Distance to work (ranges) (DTWP)

Definition

This variable presents the distance in kilometres between a person's Place of usual residence (PURP) and Place of work (POWP). The calculation of this variable uses existing Census data. This provides a way to increase the value of Census data without asking additional questions on the Census form.

Scope

Persons aged 15 years and over who stated their labour force status as ‘employed’

Distance to work (ranges) categories

1	Nil distance
	10	Nil distance
		100	Nil distance
			1000	Nil distance
2	Over 0 to less than 2.5
	20	Over 0 to less than 1
		200	Over 0 to less than 0.5
			2000	Over 0 to less than 0.5
		201	0.5 to less than 1
			2010	0.5 to less than 1
	21	1 to less than 2.5
		210	1 to less than 2.5
			2100	1 to less than 1.5
			2101	1.5 to less than 2
			2102	2 to less than 2.5
3	2.5 to less than 10
	30	2.5 to less than 5
		300	2.5 to less than 5
			3000	2.5 to less than 3
			3001	3 to less than 4
			3002	4 to less than 5
	31	5 to less than 10
		310	5 to less than 10
			3100	5 to less than 6
			3101	6 to less than 7
			3102	7 to less than 8
			3103	8 to less than 9
			3104	9 to less than 10
4	10 to less than 30
	40	10 to less than 20
		400	10 to less than 15
			4000	10 to less than 11
			4001	11 to less than 12
			4002	12 to less than 13
			4003	13 to less than 14
			4004	14 to less than 15
		401	15 to less than 20
			4010	15 to less than 16
			4011	16 to less than 17
			4012	17 to less than 18
			4013	18 to less than 19
			4014	19 to less than 20
	41	20 to less than 30
		410	20 to less than 25
			4100	20 to less than 21
			4101	21 to less than 22
			4102	22 to less than 23
			4103	23 to less than 24
			4104	24 to less than 25
		411	25 to less than 30
			4110	25 to less than 26
			4111	26 to less than 27
			4112	27 to less than 28
			4113	28 to less than 29
			4114	29 to less than 30
5	30 to less than 50
	50	30 to less than 50
		500	30 to less than 40
			5000	30 to less than 32
			5001	32 to less than 34
			5002	34 to less than 36
			5003	36 to less than 38
			5004	38 to less than 40
		501	40 to less than 50
			5010	40 to less than 42
			5011	42 to less than 44
			5012	44 to less than 46
			5013	46 to less than 48
			5014	48 to less than 50
6	50 to less than 250
	60	50 to less than 100
		600	50 to less than 60
			6000	50 to less than 52
			6001	52 to less than 54
			6002	54 to less than 56
			6003	56 to less than 58
			6004	58 to less than 60
		601	60 to less than 80
			6010	60 to less than 62
			6011	62 to less than 64
			6012	64 to less than 66
			6013	66 to less than 68
			6014	68 to less than 70
			6015	70 to less than 72
			6016	72 to less than 74
			6017	74 to less than 76
			6018	76 to less than 78
			6019	78 to less than 80
		602	80 to less than 100
			6020	80 to less than 85
			6021	85 to less than 90
			6022	90 to less than 95
			6023	95 to less than 100
	61	100 to less than 250
		610	100 to less than 250
			6100	100 to less than 110
			6101	110 to less than 120
			6102	120 to less than 130
			6103	130 to less than 140
			6104	140 to less than 150
			6105	150 to less than 200
			6106	200 to less than 250
7	250 and over
	70	250 and over
		700	250 and over
			7000	250 to less than 300
			7001	300 to less than 350
			7002	350 to less than 400
			7003	400 to less than 600
			7004	600 to less than 800
			7005	800 to less than 1000
			7006	1000 to less than 3000
			7007	3000 and over
@	Not applicable
	@@	Not applicable
		@@@	Not applicable
			@@@@	Not applicable

Number of categories:

One digit: 8
Two digit: 12
Three digit: 18
Four digit: 79

The nil distance category comprises:

Persons whose mesh block of PURP and mesh block of POWP were the same and stated they:
- 'Worked from home'
- 'Did not go to work'
- 'Mode not stated’
Persons with the same mesh block of PURP and mesh block of POWP where the centre points were not weighted to different locations

The Not applicable (@) category comprises:

Persons who were unemployed, not in the labour force, or whose labour force status was not stated
Persons under 15 years of age
Overseas visitors
Persons who were coded to Special purpose codes

Question(s) from the Census form

Where does the person usually live?

