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Job market report

Central West job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in the Central West, New South Wales, from Jobs and Skills Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Every figure is numbered and sourced.

Latest data
JSA September 2026; ABS 2023 to 2025 and the 2021 Census
Updated
24 October 2026
Area
ABS SA4 103 Central West
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Growing: online job ads in the Central West were up 12.2% on a year earlier, from 1,317 to 1,478 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were down 0.8% across New South Wales and up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 203 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by carers and aides (123) and legal, social and welfare professionals (99).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for engineers rose fastest, up 87.0%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, accommodation and food services grew fastest, with 40% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by arts and recreation services (35% more).

    Other services had 1% fewer employee jobs than in 2019.[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 4.1% of the labour force in the Central West was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 4.9% across New South Wales.

    It was 6.2% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 58.0%, against 58.7% across New South Wales. The Census runs every five years, so these are not current rates.[3]

    Section 3: Unemployment and participation →

1 Job ads and demand

Jobs and Skills Australia's Internet Vacancy Index is a monthly count of online job ads, compiled from SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia. Regional figures are three-month averages. It is not a count of ViewJobs' own ads.

Central West
+12.2%
1,478 ads a month[1]
New South Wales
−0.8%
the sum of its areas[1][2]
Australia
+0.6%
the sum of every area[1][2]

Change in online job ads, the three months to September 2026 against a year earlier.

Figure 1.1: Online job ads a month, Central WestThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
1k1.2k1.4k1.6k1.8kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Central WestCentral West, Sep 2026: 1,4781,478

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Central West
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20231,748
November 20231,614
December 20231,405
January 20241,387
February 20241,360
March 20241,441
April 20241,372
May 20241,372
June 20241,308
July 20241,274
August 20241,258
September 20241,299
October 20241,344
November 20241,348
December 20241,217
January 20251,186
February 20251,100
March 20251,216
April 20251,131
May 20251,182
June 20251,149
July 20251,263
August 20251,247
September 20251,317
October 20251,316
November 20251,315
December 20251,202
January 20261,234
February 20261,291
March 20261,456
April 20261,393
May 20261,409
June 20261,353
July 20261,425
August 20261,406
September 20261,478

2 Which jobs are in demand

Online job ads by occupation group (ANZSCO sub-major groups), the three months to September 2026 against a year earlier.

Figure 2.1: Change in online job ads by occupation, Central WestThe 12 occupation groups with the most ads, fastest-rising first. Groups with fewer than 5 ads a month now or a year earlier are left out; the table lists all 48.
Engineers: +87.0%Engineers+87.0%Medical practitioners and nurses: +47.1%Medical practitioners and nurses+47.1%Machine and stationary plant operators: +32.4%Machine and stationary plant operators+32.4%Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades: +27.3%Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades+27.3%Drivers and storepersons: +19.6%Drivers and storepersons+19.6%Legal, social and welfare professionals: +11.2%Legal, social and welfare professionals+11.2%Carers and aides: +6.0%Carers and aides+6.0%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: +5.6%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists+5.6%Sales assistants and salespersons: +4.0%Sales assistants and salespersons+4.0%Hospitality, retail and service managers: 0.0%Hospitality, retail and service managers0.0%Automotive and engineering trades: −5.1%Automotive and engineering trades−5.1%Other labourers: −10.0%Other labourers−10.0%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Central West
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Medical practitioners and nurses203138+47.1%
Carers and aides123116+6.0%
Legal, social and welfare professionals9989+11.2%
Sales assistants and salespersons7875+4.0%
Automotive and engineering trades7579−5.1%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists7571+5.6%
Drivers and storepersons5546+19.6%
Hospitality, retail and service managers46460.0%
Machine and stationary plant operators4534+32.4%
Other labourers4550−10.0%
Engineers4323+87.0%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades4233+27.3%
Food trades3532+9.4%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals3236−11.1%
Cleaners and laundry workers3226+23.1%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians3026+15.4%
Mobile plant operators3019+57.9%
Business, finance and human resource professionals2927+7.4%
Corporate managers2822+27.3%
Education professionals2630−13.3%
Hospitality workers2320+15.0%
Other clerical and administrative workers2223−4.3%
Numerical clerks2114+50.0%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries2117+23.5%
Construction, production and distribution managers1920−5.0%
Health and welfare support workers1917+11.8%
Science professionals and veterinarians1511+36.4%
Sports, travel and personal service workers13130.0%
Sales representatives and agents1319−31.6%
Construction and mining labourers1310+30.0%
Construction trades1213−7.7%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers117+57.1%
Sales support workers108+25.0%
Food preparation assistants108+25.0%
Health, education, ICT and other managers912−25.0%
Information professionals95+80.0%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers89−11.1%
Clerical and office support workers, couriers87+14.3%
Farm, forestry and garden workers814−42.9%
ICT professionals6fewer than 5n/a
Sales, marketing & public relations professionals68−25.0%
Transport and design professionals, and architects68−25.0%
Protective service workers6fewer than 5n/a
Factory process workers67−14.3%
Arts and media professionals5fewer than 5n/a
Chief executives, managing directors & legislatorsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Farmers and farm managersfewer than 56n/a
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood tradesfewer than 56n/a

