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 Unincorporated NT, accounting for 59% (3,153 people). This share was lower than Regional NT (65.7%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in doing unpaid domestic work, which decreased by 267 people and 4 percentage points.

Section overview

Unpaid domestic work

Unincorporated NT - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises unpaid domestic work for Unincorporated NT in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NT and change since 2016.

Unpaid domestic work snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Unincorporated NT, with comparison markers for Regional NT.

Unincorporated NT
Regional NT

Did Unpaid Domestic Work

2021 count

3,153

% of total

59.0%

Change from 2016

-4.0pp

Less Than 5 Hours

2021 count

924

% of total

17.3%

Change from 2016

-4.3pp

Between 5 And 14 Hours

2021 count

1,377

% of total

25.8%

Change from 2016

+0.1pp

Between 15 And 29 Hours

2021 count

519

% of total

9.7%

Change from 2016

+0.8pp

30 Hours Or More

2021 count

333

% of total

6.2%

Change from 2016

-0.5pp

Did No Unpaid Domestic Work

2021 count

984

% of total

18.4%

Change from 2016

+0.7pp

Not Stated

2021 count

1,199

% of total

22.4%

Change from 2016

+3.0pp

Data table

Unpaid domestic work for Unincorporated NT. Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NT.

Unpaid domestic work for Unincorporated NT. Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NT.
Unpaid domestic work for Unincorporated NT. Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NT.
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional NT%Count%Regional NT%Countpp
Did Unpaid Domestic Work3,15359.0%65.7%3,42063.0%63.7%-267-4.0pp
Less Than 5 Hours92417.3%22.8%1,17521.6%23.5%-251-4.3pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours1,37725.8%25.3%1,39725.7%24.6%-20+0.1pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours5199.7%10.8%4828.9%9.8%+37+0.8pp
30 Hours Or More3336.2%6.8%3666.7%5.7%-33-0.5pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work98418.4%21.8%96017.7%19.0%+24+0.7pp
Not Stated1,19922.4%12.4%1,05319.4%17.3%+146+3.0pp
Total5,341100.0%100.0%5,432100.0%100.0%-910.0pp