Compare

Cairns vs Cassowary Coast

Name: Cairns vs Cassowary Coast — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Council (LGA) comparison ≈ 85 km apart · Cairns profile · Cassowary Coast profile

Cairns Cassowary Coast

Cairns and Cassowary Coast are two distinct Queensland regions located about 85 km apart. Cairns is a larger hub where more people have finished Year 12 (54.7% compared to 39.9% in Cassowary Coast) and 21.2% speak a First Nations language, far higher than the 8.5% in Cassowary Coast. The two areas differ sharply in infrastructure; Cairns has far more public transport and walkable amenities, while Cassowary Coast has a much higher share of separate houses (86.3%) and homes owned outright (40.2%).

Both areas are almost identical in their overall advantage scores, with both sitting near the national average. They also share similar unemployment rates and a similar proportion of residents who have served in the Defence Force. While the gap in Year 12 completion has widened since 2016, the difference in the share of separate houses has narrowed slightly over the same period.

Open map →

Where they differ most

Population: 137,786 larger in Cairns Year 12: 14.8 pts higher in Cairns Owned outright: 13.8 pts higher in Cassowary Coast Separate houses: 13.4 pts higher in Cassowary Coast Bachelor+: 9.0 pts higher in Cairns

Demographics & Identity

Population in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +137,786 larger in Cairns gap steady

166,943 87th pct 29,157 65th pct

Median age in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +7 yrs older in Cassowary Coast gap steady

39 yrs 33rd pct 46 yrs 71st pct

Age structure

26.9% Older adults (45–64) +1.6 pts ▸ 28.5%

26.9% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +5.2 pts 21.7%

15.5% Seniors (65+) +7.4 pts ▸ 22.9%

19.1% Children (0–14) ◂ +1.6 pts 17.5%

11.7% Youth (15–24) ◂ +2.3 pts 9.4%

Marital status

39.9% Married +6.0 pts ▸ 45.9%

41.2% Never married ◂ +7.0 pts 34.2%

10.7% Divorced ◂ +0.5 pts 10.1%

4.4% Widowed +1.8 pts ▸ 6.2%

3.8% Separated ◂ +0.2 pts 3.6%

Age & sex structure

Cairns Cassowary Coast

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

69.1% Australia +5.7 pts ▸ 74.8%

3.9% England ◂ +1.6 pts 2.3%

2.8% New Zealand ◂ +1.1 pts 1.7%

1.1% India +1.2 pts ▸ 2.3%

1.3% Philippines ◂ +0.3 pts 1.0%

0.4% Italy +0.3 pts ▸ 0.8%

0.5% China ◂ +0.4 pts 0.1%

0.5% South Africa ◂ +0.2 pts 0.3%

0.3% Nepal ◂ +0.3 pts 0.0%

0.2% Vietnam ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

Ancestry

34.4% English ◂ +2.4 pts 32.0%

30.0% Australian +1.9 pts ▸ 31.9%

10.5% Irish +0.2 pts ▸ 10.6%

5.0% Italian +5.4 pts ▸ 10.4%

9.3% Scottish ◂ +0.5 pts 8.8%

5.2% German +0.1 pts ▸ 5.3%

2.0% Chinese ◂ +1.1 pts 1.0%

1.9% Filipino ◂ +0.6 pts 1.3%

1.6% Dutch ◂ +0.5 pts 1.1%

1.3% Indian +0.3 pts ▸ 1.6%

0.6% Greek +0.2 pts ▸ 0.8%

0.3% Vietnamese ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

Language

Language used at home

76.8% English only +3.1 pts ▸ 79.9%

0.6% Punjabi +2.2 pts ▸ 2.8%

0.6% Italian +0.6 pts ▸ 1.2%

0.7% Mandarin ◂ +0.5 pts 0.2%

0.5% Tagalog ◂ +0.1 pts 0.4%

0.3% Cantonese ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

0.3% Vietnamese ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

0.1% Greek +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

0.1% Hindi even 0.1%

0.1% Arabic ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

Religion

Religious affiliation

42.9% Christianity +7.0 pts ▸ 49.9%

42.2% No religion ◂ +8.4 pts 33.7%

10.7% Not stated +1.0 pts ▸ 11.7%

1.1% Other religions +2.3 pts ▸ 3.4%

1.7% Buddhism ◂ +1.0 pts 0.7%

0.9% Hinduism ◂ +0.5 pts 0.4%

0.5% Islam ◂ +0.3 pts 0.1%

0.1% Judaism ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

Education & Qualifications

Schools in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +25 more in Cairns