3 Unemployment and participation

Unemployment and labour force participation at each Census, from the ABS. These are the rates at the Census named, not current rates.

Figure 3.1: Unemployment rate, Central WestShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against New South Wales.
  • Central West
  • New South Wales
4%5%6%7%201120162021Central WestCentral West, 2011: 5.2%Central West, 2016: 6.2%Central West, 2021: 4.1%4.1%New South WalesNew South Wales, 2011: 5.9%New South Wales, 2016: 6.3%New South Wales, 2021: 4.9%4.9%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Unemployment rate, Central West
CensusCentral WestNew South Wales
2011 Census5.2%5.9%
2016 Census6.2%6.3%
2021 Census4.1%4.9%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, Central WestShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against New South Wales.
  • Central West
  • New South Wales
55%56%57%58%59%60%201120162021Central WestCentral West, 2011: 58.1%Central West, 2016: 55.7%Central West, 2021: 58.0%58.0%New South WalesNew South Wales, 2011: 59.7%New South Wales, 2016: 59.2%New South Wales, 2021: 58.7%58.7%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Labour force participation, Central West
CensusCentral WestNew South Wales
2011 Census58.1%59.7%
2016 Census55.7%59.2%
2021 Census58.0%58.7%

Note: This report takes unemployment from the Census. The ABS's monthly Labour Force estimates by region are not included yet.

4 Industries growing and shrinking

Employee jobs by industry (ANZSIC division) in the year to 30 June, from the ABS. Change is measured from 2019: the ABS figures for 2018 and 2019 differ sharply for some industries in some areas. Shrinking means fewer employee jobs in the ABS count.

Figure 4.1: Change in employee jobs by industry, Central West, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Accommodation and food services: +40.3%Accommodation and food services+40.3%Arts and recreation services: +35.4%Arts and recreation services+35.4%Mining: +32.9%Mining+32.9%Health care and social assistance: +30.9%Health care and social assistance+30.9%Financial and insurance services: +26.6%Financial and insurance services+26.6%Information media and telecommunications: +22.3%Information media and telecommunications+22.3%Retail trade: +19.2%Retail trade+19.2%Professional, scientific and technical services: +19.0%Professional, scientific and technical services+19.0%Electricity, gas, water and waste services: +18.7%Electricity, gas, water and waste services+18.7%Administrative and support services: +16.4%Administrative and support services+16.4%Construction: +15.8%Construction+15.8%Manufacturing: +15.1%Manufacturing+15.1%Wholesale trade: +14.0%Wholesale trade+14.0%Transport, postal and warehousing: +13.4%Transport, postal and warehousing+13.4%Public administration and safety: +12.5%Public administration and safety+12.5%Education and training: +10.6%Education and training+10.6%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +8.5%Rental, hiring and real estate services+8.5%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: +4.5%Agriculture, forestry and fishing+4.5%Other services: −0.7%Other services−0.7%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, Central West, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Health care and social assistance17,46122,851+30.9%
Accommodation and food services11,84716,620+40.3%
Retail trade13,20315,740+19.2%
Education and training12,19413,483+10.6%
Public administration and safety11,49512,928+12.5%
Administrative and support services8,88110,341+16.4%
Manufacturing8,6389,941+15.1%
Construction8,5659,917+15.8%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing8,7839,175+4.5%
Professional, scientific and technical services5,4876,528+19.0%
Mining4,6976,241+32.9%
Other services5,6495,608−0.7%
Transport, postal and warehousing4,6715,297+13.4%
Financial and insurance services3,8054,816+26.6%
Wholesale trade4,1804,765+14.0%
Rental, hiring and real estate services2,2722,464+8.5%
Arts and recreation services1,3941,887+35.4%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services1,1581,375+18.7%
Information media and telecommunications1,0041,228+22.3%
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, Central West, 2023162,737 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Health care and social assistance: 22,851Health care and social assistance22,851Accommodation and food services: 16,620Accommodation and food services16,620Retail trade: 15,740Retail trade15,740Education and training: 13,483Education and training13,483Public administration and safety: 12,928Public administration and safety12,928Administrative and support services: 10,341Administrative and support services10,341Manufacturing: 9,941Manufacturing9,941Construction: 9,917Construction9,917

