A new report from Spatial Economic Activity Data SA summarises a new spatial data source that provides information on municipal and suburb-level employment and income.
The report reveals important insights into how economic activity varies across regions. In terms of employment, large metros account for most formal jobs. About one in three people in metros have a formal job, while the ratio is below one in six in small towns and only around one in twenty in rural municipalities.
Job creation over recent years has differed markedly across regions, with the largest cities lagging job creation compared to small towns since the 2013/14 tax year.
The composition of employment also differs a lot across regions. Rural areas and small towns have higher proportions of jobs in agriculture, mining and government. Metros have larger proportions of jobs in business and consumer services.