51 86th pct 26 77th pct

Schools/1k kids in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +3.51 more in Cassowary Coast

1.60 11th pct 5.11 63rd pct

Students in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +30,167 more in Cairns

34,820 87th pct 4,653 64th pct

Avg size in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +504 larger in Cairns

683 96th pct 179 42nd pct

ICSEA in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +62 higher in Cairns

981 56th pct 919 23rd pct

Highest year of school

54.7% Year 12 ◂ +14.8 pts 39.9%

19.8% Year 10 +7.3 pts ▸ 27.0%

7.5% Year 9 or below +5.7 pts ▸ 13.2%

7.8% Year 11 +0.1 pts ▸ 7.9%

Highest qualification level

31.8% Certificate III / IV +6.0 pts ▸ 37.8%

20.8% Bachelor degree ◂ +7.4 pts 13.4%

15.2% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +2.3 pts 12.9%

5.5% Postgraduate degree ◂ +2.7 pts 2.8%

3.3% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +1.2 pts 2.2%

2.4% Certificate I / II +0.3 pts ▸ 2.7%

Field of qualification

14.5% Engineering & related +3.2 pts ▸ 17.7%

15.6% Management & commerce ◂ +4.0 pts 11.6%

11.9% Society & culture ◂ +3.4 pts 8.5%

11.5% Health ◂ +3.1 pts 8.3%

7.9% Education +0.3 pts ▸ 8.2%

6.5% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +0.7 pts 5.8%

5.5% Architecture & building +0.8 pts ▸ 6.3%

1.8% Agriculture & environment +1.9 pts ▸ 3.7%

2.4% Creative arts ◂ +0.9 pts 1.5%

2.2% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +0.6 pts 1.7%

1.4% Information technology ◂ +0.7 pts 0.7%

Income

Personal income in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +$162 higher in Cairns gap widening

$809 65th pct $647 27th pct

Household income in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +$374 higher in Cairns gap widening

$1,578 64th pct $1,204 25th pct

Family income in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +$475 higher in Cairns gap widening

$1,950 63rd pct $1,475 21st pct

Household income distribution

28.3% $650–$1,499 +5.7 pts ▸ 34.0%

30.9% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +5.5 pts 25.4%

15.5% Under $650 +5.6 pts ▸ 21.1%

9.2% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +3.1 pts 6.1%

7.6% $4,000 or more ◂ +3.8 pts 3.8%

Personal income distribution

36.8% Under $650 +7.5 pts ▸ 44.3%

33.4% $650–$1,499 ◂ +1.2 pts 32.2%

16.6% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +6.5 pts 10.0%

2.8% $3,000 or more ◂ +1.0 pts 1.8%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

7.2% Arthritis +3.7 pts ▸ 10.9%

7.9% Mental health ◂ +0.4 pts 7.5%

7.7% Other condition ◂ +0.7 pts 7.0%

6.4% Asthma +0.2 pts ▸ 6.6%

4.0% Diabetes +1.6 pts ▸ 5.6%

3.5% Heart disease +1.8 pts ▸ 5.3%

2.8% Cancer +0.7 pts ▸ 3.5%

1.7% Lung condition +0.9 pts ▸ 2.7%

0.9% Stroke +0.3 pts ▸ 1.2%

0.7% Dementia +0.3 pts ▸ 1.0%

Number of long-term health conditions

63.9% None ◂ +5.1 pts 58.9%

17.2% One condition +0.8 pts ▸ 18.0%

5.1% Two conditions +1.5 pts ▸ 6.7%

2.4% Three or more +1.6 pts ▸ 4.1%

Community Participation

First Nations

First Nations people in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +12,947 larger in Cairns

16,153 95th pct 3,206 86th pct

Median age in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +1 yrs older in Cassowary Coast

23 yrs 29th pct 24 yrs 43rd pct

Median income in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +$70 higher in Cairns

$576 56th pct $506 36th pct

Household income in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +$206 higher in Cairns

$1,435 57th pct $1,229 33rd pct

Family & Households

Household size in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +0.2 larger in Cairns gap widening

