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 Upper Hunter Shire (A), accounting for 67.5% (7,827 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 706 people and 5.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid domestic work
Upper Hunter Shire (A) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid domestic work for Upper Hunter Shire (A) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NSW and change since 2016.
Unpaid domestic work snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Upper Hunter Shire (A), with comparison markers for Regional NSW.
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
7,827
% of total
67.5%
Change from 2016
-1.0pp
7,827
67.5%
-1.0pp
Less Than 5 Hours
2021 count
2,073
% of total
17.9%
Change from 2016
-1.0pp
2,073
17.9%
-1.0pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
2021 count
3,127
% of total
27.0%
Change from 2016
+0.8pp
3,127
27.0%
+0.8pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
2021 count
1,415
% of total
12.2%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
1,415
12.2%
-0.1pp
30 Hours Or More
2021 count
1,212
% of total
10.5%
Change from 2016
-0.6pp
1,212
10.5%
-0.6pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
2,871
% of total
24.8%
Change from 2016
+5.5pp
2,871
24.8%
+5.5pp
Not Stated
2021 count
890
% of total
7.7%
Change from 2016
-4.5pp
890
7.7%
-4.5pp
Chart view
Unpaid domestic work change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
+148
-1.0pp
Less Than 5 Hours
-43
-1.0pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
+192
+0.8pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
+33
-0.1pp
30 Hours Or More
-34
-0.6pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
+706
+5.5pp
Not Stated
-474
-4.5pp
Data table
Unpaid domestic work for Upper Hunter Shire (A). Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NSW.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional NSW% | Count | % | Regional NSW% | Count | pp | |
| Did Unpaid Domestic Work | 7,827 | 67.5% | 68.6% | 7,679 | 68.5% | 69.2% | +148 | -1.0pp |
| Less Than 5 Hours | 2,073 | 17.9% | 18.5% | 2,116 | 18.9% | 19.6% | -43 | -1.0pp |
| Between 5 And 14 Hours | 3,127 | 27.0% | 27.3% | 2,935 | 26.2% | 26.1% | +192 | +0.8pp |
| Between 15 And 29 Hours | 1,415 | 12.2% | 13.3% | 1,382 | 12.3% | 13.0% | +33 | -0.1pp |
| 30 Hours Or More | 1,212 | 10.5% | 9.5% | 1,246 | 11.1% | 10.5% | -34 | -0.6pp |
| Did No Unpaid Domestic Work | 2,871 | 24.8% | 23.9% | 2,165 | 19.3% | 20.5% | +706 | +5.5pp |
| Not Stated | 890 | 7.7% | 7.5% | 1,364 | 12.2% | 10.2% | -474 | -4.5pp |
| Total | 11,587 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 11,207 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +380 | 0.0pp |