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, Central West, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Health care and social assistance22,85114%
Accommodation and food services16,62010%
Retail trade15,74010%
Education and training13,4838%
Public administration and safety12,9288%
Administrative and support services10,3416%
Manufacturing9,9416%
Construction9,9176%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing9,1756%
Professional, scientific and technical services6,5284%
Mining6,2414%
Other services5,6083%
Transport, postal and warehousing5,2973%
Financial and insurance services4,8163%
Wholesale trade4,7653%
Rental, hiring and real estate services2,4642%
Arts and recreation services1,8871%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services1,3751%
Information media and telecommunications1,2281%
All industries162,737100%

5 Pay

Employee income per person with wage or salary income, before tax, including part-time and part-year workers, from the ABS. The median is the middle earner; the mean (average) is pulled up by high earners.

Figure 5.1: Median employee income, Central WestIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against New South Wales and Australia.
  • Central West
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
$45k$50k$55k$60k$65k20192020202120222023Central WestCentral West, 2019: $49,745Central West, 2020: $52,000Central West, 2021: $54,211Central West, 2022: $55,330Central West, 2023: $58,989$58,989New South WalesNew South Wales, 2019: $53,104New South Wales, 2020: $54,989New South Wales, 2021: $57,891New South Wales, 2022: $58,972New South Wales, 2023: $63,301$63,301AustraliaAustralia, 2019: $52,256Australia, 2020: $53,878Australia, 2021: $56,485Australia, 2022: $58,260Australia, 2023: $61,966$61,966

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Median employee income, Central West
YearCentral WestNew South WalesAustralia
2019$49,745$53,104$52,256
2020$52,000$54,989$53,878
2021$54,211$57,891$56,485
2022$55,330$58,972$58,260
2023$58,989$63,301$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, Central WestIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against New South Wales and Australia.
  • Central West
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
$50k$60k$70k$80k20192020202120222023Central WestCentral West, 2019: $57,517Central West, 2020: $60,084Central West, 2021: $62,015Central West, 2022: $63,624Central West, 2023: $67,391$67,391New South WalesNew South Wales, 2019: $66,377New South Wales, 2020: $68,690New South Wales, 2021: $71,848New South Wales, 2022: $74,232New South Wales, 2023: $78,078$78,078AustraliaAustralia, 2019: $63,517Australia, 2020: $65,591Australia, 2021: $68,452Australia, 2022: $70,950Australia, 2023: $74,579$74,579

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Mean employee income, Central West
YearCentral WestNew South WalesAustralia
2019$57,517$66,377$63,517
2020$60,084$68,690$65,591
2021$62,015$71,848$68,452
2022$63,624$74,232$70,950
2023$67,391$78,078$74,579

6 People

Estimated resident population and the working-age population (15 to 64), from the ABS.

People living in the area
216,979
ABS, 2025 · up 1.6% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
128,528
ABS, 2024 · no change since 2020[3]

New South Wales' population was up 5.9% from 2020 to 2025, and the Central West's up 1.6%.[3]

7 Businesses

Counts of businesses by how many people they employ, from the ABS.

Businesses in the area
22,471
ABS, 2025 · up 8.5% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, Central West, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 13,962No employees13,9621–4 employees: 5,9001–4 employees5,9005–19 employees: 2,1345–19 employees2,13420 or more employees: 47520 or more employees475

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, Central West, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees12,16413,962+14.8%
1–4 employees6,0405,900−2.3%
5–19 employees2,1372,134−0.1%
20 or more employees378475+25.7%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in Central NSW, a ViewJobs region that reaches beyond this ABS area: 83% of its towns are in the area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in Central NSW
632
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Central NSWThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Community Services & Development: 94Community Services & Development94Retail & Consumer Products: 83Retail & Consumer Products83Healthcare & Medical: 69Healthcare & Medical69Hospitality & Tourism: 65Hospitality & Tourism65Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 54Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics54Education & Training: 46Education & Training46Trades & Services: 39Trades & Services39Call Centre & Customer Service: 24Call Centre & Customer Service24

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Central NSW
ClassificationLive jobs
Community Services & Development94
Retail & Consumer Products83
Healthcare & Medical69
Hospitality & Tourism65
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics54
Education & Training46
Trades & Services39
Call Centre & Customer Service24

Browse jobs by region

9 Quick answers

Short answers to the questions people ask about the Central West's job market, each with its period and source.

