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 Wellington (S), accounting for 67.4% (25,535 people). This share was lower than Regional Vic. (69.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not doing unpaid domestic work, which increased by 1,697 people and 3.2 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid domestic work
Wellington (S) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid domestic work for Wellington (S) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional Vic. and change since 2016.
Chart view
Unpaid domestic work snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Wellington (S), with comparison markers for Regional Vic..
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
25,535
% of total
67.4%
Change from 2016
-0.3pp
25,535
67.4%
-0.3pp
Less Than 5 Hours
2021 count
6,482
% of total
17.1%
Change from 2016
-0.9pp
6,482
17.1%
-0.9pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
2021 count
9,752
% of total
25.7%
Change from 2016
+1.1pp
9,752
25.7%
+1.1pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
2021 count
5,112
% of total
13.5%
Change from 2016
+0.2pp
5,112
13.5%
+0.2pp
30 Hours Or More
2021 count
4,189
% of total
11.1%
Change from 2016
-0.7pp
4,189
11.1%
-0.7pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
2021 count
8,537
% of total
22.5%
Change from 2016
+3.2pp
8,537
22.5%
+3.2pp
Not Stated
2021 count
3,812
% of total
10.1%
Change from 2016
-2.8pp
3,812
10.1%
-2.8pp
Unpaid domestic work change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Did Unpaid Domestic Work
+1,594
-0.3pp
Less Than 5 Hours
+107
-0.9pp
Between 5 And 14 Hours
+1,060
+1.1pp
Between 15 And 29 Hours
+395
+0.2pp
30 Hours Or More
+32
-0.7pp
Did No Unpaid Domestic Work
+1,697
+3.2pp
Not Stated
-757
-2.8pp
Data table
Unpaid domestic work for Wellington (S). Unpaid domestic work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Vic..
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional Vic.% | Count | % | Regional Vic.% | Count | pp | |
| Did Unpaid Domestic Work | 25,535 | 67.4% | 69.2% | 23,941 | 67.7% | 69.2% | +1,594 | -0.3pp |
| Less Than 5 Hours | 6,482 | 17.1% | 18.5% | 6,375 | 18.0% | 19.9% | +107 | -0.9pp |
| Between 5 And 14 Hours | 9,752 | 25.7% | 27.3% | 8,692 | 24.6% | 25.8% | +1,060 | +1.1pp |
| Between 15 And 29 Hours | 5,112 | 13.5% | 13.4% | 4,717 | 13.3% | 12.9% | +395 | +0.2pp |
| 30 Hours Or More | 4,189 | 11.1% | 10.0% | 4,157 | 11.8% | 10.7% | +32 | -0.7pp |
| Did No Unpaid Domestic Work | 8,537 | 22.5% | 23.4% | 6,840 | 19.3% | 20.3% | +1,697 | +3.2pp |
| Not Stated | 3,812 | 10.1% | 7.5% | 4,569 | 12.9% | 10.5% | -757 | -2.8pp |
| Total | 37,887 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 35,358 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +2,529 | 0.0pp |