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 Murray (S), accounting for 93.8% (7,368 people). This share was lower than Regional WA (95.8%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in Employed, which increased by 950 people and 3.4 percentage points.
Section overview
Labour force status
Murray (S) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises employment status for Murray (S) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional WA and change since 2016.
Labour force status snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Murray (S), with comparison markers for Regional WA.
Employed
2021 count
7,368
% of total
93.8%
Change from 2016
+3.4pp
7,368
93.8%
+3.4pp
Employed full-time
2021 count
4,212
% of total
53.6%
Change from 2016
+1.6pp
4,212
53.6%
+1.6pp
Employed part-time
2021 count
2,548
% of total
32.4%
Change from 2016
+0.3pp
2,548
32.4%
+0.3pp
Employed, away from work
2021 count
609
% of total
7.8%
Change from 2016
+1.5pp
609
7.8%
+1.5pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
2021 count
491
% of total
6.2%
Change from 2016
-3.4pp
491
6.2%
-3.4pp
Looking for full-time work
2021 count
292
% of total
3.7%
Change from 2016
-2.8pp
292
3.7%
-2.8pp
Looking for part-time work
2021 count
195
% of total
2.5%
Change from 2016
-0.6pp
195
2.5%
-0.6pp
Chart view
Labour force status change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Employed
+950
+3.4pp
Employed full-time
+523
+1.6pp
Employed part-time
+267
+0.3pp
Employed, away from work
+160
+1.5pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
-194
-3.4pp
Looking for full-time work
-170
-2.8pp
Looking for part-time work
-27
-0.6pp
Data table
Employment status for Murray (S). Labour force status. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional WA.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional WA% | Count | % | Regional WA% | Count | pp | |
| Employed | 7,368 | 93.8% | 95.8% | 6,418 | 90.4% | 93.6% | +950 | +3.4pp |
| Employed full-time | 4,212 | 53.6% | 58.7% | 3,689 | 52.0% | 59.1% | +523 | +1.6pp |
| Employed part-time | 2,548 | 32.4% | 29.7% | 2,281 | 32.1% | 27.8% | +267 | +0.3pp |
| Employed, away from work | 609 | 7.8% | 7.4% | 449 | 6.3% | 6.7% | +160 | +1.5pp |
| Unemployed (Unemployment rate) | 491 | 6.2% | 4.2% | 685 | 9.6% | 6.4% | -194 | -3.4pp |
| Looking for full-time work | 292 | 3.7% | 2.4% | 462 | 6.5% | 4.3% | -170 | -2.8pp |
| Looking for part-time work | 195 | 2.5% | 1.7% | 222 | 3.1% | 2.1% | -27 | -0.6pp |
| Total labour force | 7,858 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 7,099 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +759 | 0.0pp |