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 Mount Gambier (C), accounting for 95.3% (12,349 people). This share was similar to Regional SA (95.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in Employed, which increased by 737 people and 2 percentage points.
Section overview
Labour force status
Mount Gambier (C) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises employment status for Mount Gambier (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional SA and change since 2016.
Labour force status snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Mount Gambier (C), with comparison markers for Regional SA.
Employed
2021 count
12,349
% of total
95.3%
Change from 2016
+2.0pp
12,349
95.3%
+2.0pp
Employed full-time
2021 count
7,098
% of total
54.8%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
7,098
54.8%
-0.4pp
Employed part-time
2021 count
4,514
% of total
34.8%
Change from 2016
+1.6pp
4,514
34.8%
+1.6pp
Employed, away from work
2021 count
736
% of total
5.7%
Change from 2016
+0.7pp
736
5.7%
+0.7pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
2021 count
612
% of total
4.7%
Change from 2016
-2.0pp
612
4.7%
-2.0pp
Looking for full-time work
2021 count
334
% of total
2.6%
Change from 2016
-1.6pp
334
2.6%
-1.6pp
Looking for part-time work
2021 count
275
% of total
2.1%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
275
2.1%
-0.4pp
Chart view
Labour force status change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Employed
+737
+2.0pp
Employed full-time
+234
-0.4pp
Employed part-time
+387
+1.6pp
Employed, away from work
+112
+0.7pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
-223
-2.0pp
Looking for full-time work
-189
-1.6pp
Looking for part-time work
-35
-0.4pp
Data table
Employment status for Mount Gambier (C). Labour force status. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional SA.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional SA% | Count | % | Regional SA% | Count | pp | |
| Employed | 12,349 | 95.3% | 95.2% | 11,612 | 93.3% | 93.4% | +737 | +2.0pp |
| Employed full-time | 7,098 | 54.8% | 53.5% | 6,864 | 55.2% | 53.8% | +234 | -0.4pp |
| Employed part-time | 4,514 | 34.8% | 34.9% | 4,127 | 33.2% | 33.6% | +387 | +1.6pp |
| Employed, away from work | 736 | 5.7% | 6.7% | 624 | 5.0% | 6.0% | +112 | +0.7pp |
| Unemployed (Unemployment rate) | 612 | 4.7% | 4.8% | 835 | 6.7% | 6.6% | -223 | -2.0pp |
| Looking for full-time work | 334 | 2.6% | 2.8% | 523 | 4.2% | 4.3% | -189 | -1.6pp |
| Looking for part-time work | 275 | 2.1% | 2.0% | 310 | 2.5% | 2.3% | -35 | -0.4pp |
| Total labour force | 12,959 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 12,445 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +514 | 0.0pp |