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 Penrith (C), accounting for 95.4% (102,094 people). This share was higher than Greater Sydney (94.9%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in Employed, away from work, which increased by 8,273 people and 7.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Labour force status
Penrith (C) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises employment status for Penrith (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Sydney and change since 2016.
Labour force status snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Penrith (C), with comparison markers for Greater Sydney.
Employed
2021 count
102,094
% of total
95.4%
Change from 2016
+1.1pp
102,094
95.4%
+1.1pp
Employed full-time
2021 count
60,248
% of total
56.3%
Change from 2016
-7.6pp
60,248
56.3%
-7.6pp
Employed part-time
2021 count
28,740
% of total
26.9%
Change from 2016
+1.3pp
28,740
26.9%
+1.3pp
Employed, away from work
2021 count
13,105
% of total
12.3%
Change from 2016
+7.5pp
13,105
12.3%
+7.5pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
2021 count
4,881
% of total
4.6%
Change from 2016
-1.1pp
4,881
4.6%
-1.1pp
Looking for full-time work
2021 count
3,073
% of total
2.9%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
3,073
2.9%
-0.5pp
Looking for part-time work
2021 count
1,806
% of total
1.7%
Change from 2016
-0.6pp
1,806
1.7%
-0.6pp
Chart view
Labour force status change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Employed
+7,235
+1.1pp
Employed full-time
-3,989
-7.6pp
Employed part-time
+2,953
+1.3pp
Employed, away from work
+8,273
+7.5pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
-862
-1.1pp
Looking for full-time work
-318
-0.5pp
Looking for part-time work
-546
-0.6pp
Data table
Employment status for Penrith (C). Labour force status. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Sydney.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Sydney% | Count | % | Greater Sydney% | Count | pp | |
| Employed | 102,094 | 95.4% | 94.9% | 94,859 | 94.3% | 94.0% | +7,235 | +1.1pp |
| Employed full-time | 60,248 | 56.3% | 55.5% | 64,237 | 63.9% | 61.2% | -3,989 | -7.6pp |
| Employed part-time | 28,740 | 26.9% | 27.7% | 25,787 | 25.6% | 28.2% | +2,953 | +1.3pp |
| Employed, away from work | 13,105 | 12.3% | 11.7% | 4,832 | 4.8% | 4.5% | +8,273 | +7.5pp |
| Unemployed (Unemployment rate) | 4,881 | 4.6% | 5.1% | 5,743 | 5.7% | 6.0% | -862 | -1.1pp |
| Looking for full-time work | 3,073 | 2.9% | 2.9% | 3,391 | 3.4% | 3.2% | -318 | -0.5pp |
| Looking for part-time work | 1,806 | 1.7% | 2.1% | 2,352 | 2.3% | 2.9% | -546 | -0.6pp |
| Total labour force | 106,975 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100,604 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +6,371 | 0.0pp |