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Job market report

Mid North Coast job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in the Mid North Coast, 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 108 Mid North Coast
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Growing: online job ads in the Mid North Coast were up 11.1% on a year earlier, from 1,405 to 1,561 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, 304 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by legal, social and welfare professionals (242) and carers and aides (131).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for legal, social and welfare professionals rose fastest, up 72.9%.[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 41% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by arts and recreation services (35% more).[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 5.8% of the labour force in the Mid North Coast was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 4.9% across New South Wales.

    It was 8.1% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 47.2%, 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.

Mid North Coast
+11.1%
1,561 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, Mid North CoastThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
1k1.2k1.4k1.6k1.8kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Mid North CoastMid North Coast, Sep 2026: 1,5611,561

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Mid North Coast
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20231,754
November 20231,635
December 20231,397
January 20241,328
February 20241,287
March 20241,414
April 20241,361
May 20241,338
June 20241,244
July 20241,211
August 20241,185
September 20241,259
October 20241,307
November 20241,309
December 20241,159
January 20251,149
February 20251,141
March 20251,261
April 20251,204
May 20251,189
June 20251,200
July 20251,310
August 20251,325
September 20251,405
October 20251,424
November 20251,415
December 20251,236
January 20261,230
February 20261,296
March 20261,557
April 20261,538
May 20261,607
June 20261,530
July 20261,553
August 20261,530
September 20261,561

