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 Merrylands West, accounting for 50% (2,826 people). This share was lower than Cumberland (A) (50.9%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not doing unpaid domestic work, which increased by 317 people and 3.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid domestic work
Merrylands West - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid domestic work for Merrylands West in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Cumberland (A) and change since 2016.
Unpaid domestic work snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Merrylands West, with comparison markers for Cumberland (A).
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
2,826
% of total
50.0%
Change from 2016
-4.9pp
2,826
50.0%
-4.9pp
Less Than 5 Hours
2021 count
863
% of total
15.3%
Change from 2016
-4.1pp
863
15.3%
-4.1pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
2021 count
1,048
% of total
18.5%
Change from 2016
-0.7pp
1,048
18.5%
-0.7pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
2021 count
467
% of total
8.3%
Change from 2016
+0.1pp
467
8.3%
+0.1pp
30 Hours Or More
2021 count
448
% of total
7.9%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
448
7.9%
-0.2pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
2,270
% of total
40.2%
Change from 2016
+3.5pp
2,270
40.2%
+3.5pp
Not Stated
2021 count
554
% of total
9.8%
Change from 2016
+1.3pp
554
9.8%
+1.3pp
Chart view
Unpaid domestic work change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
-95
-4.9pp
Less Than 5 Hours
-171
-4.1pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
+26
-0.7pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
+31
+0.1pp
30 Hours Or More
+19
-0.2pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
+317
+3.5pp
Not Stated
+104
+1.3pp
Data table
Unpaid domestic work for Merrylands West. Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cumberland (A).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Cumberland (A)% | Count | % | Cumberland (A)% | Count | pp | |
| Did Unpaid Domestic Work | 2,826 | 50.0% | 50.9% | 2,921 | 54.9% | 56.5% | -95 | -4.9pp |
| Less Than 5 Hours | 863 | 15.3% | 14.5% | 1,034 | 19.4% | 19.7% | -171 | -4.1pp |
| Between 5 And 14 Hours | 1,048 | 18.5% | 18.6% | 1,022 | 19.2% | 19.5% | +26 | -0.7pp |
| Between 15 And 29 Hours | 467 | 8.3% | 9.1% | 436 | 8.2% | 8.7% | +31 | +0.1pp |
| 30 Hours Or More | 448 | 7.9% | 8.6% | 429 | 8.1% | 8.6% | +19 | -0.2pp |
| Did No Unpaid Domestic Work | 2,270 | 40.2% | 40.1% | 1,953 | 36.7% | 35.5% | +317 | +3.5pp |
| Not Stated | 554 | 9.8% | 9.0% | 450 | 8.5% | 8.0% | +104 | +1.3pp |
| Total | 5,650 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 5,322 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +328 | 0.0pp |