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LEARN MORE ABOUT .idMore New South Wales residents worked in health care and social assistance than any other industry in 2021.
New South Wales'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 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales - Employed persons (Usual residence) | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||
| Industry sector | Number | % | Australia % | Number | % | Australia % | 2016 to 2021 |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 74,728 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 72,623 | 2.1 | 2.5 | +2,105 |
| Mining | 35,406 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 31,735 | 0.9 | 1.7 | +3,671 |
| Manufacturing | 201,654 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 197,335 | 5.8 | 6.4 | +4,319 |
| Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services | 35,584 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 31,881 | 0.9 | 1.1 | +3,703 |
| Construction | 315,520 | 8.6 | 8.9 | 282,493 | 8.4 | 8.5 | +33,027 |
| Wholesale trade | 103,466 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 103,720 | 3.1 | 2.9 | -254 |
| Retail Trade | 331,486 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 326,394 | 9.7 | 9.9 | +5,092 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 227,466 | 6.2 | 6.5 | 239,221 | 7.1 | 6.9 | -11,755 |
| Transport, Postal and Warehousing | 169,608 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 158,763 | 4.7 | 4.7 | +10,845 |
| Information Media and Telecommunications | 68,068 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 73,402 | 2.2 | 1.7 | -5,334 |
| Financial and Insurance Services | 193,679 | 5.3 | 3.7 | 167,257 | 4.9 | 3.6 | +26,422 |
| Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services | 62,633 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 59,650 | 1.8 | 1.7 | +2,983 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 326,595 | 8.9 | 7.8 | 274,081 | 8.1 | 7.3 | +52,514 |
| Administrative and Support Services | 117,988 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 117,484 | 3.5 | 3.4 | +504 |
| Public Administration and Safety | 222,909 | 6.1 | 6.6 | 204,171 | 6.0 | 6.7 | +18,738 |
| Education and Training | 322,236 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 282,567 | 8.4 | 8.7 | +39,669 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 529,176 | 14.4 | 14.5 | 422,201 | 12.5 | 12.6 | +106,975 |
| Arts and Recreation Services | 51,789 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 51,776 | 1.5 | 1.7 | +13 |
| Other Services | 125,380 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 124,479 | 3.7 | 3.7 | +901 |
| Inadequately described or not stated | 168,786 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 159,107 | 4.7 | 4.4 | +9,679 |
| Total employed persons aged 15+ | 3,684,157 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 3,380,340 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +303,817 |
Dominant groups
An analysis of the jobs held by the resident population in New South Wales in 2021 shows the three most popular industry sectors were:
- Health Care and Social Assistance (529,176 people or 14.4%)
- Retail Trade (331,486 people or 9.0%)
- Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (326,595 people or 8.9%)
In combination, these three industries employed 1,187,257 people in total or 32.2% of the total employed resident population.
In comparison, Australia employed 14.5% in Health Care and Social Assistance; 9.1% in Retail Trade; and 7.8% in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services.
The major differences between the jobs held by the population of New South Wales and Australia were:
- A larger percentage of persons employed in financial and insurance services (5.3% compared to 3.7%)
- A larger percentage of persons employed in professional, scientific and technical services (8.9% compared to 7.8%)
Emerging groups
The number of employed people in New South Wales increased by 303,817 between 2016 and 2021.
The largest changes in the jobs held by the resident population between 2016 and 2021 in New South Wales were for those employed in:
- Health Care and Social Assistance (+106,975 persons)
- Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (+52,514 persons)
- Education and Training (+39,669 persons)
- Construction (+33,027 persons)
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