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, Mid North CoastThe 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.
Legal, social and welfare professionals: +72.9%Legal, social and welfare professionals+72.9%Medical practitioners and nurses: +71.8%Medical practitioners and nurses+71.8%Food trades: +12.8%Food trades+12.8%Sales assistants and salespersons: +11.0%Sales assistants and salespersons+11.0%Carers and aides: +1.6%Carers and aides+1.6%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: −2.0%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals−2.0%Drivers and storepersons: −2.4%Drivers and storepersons−2.4%Cleaners and laundry workers: −9.5%Cleaners and laundry workers−9.5%Other labourers: −9.5%Other labourers−9.5%Hospitality, retail and service managers: −11.1%Hospitality, retail and service managers−11.1%Automotive and engineering trades: −15.7%Automotive and engineering trades−15.7%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −22.7%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−22.7%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Mid North Coast
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Medical practitioners and nurses304177+71.8%
Legal, social and welfare professionals242140+72.9%
Carers and aides131129+1.6%
Sales assistants and salespersons8173+11.0%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists6888−22.7%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals4849−2.0%
Food trades4439+12.8%
Automotive and engineering trades4351−15.7%
Hospitality, retail and service managers4045−11.1%
Drivers and storepersons4041−2.4%
Cleaners and laundry workers3842−9.5%
Other labourers3842−9.5%
Corporate managers3332+3.1%
Hospitality workers3125+24.0%
Numerical clerks2421+14.3%
Health and welfare support workers2321+9.5%
Business, finance and human resource professionals2224−8.3%
Education professionals2024−16.7%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians20200.0%
Sports, travel and personal service workers2018+11.1%
Sales representatives and agents2025−20.0%
Construction, production and distribution managers19190.0%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades1722−22.7%
Construction trades1618−11.1%
Other clerical and administrative workers1518−16.7%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries1516−6.3%
Machine and stationary plant operators14140.0%
Health, education, ICT and other managers1213−7.7%
Engineers1215−20.0%
Factory process workers1118−38.9%
Food preparation assistants1110+10.0%
Sales support workers1012−16.7%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers990.0%
Construction and mining labourers910−10.0%
Mobile plant operators714−50.0%
Information professionals65+20.0%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators5fewer than 5n/a
ICT professionals516−68.8%
Transport and design professionals, and architects550.0%
Science professionals and veterinarians5fewer than 5n/a
Arts and media professionalsfewer than 56n/a
Sales, marketing & public relations professionalsfewer than 56n/a
Jewellers, arts and other trades workersfewer than 56n/a
Clerical and office support workers, couriersfewer than 55n/a
Farm, forestry and garden workersfewer than 57n/a
Farmers and farm managersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Protective service workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood tradesfewer than 5fewer than 5n/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, Mid North CoastShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against New South Wales.
  • Mid North Coast
  • New South Wales
4%5%6%7%8%9%201120162021Mid North CoastMid North Coast, 2011: 8.2%Mid North Coast, 2016: 8.1%Mid North Coast, 2021: 5.8%5.8%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, Mid North Coast
CensusMid North CoastNew South Wales
2011 Census8.2%5.9%
2016 Census8.1%6.3%
2021 Census5.8%4.9%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, Mid North CoastShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against New South Wales.
  • Mid North Coast
  • New South Wales
45%50%55%60%201120162021Mid North CoastMid North Coast, 2011: 47.0%Mid North Coast, 2016: 45.5%Mid North Coast, 2021: 47.2%47.2%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, Mid North Coast
CensusMid North CoastNew South Wales
2011 Census47.0%59.7%
2016 Census45.5%59.2%
2021 Census47.2%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, Mid North Coast, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Accommodation and food services: +40.7%Accommodation and food services+40.7%Arts and recreation services: +35.4%Arts and recreation services+35.4%Other services: +32.0%Other services+32.0%Wholesale trade: +28.2%Wholesale trade+28.2%Financial and insurance services: +28.1%Financial and insurance services+28.1%Health care and social assistance: +27.2%Health care and social assistance+27.2%Electricity, gas, water and waste services: +26.1%Electricity, gas, water and waste services+26.1%Professional, scientific and technical services: +24.6%Professional, scientific and technical services+24.6%Construction: +23.9%Construction+23.9%Retail trade: +22.0%Retail trade+22.0%Public administration and safety: +19.8%Public administration and safety+19.8%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: +18.8%Agriculture, forestry and fishing+18.8%Education and training: +14.4%Education and training+14.4%Manufacturing: +13.3%Manufacturing+13.3%Transport, postal and warehousing: +11.5%Transport, postal and warehousing+11.5%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +11.1%Rental, hiring and real estate services+11.1%Administrative and support services: +10.9%Administrative and support services+10.9%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, Mid North Coast, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Health care and social assistance20,66426,284+27.2%
Accommodation and food services12,84118,072+40.7%
Retail trade13,23316,141+22.0%
Education and training10,82012,374+14.4%
Construction8,33410,324+23.9%
Public administration and safety7,9279,493+19.8%
Administrative and support services8,0158,887+10.9%
Manufacturing5,7146,473+13.3%
Professional, scientific and technical services4,5285,641+24.6%
Financial and insurance services4,3985,635+28.1%
Other services3,6934,875+32.0%
Transport, postal and warehousing4,0454,511+11.5%
Wholesale trade2,8983,716+28.2%
Rental, hiring and real estate services2,6342,927+11.1%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing2,3342,773+18.8%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services1,5461,950+26.1%
Arts and recreation services1,3261,795+35.4%
Information media and telecommunications777889n/a
Mining641811n/a
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, Mid North Coast, 2023145,167 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Health care and social assistance: 26,284Health care and social assistance26,284Accommodation and food services: 18,072Accommodation and food services18,072Retail trade: 16,141Retail trade16,141Education and training: 12,374Education and training12,374Construction: 10,324Construction10,324Public administration and safety: 9,493Public administration and safety9,493Administrative and support services: 8,887Administrative and support services8,887Manufacturing: 6,473Manufacturing6,473

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, Mid North Coast, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Health care and social assistance26,28418%
Accommodation and food services18,07212%
Retail trade16,14111%
Education and training12,3749%
Construction10,3247%
Public administration and safety9,4937%
Administrative and support services8,8876%
Manufacturing6,4734%
Professional, scientific and technical services5,6414%
Financial and insurance services5,6354%
Other services4,8753%
Transport, postal and warehousing4,5113%
Wholesale trade3,7163%
Rental, hiring and real estate services2,9272%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing2,7732%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services1,9501%
Arts and recreation services1,7951%
Information media and telecommunications8891%
Mining8111%
All industries145,167100%