For the main job held last week, what was the person’s workplace address?

How this variable is created

This variable is created using a combination of existing statistical and geospatial data to make new calculations. It is calculated using the shortest path of a road network, from the respondent’s place of usual residence mesh block (PURP), to that of their workplace (POWP), using geospatial software. It is assumed in the calculation of this data that a person has followed the shortest path with no stops when commuting to work.

Where the shortest path is not possible, a straight-line distance between a person’s Usual residence and Place of work mesh blocks is calculated. A straight-line distance is likely to underrepresent the true distance of a commuting route, so a correction factor is incorporated by multiplying the straight-line distance by 1.3. This value was selected based on ABS analysis on the difference between road network and straight-line distance, and the value also aligned closely with similar studies. The source of road network data was Navteq November 2021 (produced by HERE Technology) to ensure a representative network with updates as close to Census Night as possible.

History and changes

This variable was first introduced in 2016.

No changes have been made in 2021.

Data use considerations

Mesh blocks are the smallest geographical area defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and form the building blocks for the larger regions within the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS).

The distance to work data should be considered an estimate as it is a measurement between the centre point (or centroid) of the mesh block of PURP and mesh block of POWP. The location of the centroid in the mesh block was weighted based on the location of residential and commercial addresses respectively.

For some people, a small distance is calculated where the centre points for mesh block of PURP and mesh block of POWP are weighted to different locations. This is the case for people who lived and worked in the same mesh block and their Method of travel to work (MTWP) was not recorded as:

Worked from home
Did not go to work
Mode not stated

Conversely, some people who lived and worked in different mesh blocks have a distance to work of 0 kilometres due to the way in which the centroids have been snapped to a road.

This variable does not have a non-response rate as it is created by using responses from more than one question on the Census form.

Lockdown

A number of regions across the country were in various stages of lockdown on Census day, and the week preceding it, resulting in a greater number of people working from their homes. Not only may this impact their responses for their place of work, but also, their travel to work. Guidance on how to correctly respond was provided at the time on the Census website, as follows:

Answering questions about your workplace and job role

If you are currently working from home due to COVID restrictions, but usually attend a workplace, please write the employer's usual workplace address.

Answering questions about whether you had a job

If you were employed in the 4 weeks prior to the current lockdown period, but haven't been able to work in the last week due to lockdown or requirement to self-isolate, please select 'Yes, but absent on holidays, on paid leave, on strike or temporarily stood down'.

Answering questions about your workplace and job role

If you were employed in the 4 weeks prior to the current lockdown period, but haven't been able to work in the last week due to COVID restrictions or requirement to self-isolate, please answer all questions reflecting your usual occupation. This includes your role (such as occupation and tasks performed) and information about your employer (such as industry and number of employees).

Related variables and glossary terms

Place of usual residence (PURP)
Place of work (POWP)
Imputed distance to work (IFDTWP)

APA

Citation

Distance to work (ranges) (DTWP)

APA

Citation

Definition

Scope

Categories

Distance to work (ranges) categories

Question(s) from the Census form

Where does the person usually live?

More Information

For the main job held last week, what was the person’s workplace address?

More information

How this variable is created

History and changes

Data use considerations

Lockdown

Answering questions about your workplace and job role

Answering questions about whether you had a job

Answering questions about your workplace and job role

Related variables and glossary terms

Useful links

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