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Cairns vs Palm Island

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

Council (LGA) comparison ≈ 196 km apart · Cairns profile · Palm Island profile

Cairns Palm Island

Cairns and Palm Island are very different Queensland communities. Palm Island has a much younger population, with a typical resident aged 26 compared to 39 in Cairns, and a far higher proportion of children under 15 (31.4% versus 19.1%). The two areas differ sharply in their demographics and income; Palm Island is home to far more First Nations people (91.4% compared to 9.7%) and has a typical weekly household income of $977, which is much lower than the $1,578 seen in Cairns. Higher education and home ownership are also far more common in Cairns, where 19.1% of adults have a bachelor degree or higher and 26.4% own their home outright.

Financial and educational gaps between the two areas have generally widened since 2016. While they share similar tropical climates and almost identical rates of people who speak little or no English, their housing markets have diverged. The gap in typical weekly rent has grown to $215, with Palm Island seeing far more renters (92.5%) than Cairns (35.0%).

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Where they differ most

First Nations: 81.7 pts higher in Palm Island Other language: 26.6 pts higher in Palm Island No religion: 25.6 pts higher in Cairns Year 12: 28.3 pts higher in Cairns Renting: 57.5 pts higher in Palm Island

Demographics & Identity

Population in Cairns in Palm Island +164,845 larger in Cairns gap steady

166,943 87th pct 2,098 21st pct

Median age in Cairns in Palm Island +13 yrs older in Cairns gap steady

39 yrs 33rd pct 26 yrs 0th pct

Age structure

19.1% Children (0–14) +12.3 pts ▸ 31.4%

26.9% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +1.1 pts 25.8%

26.9% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +5.6 pts 21.3%

11.7% Youth (15–24) +4.2 pts ▸ 15.9%

15.5% Seniors (65+) ◂ +10.4 pts 5.1%

Marital status

41.2% Never married +43.7 pts ▸ 85.0%

39.9% Married ◂ +30.7 pts 9.2%

10.7% Divorced ◂ +9.2 pts 1.5%

4.4% Widowed ◂ +2.2 pts 2.1%

3.8% Separated ◂ +1.7 pts 2.1%

Age & sex structure

Cairns Palm Island

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

69.1% Australia +24.8 pts ▸ 93.9%

3.9% England ◂ +3.7 pts 0.2%

2.8% New Zealand ◂ +2.6 pts 0.2%

1.3% Philippines ◂ +1.1 pts 0.2%

1.1% India ◂ +1.1 pts 0.0%

0.5% China ◂ +0.5 pts 0.0%

0.5% South Africa ◂ +0.5 pts 0.0%

0.4% Italy ◂ +0.4 pts 0.0%

0.3% Nepal ◂ +0.3 pts 0.0%

0.2% Vietnam ◂ +0.2 pts 0.0%

Ancestry

34.4% English ◂ +30.2 pts 4.2%

30.0% Australian ◂ +24.8 pts 5.2%

10.5% Irish ◂ +10.0 pts 0.4%

9.3% Scottish ◂ +9.0 pts 0.3%

5.2% German ◂ +4.9 pts 0.3%

5.0% Italian ◂ +4.8 pts 0.2%

2.0% Chinese ◂ +1.8 pts 0.2%

1.9% Filipino ◂ +1.9 pts 0.0%

1.6% Dutch ◂ +1.6 pts 0.0%

1.3% Indian ◂ +1.1 pts 0.2%

0.6% Greek ◂ +0.4 pts 0.2%

0.3% Vietnamese ◂ +0.3 pts 0.0%

Language

Language used at home

76.8% English only ◂ +23.7 pts 53.1%

0.7% Mandarin ◂ +0.7 pts 0.0%

0.6% Punjabi ◂ +0.6 pts 0.0%

0.6% Italian ◂ +0.6 pts 0.0%

0.5% Tagalog ◂ +0.5 pts 0.0%

0.3% Cantonese ◂ +0.3 pts 0.0%

0.3% Vietnamese ◂ +0.3 pts 0.0%

0.1% Hindi ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

0.1% Greek ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

0.1% Arabic ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

Religion

Religious affiliation

42.9% Christianity +33.3 pts ▸ 76.2%

42.2% No religion ◂ +25.6 pts 16.5%

10.7% Not stated ◂ +3.4 pts 7.2%

