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.
Related topics
Key insight
In 2021, doing unpaid domestic work was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in Port Phillip (C), accounting for 72% (64,989 people). This share was higher than Greater Melbourne (66.6%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in less Than 5 Hours, which decreased by 5,968 people and 7 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid domestic work
Port Phillip (C) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid domestic work for Port Phillip (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Melbourne and change since 2016.
Chart view
Unpaid domestic work snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Port Phillip (C), with comparison markers for Greater Melbourne.
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
64,989
% of total
72.0%
Change from 2016
+1.1pp
64,989
72.0%
+1.1pp
Less Than 5 Hours
2021 count
22,653
% of total
25.1%
Change from 2016
-7.0pp
22,653
25.1%
-7.0pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
2021 count
29,533
% of total
32.7%
Change from 2016
+5.3pp
29,533
32.7%
+5.3pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
2021 count
8,534
% of total
9.4%
Change from 2016
+2.1pp
8,534
9.4%
+2.1pp
30 Hours Or More
2021 count
4,269
% of total
4.7%
Change from 2016
+0.6pp
4,269
4.7%
+0.6pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
18,709
% of total
20.7%
Change from 2016
+3.1pp
18,709
20.7%
+3.1pp
Not Stated
2021 count
6,624
% of total
7.3%
Change from 2016
-4.2pp
6,624
7.3%
-4.2pp
Unpaid domestic work change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
+1,806
+1.1pp
Less Than 5 Hours
-5,968
-7.0pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
+5,169
+5.3pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
+2,022
+2.1pp
30 Hours Or More
+583
+0.6pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
+3,037
+3.1pp
Not Stated
-3,601
-4.2pp
Data table
Unpaid domestic work for Port Phillip (C). Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Melbourne.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Melbourne% | Count | % | Greater Melbourne% | Count | pp | |
| Did Unpaid Domestic Work | 64,989 | 72.0% | 66.6% | 63,183 | 70.9% | 68.2% | +1,806 | +1.1pp |
| Less Than 5 Hours | 22,653 | 25.1% | 20.4% | 28,621 | 32.1% | 24.5% | -5,968 | -7.0pp |
| Between 5 And 14 Hours | 29,533 | 32.7% | 27.1% | 24,364 | 27.4% | 25.3% | +5,169 | +5.3pp |
| Between 15 And 29 Hours | 8,534 | 9.4% | 11.3% | 6,512 | 7.3% | 10.5% | +2,022 | +2.1pp |
| 30 Hours Or More | 4,269 | 4.7% | 7.8% | 3,686 | 4.1% | 8.0% | +583 | +0.6pp |
| Did No Unpaid Domestic Work | 18,709 | 20.7% | 27.9% | 15,672 | 17.6% | 24.1% | +3,037 | +3.1pp |
| Not Stated | 6,624 | 7.3% | 5.5% | 10,225 | 11.5% | 7.7% | -3,601 | -4.2pp |
| Total | 90,312 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 89,077 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +1,235 | 0.0pp |