2.5 71st pct 2.3 29th pct

Family composition

52.5% Couples with children ◂ +4.6 pts 47.8%

27.9% Couples without children +6.8 pts ▸ 34.6%

18.5% One-parent families ◂ +2.3 pts 16.2%

1.2% Other families +0.1 pts ▸ 1.3%

Household size

35.0% 2 people +3.9 pts ▸ 38.9%

27.0% 1 person +2.2 pts ▸ 29.2%

15.7% 3 people ◂ +2.6 pts 13.1%

13.7% 4 people ◂ +3.1 pts 10.6%

5.4% 5 people ◂ +0.5 pts 4.9%

3.2% 6 or more +0.1 pts ▸ 3.3%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +$90 higher in Cairns gap widening

$340 74th pct $250 46th pct

Mortgage in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +$288 higher in Cairns gap narrowing

$1,588 62nd pct $1,300 43rd pct

People / bedroom in Cairns in Cassowary Coast even gap steady

0.80 43rd pct 0.80 43rd pct

How homes are owned or rented

26.4% Owned outright +13.8 pts ▸ 40.2%

35.6% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +11.2 pts 24.4%

35.0% Rented ◂ +4.9 pts 30.0%

1.7% Not stated +1.4 pts ▸ 3.1%

1.3% Other tenure +1.0 pts ▸ 2.3%

Types of homes

72.9% Separate house +13.4 pts ▸ 86.3%

15.7% Flat or apartment ◂ +11.1 pts 4.6%

10.0% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +3.3 pts 6.7%

0.8% Other dwelling +1.2 pts ▸ 1.9%

Bedrooms per home

35.6% 3 bedrooms +11.0 pts ▸ 46.6%

29.5% 4 bedrooms ◂ +10.0 pts 19.5%

20.8% 2 bedrooms ◂ +0.3 pts 20.5%

6.3% 5 or more ◂ +2.1 pts 4.2%

5.4% 1 bedroom ◂ +0.1 pts 5.3%

0.7% Studio / none +0.2 pts ▸ 0.9%

Weekly rent distribution

37.9% $200–$349 +23.6 pts ▸ 61.5%

41.2% $350–$549 ◂ +28.0 pts 13.2%

11.7% Under $200 +8.0 pts ▸ 19.7%

4.9% $550–$749 ◂ +4.3 pts 0.7%

0.8% $750 or more ◂ +0.6 pts 0.3%

Monthly mortgage distribution

41.3% $1,000–$1,799 +1.5 pts ▸ 42.8%

17.8% Under $1,000 +11.9 pts ▸ 29.7%

27.4% $1,800–$2,999 ◂ +11.3 pts 16.1%

7.8% $3,000 or more ◂ +3.3 pts 4.5%

Transport & Vehicles

PT stops in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +462 more in Cairns

462 82nd pct 0 0th pct

Stops/1k in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +2.77 more in Cairns

2.77 44th pct 0.00 0th pct

Departures/1k in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +679.1 more in Cairns

679.1 75th pct 0.0 0th pct

PT routes in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +22 more in Cairns

22 72nd pct 0 0th pct

Stop walk in Cairns in Cassowary Coast

64 88th pct —

How people get to work

58.1% Car (driver) +4.6 pts ▸ 62.7%

11.8% Worked at home ◂ +4.1 pts 7.7%

5.0% Car (passenger) +2.6 pts ▸ 7.6%

2.5% Walked +2.0 pts ▸ 4.5%

1.0% Bus +2.0 pts ▸ 3.0%

1.1% Bicycle ◂ +0.5 pts 0.6%

0.0% Train even 0.0%

Motor vehicles per home

38.2% 2 vehicles ◂ +0.4 pts 37.8%

37.7% 1 vehicle ◂ +0.4 pts 37.3%

11.9% 3 vehicles +0.9 pts ▸ 12.8%

6.4% No vehicle ◂ +0.5 pts 5.9%

5.8% 4 or more +0.4 pts ▸ 6.2%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