1.7% Buddhism ◂ +1.7 pts 0.0%

1.1% Other religions ◂ +0.9 pts 0.2%

0.9% Hinduism ◂ +0.9 pts 0.0%

0.5% Islam ◂ +0.3 pts 0.2%

0.1% Judaism ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

Education & Qualifications

Schools in Cairns in Palm Island +49 more in Cairns

51 86th pct 2 14th pct

Schools/1k kids in Cairns in Palm Island +1.44 more in Palm Island

1.60 11th pct 3.04 40th pct

Students in Cairns in Palm Island +34,378 more in Cairns

34,820 87th pct 442 26th pct

Avg size in Cairns in Palm Island +462 larger in Cairns

683 96th pct 221 49th pct

ICSEA in Cairns in Palm Island +314 higher in Cairns

981 56th pct 667 1st pct

Highest year of school

54.7% Year 12 ◂ +28.3 pts 26.4%

19.8% Year 10 +7.3 pts ▸ 27.1%

7.5% Year 9 or below +15.1 pts ▸ 22.6%

7.8% Year 11 +7.6 pts ▸ 15.4%

Highest qualification level

31.8% Certificate III / IV +1.0 pts ▸ 32.8%

20.8% Bachelor degree ◂ +11.0 pts 9.8%

15.2% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +6.7 pts 8.6%

5.5% Postgraduate degree ◂ +2.4 pts 3.2%

2.4% Certificate I / II +2.9 pts ▸ 5.4%

3.3% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +1.1 pts 2.2%

Field of qualification

15.6% Management & commerce ◂ +8.1 pts 7.6%

14.5% Engineering & related ◂ +8.4 pts 6.1%

11.9% Society & culture ◂ +0.4 pts 11.5%

11.5% Health ◂ +0.2 pts 11.2%

7.9% Education +3.3 pts ▸ 11.2%

5.5% Architecture & building +1.3 pts ▸ 6.8%

6.5% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +3.4 pts 3.2%

2.4% Creative arts ◂ +2.4 pts 0.0%

2.2% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +2.2 pts 0.0%

1.8% Agriculture & environment +0.2 pts ▸ 2.0%

1.4% Information technology ◂ +1.4 pts 0.0%

Income

Personal income in Cairns in Palm Island +$429 higher in Cairns gap widening

$809 65th pct $380 3rd pct

Household income in Cairns in Palm Island +$601 higher in Cairns gap widening

$1,578 64th pct $977 7th pct

Family income in Cairns in Palm Island +$1,052 higher in Cairns gap widening

$1,950 63rd pct $898 3rd pct

Household income distribution

28.3% $650–$1,499 +6.3 pts ▸ 34.6%

30.9% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +7.1 pts 23.8%

15.5% Under $650 +10.5 pts ▸ 26.1%

9.2% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +6.4 pts 2.9%

7.6% $4,000 or more ◂ +4.0 pts 3.7%

Personal income distribution

36.8% Under $650 +28.9 pts ▸ 65.7%

33.4% $650–$1,499 ◂ +14.3 pts 19.1%

16.6% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +12.1 pts 4.5%

2.8% $3,000 or more ◂ +2.1 pts 0.8%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

7.9% Mental health ◂ +5.6 pts 2.2%

7.7% Other condition ◂ +4.1 pts 3.6%

4.0% Diabetes +3.2 pts ▸ 7.2%

7.2% Arthritis ◂ +5.3 pts 1.9%

6.4% Asthma ◂ +3.5 pts 2.9%

3.5% Heart disease +0.8 pts ▸ 4.3%

2.8% Cancer ◂ +2.3 pts 0.5%

1.7% Lung condition ◂ +1.2 pts 0.5%

0.9% Stroke ◂ +0.5 pts 0.4%

0.7% Dementia ◂ +0.3 pts 0.4%

Number of long-term health conditions

63.9% None +13.0 pts ▸ 76.9%

17.2% One condition ◂ +5.6 pts 11.5%

5.1% Two conditions ◂ +3.1 pts 2.0%

2.4% Three or more ◂ +1.0 pts 1.4%

Community Participation

First Nations

First Nations people in Cairns in Palm Island +14,235 larger in Cairns

16,153 95th pct 1,918 77th pct

Median age in Cairns in Palm Island +2 yrs older in Palm Island

23 yrs 29th pct 25 yrs 50th pct

Median income in Cairns in Palm Island +$211 higher in Cairns

$576 56th pct $365 8th pct

Household income in Cairns in Palm Island +$485 higher in Cairns

$1,435 57th pct $950 12th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Cairns in Palm Island +1.2 larger in Palm Island gap narrowing

