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.

Key insight

In 2021, doing unpaid domestic work was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in Denmark (S), accounting for 75.2% (3,931 people). This share was higher than Regional WA (66.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in doing unpaid domestic work, which increased by 368 people and 1.5 percentage points.

Section overview

Unpaid domestic work

Denmark (S) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises unpaid domestic work for Denmark (S) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional WA and change since 2016.

Unpaid domestic work snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Denmark (S), with comparison markers for Regional WA.

Denmark (S)
Regional WA

Did Unpaid Domestic Work

2021 count

3,931

% of total

75.2%

Change from 2016

+1.5pp

Less Than 5 Hours

2021 count

921

% of total

17.6%

Change from 2016

+0.7pp

Between 5 And 14 Hours

2021 count

1,535

% of total

29.4%

Change from 2016

+0.6pp

Between 15 And 29 Hours

2021 count

862

% of total

16.5%

Change from 2016

+0.3pp

30 Hours Or More

2021 count

613

% of total

11.7%

Change from 2016

-0.1pp

Did No Unpaid Domestic Work

2021 count

797

% of total

15.3%

Change from 2016

+0.8pp

Not Stated

2021 count

494

% of total

9.5%

Change from 2016

-2.3pp

Data table

Unpaid domestic work for Denmark (S). Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional WA.

Unpaid domestic work for Denmark (S). Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional WA.
Unpaid domestic work for Denmark (S). Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional WA.
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional WA%Count%Regional WA%Countpp
Did Unpaid Domestic Work3,93175.2%66.3%3,56373.7%67.1%+368+1.5pp
Less Than 5 Hours92117.6%18.5%81616.9%19.3%+105+0.7pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours1,53529.4%26.0%1,39228.8%25.0%+143+0.6pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours86216.5%11.9%78316.2%12.0%+79+0.3pp
30 Hours Or More61311.7%9.8%57211.8%10.9%+41-0.1pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work79715.3%22.1%70214.5%20.0%+95+0.8pp
Not Stated4949.5%11.6%57011.8%12.9%-76-2.3pp
Total5,225100.0%100.0%4,837100.0%100.0%+3880.0pp