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 Bowral, accounting for 97.1% (4,360 people). This share was similar to Wingecarribee (A) (97%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in Employed, which increased by 298 people and 1.1 percentage points.
Section overview
Labour force status
Bowral - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises employment status for Bowral in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Wingecarribee (A) and change since 2016.
Labour force status snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Bowral, with comparison markers for Wingecarribee (A).
Employed
Employed full-time
Employed part-time
Employed, away from work
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
Looking for full-time work
Looking for part-time work
Chart view
Labour force status change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Employed
+298
+1.1pp
Employed full-time
-5
-3.2pp
Employed part-time
+227
+2.9pp
Employed, away from work
+85
+1.6pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
-53
-1.4pp
Looking for full-time work
-24
-0.7pp
Looking for part-time work
-23
-0.6pp
Data table
Employment status for Bowral. Labour force status. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Wingecarribee (A).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Wingecarribee (A)% | Count | % | Wingecarribee (A)% | Count | pp | |
| Employed | 4,360 | 97.1% | 97.0% | 4,062 | 96.0% | 96.2% | +298 | +1.1pp |
| Employed full-time | 2,296 | 51.2% | 53.5% | 2,301 | 54.4% | 56.1% | -5 | -3.2pp |
| Employed part-time | 1,787 | 39.8% | 36.3% | 1,560 | 36.9% | 35.6% | +227 | +2.9pp |
| Employed, away from work | 278 | 6.2% | 7.3% | 193 | 4.6% | 4.6% | +85 | +1.6pp |
| Unemployed (Unemployment rate) | 126 | 2.8% | 3.0% | 179 | 4.2% | 3.8% | -53 | -1.4pp |
| Looking for full-time work | 63 | 1.4% | 1.5% | 87 | 2.1% | 2.0% | -24 | -0.7pp |
| Looking for part-time work | 68 | 1.5% | 1.4% | 91 | 2.1% | 1.8% | -23 | -0.6pp |
| Total labour force | 4,488 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 4,233 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +255 | 0.0pp |