Employment
Employment status
About this topic
Employment status shows whether people aged 15 years and over are employed full-time or part-time, unemployed, or not in the labour force. It is one of the main Census indicators of labour market participation and economic engagement.
This topic is useful for understanding workforce participation, unemployment, and the broader socio-economic profile of an area. Results from 2021 should be read carefully because COVID-19 restrictions increased the number of people who were employed but away from work around Census time.
Interpretation notes
- Labour force status is based on the week before Census night for people aged 15 years and over.
- In 2021, lockdown instructions could shift more people into 'employed, away from work', so over-time comparisons need care.
- The 'away from work' group also includes people who reported having a job but did not state hours worked.
Key insight
In 2021, Employed was the most common category among residents aged 15 and over in West Torrens (C), accounting for 95.3% (32,970 people). This share was higher than Greater Adelaide (94.5%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in Employed, which increased by 5,220 people and 2.8 percentage points.
Section overview
Labour force status
West Torrens (C) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises employment status for West Torrens (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Adelaide and change since 2016.
Labour force status snapshot
2021 distribution by category for West Torrens (C), with comparison markers for Greater Adelaide.
Employed
2021 count
32,970
% of total
95.3%
Change from 2016
+2.8pp
32,970
95.3%
+2.8pp
Employed full-time
2021 count
18,737
% of total
54.1%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
18,737
54.1%
+0.5pp
Employed part-time
2021 count
12,537
% of total
36.2%
Change from 2016
+1.9pp
12,537
36.2%
+1.9pp
Employed, away from work
2021 count
1,698
% of total
4.9%
Change from 2016
+0.3pp
1,698
4.9%
+0.3pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
2021 count
1,631
% of total
4.7%
Change from 2016
-2.8pp
1,631
4.7%
-2.8pp
Looking for full-time work
2021 count
853
% of total
2.5%
Change from 2016
-1.6pp
853
2.5%
-1.6pp
Looking for part-time work
2021 count
785
% of total
2.3%
Change from 2016
-1.1pp
785
2.3%
-1.1pp
Chart view
Labour force status change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Employed
+5,220
+2.8pp
Employed full-time
+2,649
+0.5pp
Employed part-time
+2,244
+1.9pp
Employed, away from work
+329
+0.3pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
-628
-2.8pp
Looking for full-time work
-369
-1.6pp
Looking for part-time work
-248
-1.1pp
Data table
Employment status for West Torrens (C). Labour force status. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Adelaide.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Adelaide% | Count | % | Greater Adelaide% | Count | pp | |
| Employed | 32,970 | 95.3% | 94.5% | 27,750 | 92.5% | 92.3% | +5,220 | +2.8pp |
| Employed full-time | 18,737 | 54.1% | 54.3% | 16,088 | 53.6% | 54.0% | +2,649 | +0.5pp |
| Employed part-time | 12,537 | 36.2% | 35.1% | 10,293 | 34.3% | 33.5% | +2,244 | +1.9pp |
| Employed, away from work | 1,698 | 4.9% | 5.2% | 1,369 | 4.6% | 4.8% | +329 | +0.3pp |
| Unemployed (Unemployment rate) | 1,631 | 4.7% | 5.5% | 2,259 | 7.5% | 7.7% | -628 | -2.8pp |
| Looking for full-time work | 853 | 2.5% | 2.9% | 1,222 | 4.1% | 4.4% | -369 | -1.6pp |
| Looking for part-time work | 785 | 2.3% | 2.6% | 1,033 | 3.4% | 3.3% | -248 | -1.1pp |
| Total labour force | 34,603 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 30,011 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +4,592 | 0.0pp |