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, Mid North CoastIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against New South Wales and Australia.
  • Mid North Coast
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
$40k$50k$60k$70k20192020202120222023Mid North CoastMid North Coast, 2019: $42,893Mid North Coast, 2020: $44,578Mid North Coast, 2021: $46,089Mid North Coast, 2022: $46,923Mid North Coast, 2023: $50,415$50,415New 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, Mid North Coast
YearMid North CoastNew South WalesAustralia
2019$42,893$53,104$52,256
2020$44,578$54,989$53,878
2021$46,089$57,891$56,485
2022$46,923$58,972$58,260
2023$50,415$63,301$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, Mid North CoastIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against New South Wales and Australia.
  • Mid North Coast
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
$40k$50k$60k$70k$80k20192020202120222023Mid North CoastMid North Coast, 2019: $49,095Mid North Coast, 2020: $51,081Mid North Coast, 2021: $52,910Mid North Coast, 2022: $54,031Mid North Coast, 2023: $57,674$57,674New 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, Mid North Coast
YearMid North CoastNew South WalesAustralia
2019$49,095$66,377$63,517
2020$51,081$68,690$65,591
2021$52,910$71,848$68,452
2022$54,031$74,232$70,950
2023$57,674$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
239,566
ABS, 2025 · up 5.6% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
127,300
ABS, 2024 · up 1.6% since 2020[3]

New South Wales' population was up 5.9% from 2020 to 2025, and the Mid North Coast's up 5.6%.[3]

7 Businesses

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

Businesses in the area
18,862
ABS, 2025 · up 11.2% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, Mid North Coast, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 11,613No employees11,6131–4 employees: 5,0691–4 employees5,0695–19 employees: 1,7765–19 employees1,77620 or more employees: 40420 or more employees404

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, Mid North Coast, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees9,85811,613+17.8%
1–4 employees5,0425,069+0.5%
5–19 employees1,7561,776+1.1%
20 or more employees301404+34.2%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in North Coast NSW, a ViewJobs region that reaches beyond this ABS area: 38% of its towns are in the area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in North Coast NSW
930
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, North Coast NSWThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Healthcare & Medical: 191Healthcare & Medical191Hospitality & Tourism: 189Hospitality & Tourism189Retail & Consumer Products: 120Retail & Consumer Products120Community Services & Development: 112Community Services & Development112Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 58Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics58Farming, Animals & Conservation: 34Farming, Animals & Conservation34Trades & Services: 29Trades & Services29Administration & Office Support: 26Administration & Office Support26

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, North Coast NSW
ClassificationLive jobs
Healthcare & Medical191
Hospitality & Tourism189
Retail & Consumer Products120
Community Services & Development112
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics58
Farming, Animals & Conservation34
Trades & Services29
Administration & Office Support26

Browse jobs by region

9 Quick answers

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

How many jobs are advertised in the Mid North Coast?

1,561 online job ads a month were placed in the Mid North Coast, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is the Mid North Coast's job market growing or shrinking?

Growing: online job ads in the Mid North Coast were up 11.1% on a year earlier, from 1,405 to 1,561 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 Mid North Coast?

Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 304 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by legal, social and welfare professionals (242) and carers and aides (131). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for legal, social and welfare professionals rose fastest, up 72.9%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in the Mid North Coast?

5.8% of the labour force in the Mid North Coast was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 4.9% across New South Wales. It was 8.1% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 47.2%, 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 Mid North Coast?

Average (mean) employee income in the Mid North Coast was $57,674 in 2023; the median was $50,415, 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 Mid North Coast?

Health care and social assistance had the most employee jobs in the Mid North Coast: 26,284 in 2023, 18% of the 145,167 employee jobs. Next were accommodation and food services (18,072) and retail trade (16,141).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in the Mid North Coast?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, accommodation and food services grew fastest, with 41% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by arts and recreation services (35% more).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is the Mid North Coast's population growing?

239,566 people lived in the Mid North Coast in 2025, up 5.6% since 2020. New South Wales' population was up 5.9% over the same years. The working-age population was 127,300 in 2024, up 1.6% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in the Mid North Coast?

930 jobs are live on ViewJobs in North Coast NSW, a ViewJobs region that reaches beyond the Mid North Coast, as of 25 Oct 2026. 38% of its towns are in the area. The most advertised are Healthcare & Medical (191), Hospitality & Tourism (189) and Retail & Consumer Products (120).

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 Mid North Coast here is ABS SA4 108 Mid North Coast. 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). Mid North Coast job market report, data to September 2026. https://preview.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/nsw/mid-north-coast

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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