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RDA Darling Downs and South West RegionCommunity profile

Western Downs Regional Council area

Employment status

15,109 people living in Western Downs Regional Council area in 2021 were employed, of which 64% worked full-time and 29% part-time.

Western Downs Regional Council area's employment statistics are an important indicator of socio-economic status. The levels of full or part-time employment, unemployment and labour force participation indicate the strength of the local economy and social characteristics of the population. Employment status is linked to a number of factors including Age Structure, which influences the number of people in the workforce; the economic base and employment opportunities available in the area and; the education and skill base of the population (Occupations, Industries, Qualifications).

The two most important measures are:

  • Unemployment rate - the number of people looking for work, as a percentage of the labour force (employed and unemployed over 15)
  • Participation rate - the labour force expressed as a percentage of the total population over 15

Please note that in the 2021 Census, due to the COVID pandemic and lockdowns in many areas, the proportion of people who were employed but away from work in the week before Census has increased. We have no information on whether these people were normally employed full or part time so this is shown separately.

Q:

Derived from the Census question:

'Last week did the person have a full time or part time job of any kind?'

Labour force status
Western Downs Regional Council area - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)20212016Change
Labour force statusNumber%RDA Darling Downs and South West Region %Number%RDA Darling Downs and South West Region %2016 to 2021
Total labour force (Participation rate)15,84659.659.315,38659.059.2+460
Not in the labour force7,96729.933.57,69929.532.9+268
Labour force status not stated2,78910.57.22,97011.48.0-181
Total persons aged 15+26,602100.0100.026,058100.0100.0+544
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information
Employment status
Western Downs Regional Council area - Persons in the labour force (Usual residence)20212016Change
Employment statusNumber%RDA Darling Downs and South West Region %Number%RDA Darling Downs and South West Region %2016 to 2021
Employed15,10995.395.314,42293.793.8+687
Employed full-time9,74361.558.79,47561.659.4+268
Employed part-time4,36727.630.74,10026.629.1+267
Employed, away from work9996.35.98475.55.2+152
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)7374.74.79646.36.2-227
Looking for full-time work4522.92.66644.33.9-212
Looking for part-time work2851.82.13001.92.3-15
Total labour force15,846100.0100.015,386100.0100.0+460
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information

Dominant groups

The size of Western Downs Regional Council area's labour force in 2021 was 15,846, of which 4,367 were employed part-time and 9,743 were full time workers.

Analysis of the employment status (as a percentage of the labour force) in Western Downs Regional Council area in 2021 compared to the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region shows that there was a similar proportion in employment, as well as a similar proportion unemployed. Overall, 95.3% of the labour force was employed, and 4.7% unemployed, compared with 95.3% and 4.7% respectively for the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region.

Analysis of the labour force participation rate of the population in Western Downs Regional Council area in 2021 shows that there was a similar proportion in the labour force (59.6%) compared with the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region (59.3%).

Emerging groups

Between 2016 and 2021, the number of people employed in Western Downs Regional Council area showed an increase of 687, and the number unemployed showed a decrease of 227. In the same period, the number of people in the labour force showed an increase of 460 or 3.0%.

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