For information on where to access this local data and how to use it for your role, visit our Australia and UK Local Data FAQ article.
Where does the LGA-level industry data come from?
Industry data at the LGA level is produced using a two-step method combining Census-based proxy distributions and state-level enterprise counts:
Data is collected from Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS): We use the ABS Census LGA dataset as a proxy for how businesses are distributed across LGAs within each ANZSIC industry. This source represents the best available local-level signal for how an industry is spatially distributed.
Analysts apply the LGA percentage share to state enterprise counts: For each industry, we take the total enterprise count recorded at the state level (derived from the ABS Count of Australian Businesses dataset). We then allocate this number across all LGAs using the Census-based percentage share for that industry.
Why can’t I find a specific LGA?
Some LGAs do not appear in the dataset for one of the following reasons:
Confidentialised or extremely small industries: If the ABS reports very low counts in an LGA (or suppresses them), the LGA may appear missing for certain industries.
Non-geographic categories: The raw ABS data includes locations such as Unincorporated areas or No Usual Address. These do not correspond to real LGAs and are removed during preprocessing.
Boundary standardisation: All locations are converted into the LGA-2023 classification. Older LGA definitions (2016–2022) are harmonised into this newer system. Some historical LGAs no longer have a 1-to-1 match and therefore disappear.
Why does an industry not have LGA-level data?
Several situations lead to LGAs being omitted from an industry:
Census proxy limitations: In some cases, the ABS Census LGA dataset indicates 0 enterprises in all LGAs within a state, despite other ABS datasets indicating enterprises exist within the state. In this case, we provide the total for the state while omitting LGAs from the dataset entirely in that state.
No presence in the industry: Because of the diversity of industries nationally, and the diversity in industrial activity between LGAs, many LGAs are absent from many industries. Often, this is not a data availability issue but reflects the reality of the lack of participation of an LGA in an industry.
Why has the data changed compared to the last update?
Historical values may shift between updates because:
The ABS releases new LGA-level business count data annually, and the entire model recalculates.
State enterprise counts are updated, which recalibrates all LGA allocations.
The forecasting steps (linear regression for the current year and, usually, the previous year) are re-run each cycle.
Improvements to our model for estimating gaps in the data may alter estimates. This can include rounding logic, handling of missing years, or boundary alignment.
This behaviour is consistent with how IBISWorld handles all data updates, where historical data can change when new source inputs are incorporated.
How many industries and LGAs are covered?
387 industries (ANZSIC-2006)
544 LGAs classified under LGA-2023
How frequently is the data updated?
The model is updated annually, typically around September or October, to align with the ABS Count of Australian Business release cycle. Forecast years are refreshed each cycle and historical values can shift as ABS revises its counts.