Inner West CouncilCommunity profile
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Inner West Council area

Employment status

99,571 people living in the Inner West Council area in 2016 were employed, of which 68% worked full-time and 28% part-time.

The Inner West 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.

Derived from the Census question:

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

Persons aged 15 years and over

Labour force status
Inner West Council area - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)20162011Change
Labour force statusNumber%Greater Sydney %Number%Greater Sydney %2011 to 2016
map this data in atlas.idTotal labour force (Participation rate)104,58867.961.697,27667.661.7+7,312
Not in the labour force
37,76124.532.336,14725.132.4+1,614
Labour force status not stated
11,7707.66.110,3967.25.9+1,374

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).

Employment status
Inner West Council area - Persons in the labour force (Usual residence)20162011Change
Employment statusNumber%Greater Sydney %Number%Greater Sydney %2011 to 2016
Employed
99,57195.294.092,30294.994.3+7,269
Employed full-time
67,81364.861.263,11264.962.0+4,701
Employed part-time
27,38926.228.224,09724.826.7+3,292
Employed, away from work
4,3694.24.55,0935.25.5-724
map this data in atlas.idUnemployed (Unemployment rate)5,0174.86.04,9745.15.7+43
Looking for full-time work
2,7022.63.23,0103.13.3-308
Looking for part-time work
2,3152.22.91,9642.02.4+351

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).

Employment status, 2016
Employment status, 2016 Employed, Greater Sydney: 94.0% Employed full-time, Greater Sydney: 61.2% Employed part-time, Greater Sydney: 28.2% Employed, away from work, Greater Sydney: 4.5% Unemployed (Unemployment rate), Greater Sydney: 6.0% Looking for full-time work, Greater Sydney: 3.2% Looking for part-time work, Greater Sydney: 2.9% Employed, Inner West Council area: 95.2% Employed full-time, Inner West Council area: 64.8% Employed part-time, Inner West Council area: 26.2% Employed, away from work, Inner West Council area: 4.2% Unemployed (Unemployment rate), Inner West Council area: 4.8% Looking for full-time work, Inner West Council area: 2.6% Looking for part-time work, Inner West Council area: 2.2%
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2016 (Usual residence data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Change in employment status, 2011 to 2016
Change in employment status, 2011 to 2016 Employed, Inner West Council area: +7,269 Employed full-time, Inner West Council area: +4,701 Employed part-time, Inner West Council area: +3,292 Employed, away from work, Inner West Council area: -724 Unemployed (Unemployment rate), Inner West Council area: +43 Looking for full-time work, Inner West Council area: -308 Looking for part-time work, Inner West Council area: +351
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 and 2016 (Usual residence data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).

Dominant groups

The size of the Inner West Council area's labour force in 2016 was 104,588, of which 27,389 were employed part-time and 67,813 were full time workers.

Analysis of the employment status (as a percentage of the labour force) in the Inner West Council area in 2016 compared to Greater Sydney shows that there was a higher proportion in employment, and a lower proportion unemployed. Overall, 95.2% of the labour force was employed, and 4.8% unemployed, compared with 94.0% and 6.0% respectively for Greater Sydney.

Analysis of the labour force participation rate of the population in the Inner West Council area in 2016 shows that there was a higher proportion in the labour force (67.9%) compared with Greater Sydney (61.6%).

Emerging groups

Between 2011 and 2016, the number of people employed in the Inner West Council area showed an increase of 7,269, and the number unemployed showed an increase of 43. In the same period, the number of people in the labour force showed an increase of 7,312 or 7.5%.

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