2.5 71st pct 3.7 100th pct

Family composition

52.5% Couples with children ◂ +5.8 pts 46.6%

18.5% One-parent families +20.3 pts ▸ 38.7%

27.9% Couples without children ◂ +18.2 pts 9.6%

1.2% Other families +4.2 pts ▸ 5.4%

Household size

35.0% 2 people ◂ +15.8 pts 19.1%

27.0% 1 person ◂ +5.7 pts 21.4%

3.2% 6 or more +21.2 pts ▸ 24.4%

15.7% 3 people ◂ +2.6 pts 13.0%

13.7% 4 people ◂ +1.1 pts 12.6%

5.4% 5 people +5.2 pts ▸ 10.6%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Cairns in Palm Island +$215 higher in Cairns gap widening

$340 74th pct $125 9th pct

Mortgage in Cairns in Palm Island +$579 higher in Palm Island

$1,588 62nd pct $2,167 87th pct

People / bedroom in Cairns in Palm Island +0.40 higher in Palm Island gap narrowing

0.80 43rd pct 1.20 96th pct

How homes are owned or rented

35.0% Rented +57.5 pts ▸ 92.5%

35.6% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +35.6 pts 0.0%

26.4% Owned outright ◂ +24.9 pts 1.4%

1.3% Other tenure +2.0 pts ▸ 3.3%

1.7% Not stated +0.7 pts ▸ 2.4%

Types of homes

72.9% Separate house +14.1 pts ▸ 87.0%

15.7% Flat or apartment ◂ +7.6 pts 8.1%

10.0% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +9.3 pts 0.6%

0.8% Other dwelling +2.7 pts ▸ 3.5%

Bedrooms per home

35.6% 3 bedrooms +5.2 pts ▸ 40.7%

29.5% 4 bedrooms ◂ +7.1 pts 22.4%

20.8% 2 bedrooms +3.2 pts ▸ 24.0%

6.3% 5 or more ◂ +1.4 pts 4.9%

5.4% 1 bedroom ◂ +1.1 pts 4.3%

0.7% Studio / none ◂ +0.7 pts 0.0%

Weekly rent distribution

11.7% Under $200 +80.4 pts ▸ 92.1%

41.2% $350–$549 ◂ +41.2 pts 0.0%

37.9% $200–$349 ◂ +33.5 pts 4.4%

4.9% $550–$749 ◂ +4.9 pts 0.0%

0.8% $750 or more ◂ +0.8 pts 0.0%

Transport & Vehicles

PT stops in Cairns in Palm Island +462 more in Cairns

462 82nd pct 0 0th pct

Stops/1k in Cairns in Palm Island +2.77 more in Cairns

2.77 44th pct 0.00 0th pct

Departures/1k in Cairns in Palm Island +679.1 more in Cairns

679.1 75th pct 0.0 0th pct

PT routes in Cairns in Palm Island +22 more in Cairns

22 72nd pct 0 0th pct

Stop walk in Cairns in Palm Island

64 88th pct —

How people get to work

58.1% Car (driver) ◂ +23.6 pts 34.5%

2.5% Walked +30.2 pts ▸ 32.7%

5.0% Car (passenger) +7.4 pts ▸ 12.4%

11.8% Worked at home ◂ +11.8 pts 0.0%

1.0% Bus +3.7 pts ▸ 4.7%

1.1% Bicycle ◂ +1.1 pts 0.0%

0.0% Train even 0.0%

Motor vehicles per home

6.4% No vehicle +43.1 pts ▸ 49.5%

38.2% 2 vehicles ◂ +26.2 pts 12.0%

37.7% 1 vehicle ◂ +1.5 pts 36.2%

11.9% 3 vehicles ◂ +9.6 pts 2.3%

5.8% 4 or more ◂ +5.2 pts 0.6%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