How many jobs are advertised in the Central West?

1,478 online job ads a month were placed in the Central West, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is the Central West's job market growing or shrinking?

Growing: online job ads in the Central West were up 12.2% on a year earlier, from 1,317 to 1,478 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were down 0.8% across New South Wales and up 0.6% across Australia.

Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia[1]; ViewJobs analysis[2].

Which jobs are most in demand in the Central West?

Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 203 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by carers and aides (123) and legal, social and welfare professionals (99). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for engineers rose fastest, up 87.0%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in the Central West?

4.1% of the labour force in the Central West was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 4.9% across New South Wales. It was 6.2% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 58.0%, against 58.7% across New South Wales. The Census runs every five years, so these are not current rates.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

What is the average wage in the Central West?

Average (mean) employee income in the Central West was $67,391 in 2023; the median was $58,989, against $63,301 across New South Wales and $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in the Central West?

Health care and social assistance had the most employee jobs in the Central West: 22,851 in 2023, 14% of the 162,737 employee jobs. Next were accommodation and food services (16,620) and retail trade (15,740).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in the Central West?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, accommodation and food services grew fastest, with 40% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by arts and recreation services (35% more). Other services had 1% fewer employee jobs than in 2019.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is the Central West's population growing?

216,979 people lived in the Central West in 2025, up 1.6% since 2020. New South Wales' population was up 5.9% over the same years. The working-age population was 128,528 in 2024, about the same as in 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in the Central West?

632 jobs are live on ViewJobs in Central NSW, a ViewJobs region that reaches beyond the Central West, as of 25 Oct 2026. 83% of its towns are in the area. The most advertised are Community Services & Development (94), Retail & Consumer Products (83) and Healthcare & Medical (69).

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

10 Notes and method

What the figures count, where they come from, and the rules this report applies to them.

The area
The Central West here is ABS SA4 103 Central West. The reports cover 50 areas, 42 regional ABS regions and the eight capital cities: the areas Jobs and Skills Australia publishes online job ads for.
Online job ads
Jobs and Skills Australia's Internet Vacancy Index is a monthly count of online job ads, compiled from SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia. Regional figures are three-month averages. It is not a count of ViewJobs' own ads. It counts ads, not jobs filled, by occupation and area.
State and national ads
This report reads the index's series by area, so a state or national figure here is the sum of its areas, marked as ViewJobs analysis. It can differ from the state and national totals Jobs and Skills Australia publishes separately.[2]
Small numbers
A figure under 5 ads a month is shown as "fewer than 5". A group with fewer than 5 ads a month, now or a year earlier, is left out of every change, and every ranking by change.
ABS figures
The latest ABS income and jobs figures here are for the year to 30 June 2023; population and business counts are more recent. Every figure shows its year. Change is measured from 2019: the ABS figures for 2018 and 2019 differ sharply for some industries in some areas. Industries with fewer than 1,000 employee jobs are listed but not ranked.
Unemployment
This report takes unemployment from the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses: each figure is the rate at the Census named, not a current rate. The ABS's monthly Labour Force estimates by region are not included yet.
Jobs on ViewJobs
ViewJobs regions do not follow ABS boundaries. Section 8 counts the ads open on ViewJobs on 25 Oct 2026 in each ViewJobs region with at least 20% of its towns in this area, and counts each region whole: a region that reaches beyond the area can include ads from outside it, and a region with fewer of its towns here is left out. A classification links to its own page once it has enough ads for one.

11 References

Every figure on this page points at one of these entries.

  1. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-10/internet_vacancies_anzsco2_occupations_gccsa_and_sa4_regions_-_september_2026.xlsx. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 24 October 2026.
  2. ViewJobs, ViewJobs analysis of the Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/data/internet-vacancy-index. State and national figures are the sum of the ABS areas in Jobs and Skills Australia's regional series.
  3. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Data by Region, v1.6.0. dbr.abs.gov.au. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 24 October 2026.
  4. ViewJobs, Live job ads on ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026. preview.viewjobs.com.au.

Cite this report

ViewJobs (2026). Central West job market report, data to September 2026. https://preview.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/nsw/central-west

Licence

Contains data from Jobs and Skills Australia, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, used under CC BY 4.0. ViewJobs has charted the data and, where marked as ViewJobs analysis, added areas together.

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