Employment
Employment status
About this topic
Employment status shows whether people aged 15 years and over are employed full-time or part-time, unemployed, or not in the labour force. It is one of the main Census indicators of labour market participation and economic engagement.
This topic is useful for understanding workforce participation, unemployment, and the broader socio-economic profile of an area. Results from 2021 should be read carefully because COVID-19 restrictions increased the number of people who were employed but away from work around Census time.
Interpretation notes
- Labour force status is based on the week before Census night for people aged 15 years and over.
- In 2021, lockdown instructions could shift more people into 'employed, away from work', so over-time comparisons need care.
- The 'away from work' group also includes people who reported having a job but did not state hours worked.
Key insight
In 2021, Employed was the most common category among residents aged 15 and over in Ashtonfield, accounting for 96.5% (2,396 people). This share was higher than Maitland (C) (95.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in Employed, which increased by 121 people and 1.8 percentage points.
Section overview
Labour force status
Ashtonfield - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises employment status for Ashtonfield in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Maitland (C) and change since 2016.
Labour force status snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Ashtonfield, with comparison markers for Maitland (C).
Employed
2021 count
2,396
% of total
96.5%
Change from 2016
+1.8pp
2,396
96.5%
+1.8pp
Employed full-time
2021 count
1,475
% of total
59.4%
Change from 2016
+0.4pp
1,475
59.4%
+0.4pp
Employed part-time
2021 count
757
% of total
30.5%
Change from 2016
-0.8pp
757
30.5%
-0.8pp
Employed, away from work
2021 count
167
% of total
6.7%
Change from 2016
+2.3pp
167
6.7%
+2.3pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
2021 count
88
% of total
3.5%
Change from 2016
-1.8pp
88
3.5%
-1.8pp
Looking for full-time work
2021 count
53
% of total
2.1%
Change from 2016
-0.9pp
53
2.1%
-0.9pp
Looking for part-time work
2021 count
40
% of total
1.6%
Change from 2016
-0.9pp
40
1.6%
-0.9pp
Chart view
Labour force status change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Employed
+121
+1.8pp
Employed full-time
+57
+0.4pp
Employed part-time
+5
-0.8pp
Employed, away from work
+62
+2.3pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
-39
-1.8pp
Looking for full-time work
-20
-0.9pp
Looking for part-time work
-19
-0.9pp
Data table
Employment status for Ashtonfield. Labour force status. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Maitland (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Maitland (C)% | Count | % | Maitland (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Employed | 2,396 | 96.5% | 95.3% | 2,275 | 94.7% | 92.7% | +121 | +1.8pp |
| Employed full-time | 1,475 | 59.4% | 57.0% | 1,418 | 59.0% | 57.3% | +57 | +0.4pp |
| Employed part-time | 757 | 30.5% | 31.4% | 752 | 31.3% | 30.6% | +5 | -0.8pp |
| Employed, away from work | 167 | 6.7% | 6.9% | 105 | 4.4% | 4.8% | +62 | +2.3pp |
| Unemployed (Unemployment rate) | 88 | 3.5% | 4.7% | 127 | 5.3% | 7.3% | -39 | -1.8pp |
| Looking for full-time work | 53 | 2.1% | 2.6% | 73 | 3.0% | 4.3% | -20 | -0.9pp |
| Looking for part-time work | 40 | 1.6% | 2.1% | 59 | 2.5% | 3.0% | -19 | -0.9pp |
| Total labour force | 2,484 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2,403 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +81 | 0.0pp |