18.1% Health care & social assistance +15.0 pts ▸ 33.0%

8.9% Education & training +14.1 pts ▸ 23.0%

7.3% Public administration & safety +8.3 pts ▸ 15.6%

9.9% Accommodation & food ◂ +7.6 pts 2.4%

9.7% Retail trade ◂ +3.5 pts 6.2%

8.7% Construction ◂ +6.3 pts 2.4%

5.6% Transport & warehousing ◂ +3.0 pts 2.7%

4.7% Professional & technical ◂ +2.0 pts 2.7%

4.5% Other services ◂ +3.1 pts 1.5%

3.6% Administrative & support +0.8 pts ▸ 4.4%

3.6% Manufacturing ◂ +3.6 pts 0.0%

2.1% Wholesale trade ◂ +2.1 pts 0.0%

Occupations people work in

14.9% Community & personal service +23.4 pts ▸ 38.3%

20.4% Professionals ◂ +2.4 pts 18.0%

15.0% Technicians & trades ◂ +7.6 pts 7.4%

12.0% Clerical & administrative ◂ +1.1 pts 10.9%

11.1% Managers ◂ +6.6 pts 4.4%

9.9% Labourers ◂ +1.0 pts 8.8%

9.4% Sales workers ◂ +5.6 pts 3.8%

5.6% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +1.5 pts 4.1%

Economy & Advantage

IRSAD decile in Cairns in Palm Island +6 higher in Cairns

7 64th pct 1 0th pct

IRSD decile in Cairns in Palm Island +5 higher in Cairns

6 57th pct 1 0th pct

IER decile in Cairns in Palm Island +3 higher in Cairns

4 36th pct 1 0th pct

IEO decile in Cairns in Palm Island +6 higher in Cairns

7 64th pct 1 0th pct

IRSAD score in Cairns in Palm Island +259 higher in Cairns

966 60th pct 707 1st pct

ERP in Cairns in Palm Island +176,999 higher in Cairns

179,334 86th pct 2,335 20th pct

Growth in Cairns in Palm Island +1.2 pts higher in Palm Island

6.0% 70th pct 7.1% 77th pct

Businesses in Cairns in Palm Island +15,154 higher in Cairns

15,166 86th pct 12 1st pct

Approvals in Cairns in Palm Island +647 higher in Cairns

699 86th pct 52 49th pct

Environment & Climate

Rainfall in Cairns in Palm Island +757 higher in Cairns

2,830 100th pct 2,074 100th pct

Max temp in Cairns in Palm Island +0.3 higher in Cairns

28.0 77th pct 27.7 76th pct

Min temp in Cairns in Palm Island +1.5 higher in Palm Island

18.7 91st pct 20.2 95th pct

Crime & Safety

Crime rate in Cairns in Palm Island +56,313 higher in Palm Island

20,712 87th pct 77,026 100th pct

Assault/100k in Cairns in Palm Island +19,385 higher in Palm Island

2,398 86th pct 21,783 100th pct

Sexual/100k in Cairns in Palm Island +483 higher in Palm Island

327 68th pct 810 97th pct

Robbery/100k in Cairns in Palm Island

123 95th pct —

Burglary/100k in Cairns in Palm Island +117 higher in Cairns

1,880 93rd pct 1,764 92nd pct

Theft/100k in Cairns in Palm Island +2,738 higher in Cairns

4,025 97th pct 1,287 51st pct

Vehicle theft/100k in Cairns in Palm Island +319 higher in Cairns

653 78th pct 334 48th pct

Property damage/100k in Cairns in Palm Island +3,937 higher in Palm Island

1,544 86th pct 5,481 99th pct

Drugs/100k in Cairns in Palm Island +3,157 higher in Palm Island

2,230 88th pct 5,386 100th pct

5-yr change in Cairns in Palm Island +48.5 pts higher in Cairns

47.0% 88th pct -1.5% 33rd pct

Walkability

Walk score in Cairns in Palm Island

5.4 76th pct —

Types ≤15 min in Cairns in Palm Island +3.5 more in Cairns

5.0 73rd pct 1.5 6th pct

15-min city in Cairns in Palm Island +62.0 pts higher in Cairns

62.0% 73rd pct 0.0% 0th pct

Walk to shops in Cairns in Palm Island +63.8 pts higher in Cairns

63.8% 74th pct 0.0% 0th pct

Walk to transit in Cairns in Palm Island +79.7 pts higher in Cairns

79.7% 75th pct 0.0% 0th pct

Walk to school in Cairns in Palm Island +13.1 pts higher in Cairns

61.0% 61st pct 47.9% 38th pct

Walk to a park in Cairns in Palm Island +84.0 pts higher in Cairns

91.0% 75th pct 7.0% 2nd pct

Walk to health in Cairns in Palm Island +5.3 pts higher in Palm Island

42.1% 58th pct 47.4% 66th pct

Amenities/1k in Cairns in Palm Island +8.0 more in Cairns

12.8 22nd pct 4.8 0th pct

Intersections/km² in Cairns in Palm Island +9 higher in Cairns

11 72nd pct 1 57th pct

Mean slope in Cairns in Palm Island +3.8 pts higher in Palm Island

5.6% 65th pct 9.5% 94th pct

Compare Cairns with nearby areas

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

Compare Palm Island with nearby areas

Hinchinbrook Townsville Cassowary Coast Burdekin Charters Towers Tablelands Cairns Yarrabah

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Cairns vs Palm Island [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/lga/LGA32080/cairns/vs/LGA35790/palm-island