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 Richmond Valley (A), accounting for 63.9% (12,305 people). This share was lower than Regional NSW (68.6%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not doing unpaid domestic work, which increased by 768 people and 3.1 percentage points.

Section overview

Unpaid domestic work

Richmond Valley (A) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises unpaid domestic work for Richmond Valley (A) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NSW and change since 2016.

Unpaid domestic work snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Richmond Valley (A), with comparison markers for Regional NSW.

Richmond Valley (A)
Regional NSW

Did Unpaid Domestic Work

2021 count

12,305

% of total

63.9%

Change from 2016

-1.8pp

Less Than 5 Hours

2021 count

3,157

% of total

16.4%

Change from 2016

-0.4pp

Between 5 And 14 Hours

2021 count

4,751

% of total

24.7%

Change from 2016

+0.4pp

Between 15 And 29 Hours

2021 count

2,461

% of total

12.8%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

30 Hours Or More

2021 count

1,936

% of total

10.1%

Change from 2016

-1.6pp

Did No Unpaid Domestic Work

2021 count

4,941

% of total

25.7%

Change from 2016

+3.1pp

Not Stated

2021 count

2,007

% of total

10.4%

Change from 2016

-1.3pp

Data table

Unpaid domestic work for Richmond Valley (A). Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NSW.

Unpaid domestic work for Richmond Valley (A). Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NSW.
Unpaid domestic work for Richmond Valley (A). Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NSW.
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional NSW%Count%Regional NSW%Countpp
Did Unpaid Domestic Work12,30563.9%68.6%12,10965.7%69.2%+196-1.8pp
Less Than 5 Hours3,15716.4%18.5%3,10316.8%19.6%+54-0.4pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours4,75124.7%27.3%4,48724.3%26.1%+264+0.4pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours2,46112.8%13.3%2,36112.8%13.0%+1000.0pp
30 Hours Or More1,93610.1%9.5%2,15811.7%10.5%-222-1.6pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work4,94125.7%23.9%4,17322.6%20.5%+768+3.1pp
Not Stated2,00710.4%7.5%2,16111.7%10.2%-154-1.3pp
Total19,254100.0%100.0%18,441100.0%100.0%+8130.0pp