1.6% Agriculture, forestry & fishing +18.9 pts ▸ 20.5%

18.1% Health care & social assistance ◂ +7.0 pts 11.0%

9.9% Accommodation & food ◂ +3.7 pts 6.3%

9.7% Retail trade ◂ +1.1 pts 8.6%

8.9% Education & training ◂ +1.0 pts 7.9%

8.7% Construction ◂ +2.1 pts 6.6%

3.6% Manufacturing +3.9 pts ▸ 7.5%

7.3% Public administration & safety ◂ +2.5 pts 4.8%

5.6% Transport & warehousing ◂ +1.4 pts 4.2%

4.7% Professional & technical ◂ +2.2 pts 2.5%

4.5% Other services ◂ +1.0 pts 3.5%

3.6% Administrative & support ◂ +0.4 pts 3.2%

Occupations people work in

9.9% Labourers +10.6 pts ▸ 20.5%

20.4% Professionals ◂ +8.9 pts 11.5%

15.0% Technicians & trades ◂ +1.3 pts 13.6%

14.9% Community & personal service ◂ +4.0 pts 10.9%

11.1% Managers +3.6 pts ▸ 14.7%

12.0% Clerical & administrative ◂ +2.4 pts 9.5%

9.4% Sales workers ◂ +1.6 pts 7.8%

5.6% Machinery operators & drivers +3.6 pts ▸ 9.2%

Economy & Advantage

IRSAD decile in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +5 higher in Cairns

7 64th pct 2 14th pct

IRSD decile in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +3 higher in Cairns

6 57th pct 3 29th pct

IER decile in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +2 higher in Cairns

4 36th pct 2 14th pct

IEO decile in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +5 higher in Cairns

7 64th pct 2 14th pct

IRSAD score in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +64 higher in Cairns

966 60th pct 902 17th pct

ERP in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +148,668 higher in Cairns

179,334 86th pct 30,666 64th pct

Growth in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +2.0 pts higher in Cairns

6.0% 70th pct 3.9% 53rd pct

Businesses in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +11,957 higher in Cairns

15,166 86th pct 3,209 65th pct

Approvals in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +563 higher in Cairns

699 86th pct 136 63rd pct

Environment & Climate

Rainfall in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +755 higher in Cassowary Coast

2,830 100th pct 3,586 100th pct

Max temp in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +0.1 higher in Cairns

28.0 77th pct 27.9 77th pct

Min temp in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +0.1 higher in Cassowary Coast

18.7 91st pct 18.8 92nd pct

Crime & Safety

Crime rate in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +7,378 higher in Cairns

20,712 87th pct 13,335 76th pct

Assault/100k in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +782 higher in Cairns

2,398 86th pct 1,615 76th pct

Sexual/100k in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +108 higher in Cairns

327 68th pct 220 42nd pct

Robbery/100k in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +92 higher in Cairns

123 95th pct 31 61st pct

Burglary/100k in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +1,328 higher in Cairns

1,880 93rd pct 552 55th pct

Theft/100k in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +2,372 higher in Cairns

4,025 97th pct 1,653 65th pct

Vehicle theft/100k in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +440 higher in Cairns

653 78th pct 213 25th pct

Property damage/100k in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +532 higher in Cairns

1,544 86th pct 1,012 71st pct

Drugs/100k in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +374 higher in Cairns

2,230 88th pct 1,855 87th pct

5-yr change in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +36.6 pts higher in Cairns

47.0% 88th pct 10.4% 53rd pct

Walkability

Walk score in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +3.2 higher in Cairns

5.4 76th pct 2.1 14th pct

Types ≤15 min in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +2.7 more in Cairns

5.0 73rd pct 2.3 14th pct

15-min city in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +39.0 pts higher in Cairns

62.0% 73rd pct 23.1% 12th pct

Walk to shops in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +37.4 pts higher in Cairns

63.8% 74th pct 26.5% 15th pct

Walk to transit in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +79.7 pts higher in Cairns

79.7% 75th pct 0.0% 0th pct

Walk to school in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +28.9 pts higher in Cairns

61.0% 61st pct 32.1% 16th pct

Walk to a park in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +31.0 pts higher in Cairns

91.0% 75th pct 60.0% 34th pct

Walk to health in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +22.1 pts higher in Cairns

42.1% 58th pct 20.0% 19th pct

Amenities/1k in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +3.3 more in Cassowary Coast

12.8 22nd pct 16.1 40th pct

Intersections/km² in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +10 higher in Cairns

11 72nd pct 1 45th pct

Mean slope in Cairns in Cassowary Coast +0.3 pts higher in Cairns

5.6% 65th pct 5.4% 61st pct

Compare Cairns with nearby areas

Yarrabah Cassowary Coast Tablelands Douglas Wujal Wujal Hinchinbrook Palm Island Hope Vale

Compare Cassowary Coast with nearby areas

Tablelands Cairns Hinchinbrook Yarrabah Palm Island Douglas Townsville Wujal Wujal

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Cairns vs Cassowary Coast [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/lga/LGA32080/cairns/vs/LGA32260/cassowary-coast