Powered by .id (informed decisions) for Australia
.id community is an evidence base for over 250 local government areas in Australia and New Zealand, helping you make informed decisions.
LEARN MORE ABOUT .idMore Western Australia residents worked in health care and social assistance than any other industry in 2021.
Western Australia's industry statistics identify the industry sectors in which the residents work (which may be within the residing area or elsewhere). This will be influenced by the skill base and socio-economic status of the residents as well as the industries and employment opportunities present in the region.
When viewed in conjunction with Residents Place of Work data and Method of Travel to Work, industry sector statistics provide insights into the relationship between the economic and residential role of the area.
Q:
Derived from the two Census questions:
'What best describes the business of your employer?' and 'What are the main goods produced or main services provided by your employers business?'
| Industry sector of employment | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Australia - Employed persons (Usual residence) | 2021 | 2006 | Change | ||||
| Industry sector | Number | % | Australia % | Number | % | Australia % | 2006 to 2021 |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 29,641 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 30,847 | 3.3 | 3.1 | -1,206 |
| Mining | 98,036 | 7.5 | 1.8 | 40,081 | 4.3 | 1.2 | +57,955 |
| Manufacturing | 68,785 | 5.3 | 5.9 | 88,405 | 9.4 | 10.5 | -19,620 |
| Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services | 15,135 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 9,586 | 1.0 | 1.0 | +5,549 |
| Construction | 115,090 | 8.8 | 8.9 | 85,123 | 9.1 | 7.8 | +29,967 |
| Wholesale trade | 32,226 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 37,208 | 4.0 | 4.4 | -4,982 |
| Retail Trade | 114,617 | 8.8 | 9.1 | 104,291 | 11.1 | 11.3 | +10,326 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 85,241 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 54,588 | 5.8 | 6.3 | +30,653 |
| Transport, Postal and Warehousing | 59,111 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 39,475 | 4.2 | 4.7 | +19,636 |
| Information Media and Telecommunications | 10,087 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 12,436 | 1.3 | 1.9 | -2,349 |
| Financial and Insurance Services | 28,251 | 2.2 | 3.7 | 27,144 | 2.9 | 3.8 | +1,107 |
| Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services | 18,626 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 18,421 | 2.0 | 1.7 | +205 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 90,117 | 6.9 | 7.8 | 58,904 | 6.3 | 6.6 | +31,213 |
| Administrative and Support Services | 40,292 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 29,734 | 3.2 | 3.1 | +10,558 |
| Public Administration and Safety | 77,420 | 5.9 | 6.6 | 60,043 | 6.4 | 6.7 | +17,377 |
| Education and Training | 114,415 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 71,889 | 7.7 | 7.7 | +42,526 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 177,570 | 13.6 | 14.5 | 95,162 | 10.2 | 10.5 | +82,408 |
| Arts and Recreation Services | 21,131 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 11,628 | 1.2 | 1.4 | +9,503 |
| Other Services | 50,545 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 35,708 | 3.8 | 3.7 | +14,837 |
| Inadequately described or not stated | 59,901 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 25,473 | 2.7 | 2.6 | +34,428 |
| Total employed persons aged 15+ | 1,306,237 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 936,146 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +370,091 |
Dominant groups
An analysis of the jobs held by the resident population in Western Australia in 2021 shows the three most popular industry sectors were:
- Health Care and Social Assistance (177,570 people or 13.6%)
- Construction (115,090 people or 8.8%)
- Retail Trade (114,617 people or 8.8%)
In combination, these three industries employed 407,277 people in total or 31.2% of the total employed resident population.
In comparison, Australia employed 14.5% in Health Care and Social Assistance; 8.9% in Construction; and 9.1% in Retail Trade.
The major differences between the jobs held by the population of Western Australia and Australia were:
- A larger percentage of persons employed in mining (7.5% compared to 1.8%)
- A smaller percentage of persons employed in financial and insurance services (2.2% compared to 3.7%)
Emerging groups
The number of employed people in Western Australia increased by 370,091 between 2006 and 2021.
The largest changes in the jobs held by the resident population between 2006 and 2021 in Western Australia were for those employed in:
- Health Care and Social Assistance (+82,408 persons)
- Mining (+57,955 persons)
- Education and Training (+42,526 persons)
- Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (+31,213 persons)
DISCLAIMER: While all due care has been taken to ensure that the content of this website is accurate and current, there may be errors or omissions in it and no legal responsibility is accepted for the information and opinions in this website.
Please view our Privacy Policy, Terms of use and Legal notices.
ABS Data and the copyright in the ABS Data remains the property of the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The copyright in the way .id has modified, transformed or reconfigured the ABS Data as published on this website remains the property of .id. ABS Data can be accessed from the Australian Bureau of Statistics at www.abs.gov.au. ABS data can be used under license - terms published on ABS website. intermediary.management@abs.gov.au if you have any queries or wish to distribute any ABS data.