| '000 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 |
| Total working population | ||||||||
| Males | 14,476 | 14,656 | 15,104 | 15,222 | 15,141 | 15,032 | 14,901 | 14,881 |
| Females | 4,997 | 5,094 | 5,572 | 6,110 | 6,915 | 7,253 | 7,107 | 6,768 |
| Total | 19,473 | 19,750 | 20,676 | 21,332 | 22,056 | 22,285 | 22,008 | 21,649 |
| Total in Armed Forces and Auxiliary Services | ||||||||
| Males | 385 | 480 | 2,218 | 3,278 | 3,784 | 4,300 | 4,500 | 4,653 |
| Females | - | - | 55 | 105 | 307 | 461 | 467 | 437 |
| Total | 385 | 480 | 2,273 | 3,383 | 4,091 | 4,761 | 4,967 | 5,090 |
| Registered insured unemployed | ||||||||
| Males | 1,325 | 1,013 | 434 | 100 | 61 | 44 | 40 | 68 |
| Females | 385 | 257 | 211 | 98 | 26 | 16 | 14 | 35 |
| Total | 1,710 | 1,270 | 645 | 198 | 87 | 60 | 54 | 103 |
| Ex-members of H.M. Forces not yet in employment | ||||||||
| Males | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | 14 | 27 |
| Females | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| Total | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 20 | 40 |
| Total in civil employment | ||||||||
| Males | 12,766 | 13,163 | 12,452 | 11,844 | 11,296 | 10,675 | 10,347 | 10,133 |
| Females | 4,612 | 4,837 | 5,306 | 5,907 | 6,582 | 6,769 | 6,620 | 6,283 |
| Total | 17,378 | 18,000 | 17,758 | 17,751 | 17,878 | 17,444 | 16,967 | 16,416 |
| Agriculture and fishing | 949 | 950 | 925 | 981 | 1,002 | 1,047 | 1,048 | 1,041 |
| Mining and quarrying | 849 | 873 | 886 | 820 | 823 | 818 | 813 | 799 |
| Metals, engineering, vehicles and shipbuilding | 2,590 | 2,812 | 3,198 | 3,753 | 4,372 | 4,659 | 4,496 | 3,899 |
| Chemicals, explosives, paints, oils, etc. | 276 | 294 | 361 | 487 | 618 | 574 | 515 | 447 |
| Textiles | 861 | 1,002 | 1,074 | 871 | 723 | 669 | 635 | 634 |
| Clothing, boots and shoes | 717 | 752 | 748 | 674 | 550 | 493 | 455 | 481 |
| Food, drink and tobacco | 640 | 654 | 621 | 597 | 567 | 519 | 508 | 518 |
| Cement, bricks, pottery, glass, etc. | 271 | 265 | 220 | 211 | 188 | 170 | 159 | 15 |
| Leather, wood, paper, etc. | 844 | 859 | 725 | 614 | 573 | 539 | 536 | 555 |
| Other manufactures | 164 | 177 | 181 | 190 | 163 | 123 | 129 | 127 |
| Building and civil engineering | 1,264 | 1,310 | 1,064 | 1,043 | 893 | 726 | 623 | 722 |
| Gas, water and electricity supply | 240 | 242 | 213 | 214 | 214 | 200 | 193 | 196 |
| Transport and shipping | 1,225 | 1,233 | 1,146 | 1,194 | 1,217 | 1,176 | 1,237 | 1,252 |
| Distributive trades | 2,882 | 2,887 | 2,639 | 2,332 | 2,173 | 2,009 | 1,927 | 1,958 |
| Commerce, banking, insurance and finance | 414 | 413 | 370 | 358 | 317 | 282 | 268 | 264 |
| National and Local Government | 1,386 | 1,385 | 1,448 | 1,636 | 1,728 | 1,786 | 1,809 | 1,903 |
| Civil Defence, Fire Service and Police | 80 | 345 | 383 | 384 | 323 | 282 | 127 | |
| Miscellaneous Services | 1,806 | 1,812 | 1,594 | 1,393 | 1,373 | 1,331 | 1,334 | 1,334 |
Notes:
(1) All figures at June of each year.
Source: Statistical Digest of the War: History of the Second World War.