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 Essendon, accounting for 95.8% (11,941 people). This share was higher than Moonee Valley (C) (95.4%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in Employed, which increased by 951 people and 0.8 percentage points.
Section overview
Labour force status
Essendon - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises employment status for Essendon in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Moonee Valley (C) and change since 2016.
Labour force status snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Essendon, with comparison markers for Moonee Valley (C).
Employed
2021 count
11,941
% of total
95.8%
Change from 2016
+0.8pp
11,941
95.8%
+0.8pp
Employed full-time
2021 count
7,358
% of total
59.1%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
7,358
59.1%
-0.2pp
Employed part-time
2021 count
3,834
% of total
30.8%
Change from 2016
-0.3pp
3,834
30.8%
-0.3pp
Employed, away from work
2021 count
744
% of total
6.0%
Change from 2016
+1.4pp
744
6.0%
+1.4pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
2021 count
520
% of total
4.2%
Change from 2016
-0.8pp
520
4.2%
-0.8pp
Looking for full-time work
2021 count
254
% of total
2.0%
Change from 2016
-0.7pp
254
2.0%
-0.7pp
Looking for part-time work
2021 count
266
% of total
2.1%
Change from 2016
-0.3pp
266
2.1%
-0.3pp
Chart view
Labour force status change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Employed
+951
+0.8pp
Employed full-time
+501
-0.2pp
Employed part-time
+238
-0.3pp
Employed, away from work
+209
+1.4pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
-61
-0.8pp
Looking for full-time work
-57
-0.7pp
Looking for part-time work
-12
-0.3pp
Data table
Employment status for Essendon. Labour force status. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Moonee Valley (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Moonee Valley (C)% | Count | % | Moonee Valley (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Employed | 11,941 | 95.8% | 95.4% | 10,990 | 95.0% | 94.4% | +951 | +0.8pp |
| Employed full-time | 7,358 | 59.1% | 58.8% | 6,857 | 59.3% | 59.2% | +501 | -0.2pp |
| Employed part-time | 3,834 | 30.8% | 30.4% | 3,596 | 31.1% | 30.4% | +238 | -0.3pp |
| Employed, away from work | 744 | 6.0% | 6.2% | 535 | 4.6% | 4.7% | +209 | +1.4pp |
| Unemployed (Unemployment rate) | 520 | 4.2% | 4.6% | 581 | 5.0% | 5.7% | -61 | -0.8pp |
| Looking for full-time work | 254 | 2.0% | 2.4% | 311 | 2.7% | 3.0% | -57 | -0.7pp |
| Looking for part-time work | 266 | 2.1% | 2.2% | 278 | 2.4% | 2.6% | -12 | -0.3pp |
| Total labour force | 12,460 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 11,569 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +891 | 0.0pp |