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 Northern Heights, accounting for 71.7% (182 people). This share was higher than Murray Bridge (RC) (65.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in doing unpaid domestic work, which decreased by 3,772 people and 4.6 percentage points.

Section overview

Unpaid domestic work

Northern Heights - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises unpaid domestic work for Northern Heights in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Murray Bridge (RC) and change since 2016.

Unpaid domestic work snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Northern Heights, with comparison markers for Murray Bridge (RC).

Northern Heights
Murray Bridge (RC)

Did Unpaid Domestic Work

2021 count

182

% of total

71.7%

Change from 2016

-4.6pp

Less Than 5 Hours

2021 count

58

% of total

22.8%

Change from 2016

+2.9pp

Between 5 And 14 Hours

2021 count

59

% of total

23.2%

Change from 2016

-5.4pp

Between 15 And 29 Hours

2021 count

32

% of total

12.6%

Change from 2016

-2.8pp

30 Hours Or More

2021 count

33

% of total

13.0%

Change from 2016

+0.6pp

Did No Unpaid Domestic Work

2021 count

48

% of total

18.9%

Change from 2016

+1.4pp

Not Stated

2021 count

19

% of total

7.5%

Change from 2016

+1.2pp

Data table

Unpaid domestic work for Northern Heights. Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Murray Bridge (RC).

Unpaid domestic work for Northern Heights. Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Murray Bridge (RC).
Unpaid domestic work for Northern Heights. Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Murray Bridge (RC).
Category20212016Change
Count%Murray Bridge (RC)%Count%Murray Bridge (RC)%Countpp
Did Unpaid Domestic Work18271.7%65.3%3,95476.3%67.6%-3,772-4.6pp
Less Than 5 Hours5822.8%17.9%1,03319.9%19.5%-975+2.9pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours5923.2%25.2%1,48128.6%25.4%-1,422-5.4pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours3212.6%12.8%79815.4%12.3%-766-2.8pp
30 Hours Or More3313.0%9.4%64212.4%10.4%-609+0.6pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work4818.9%25.5%90617.5%21.7%-858+1.4pp
Not Stated197.5%9.3%3266.3%10.7%-307+1.2pp
Total254100.0%100.0%5,184100.0%100.0%-4,9300.0pp