3% | 1,295 | 61.5% | 60.6% | +37 | -1.4pp |
| Less Than 5 Hours | 344 | 15.5% | 17.0% | 329 | 15.6% | 15.5% | +15 | -0.1pp |
| Between 5 And 14 Hours | 552 | 24.9% | 21.5% | 526 | 25.0% | 22.1% | +26 | -0.1pp |
| Between 15 And 29 Hours | 230 | 10.4% | 8.7% | 244 | 11.6% | 11.7% | -14 | -1.2pp |
| 30 Hours Or More | 206 | 9.3% | 9.1% | 196 | 9.3% | 11.3% | +10 | 0.0pp |
| Did No Unpaid Domestic Work | 495 | 22.3% | 23.9% | 399 | 18.9% | 19.3% | +96 | +3.4pp |
| Not Stated | 391 | 17.7% | 19.9% | 412 | 19.6% | 20.1% | -21 | -1.9pp |
| Total | 2,215 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2,107 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +108 | 0.0pp |