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Cairns vs Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday

Name: Cairns vs Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Region (SA4) comparison ≈ 486 km apart · Cairns profile · Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday profile

Cairns Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday

Cairns and Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday are both large Queensland regions, but they differ sharply in their environments and populations. Cairns is far wetter, with an average annual rainfall of 1,542mm compared to 593mm in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday. There is also a significant cultural difference: 22.9% of people in Cairns speak a First Nations language, which is far higher than the 6.4% in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday. In contrast, Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday is wealthier, with a typical weekly household income of $1,843, well higher than the $1,445 seen in Cairns.

Since 2011, several gaps between the two areas have widened. The difference in typical age has grown, with residents now noticeably older in Cairns by three years. Similarly, Cairns has seen a rise in people born overseas and those using other languages at home compared to Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday. Despite these shifts, they share many everyday realities, such as having a similar share of renters (around 32%) and nearly identical typical weekly rents of about $310.

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Where they differ most

Unemployment: 1.9 pts higher in Cairns One-parent: 4.4 pts higher in Cairns No car: 1.8 pts higher in Cairns Full-time: 7.2 pts higher in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday Family income: $395 higher in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday

Demographics & Identity

Population in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +72,854 larger in Cairns gap widening

253,748 59th pct 180,894 42nd pct

Median age in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +3 yrs older in Cairns gap widening

41 yrs 57th pct 38 yrs 36th pct

Age structure

25.1% Young adults (25–44) +2.5 pts ▸ 27.6%

27.4% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +0.7 pts 26.6%

18.5% Children (0–14) +1.1 pts ▸ 19.7%

18.0% Seniors (65+) ◂ +3.5 pts 14.6%

11.0% Youth (15–24) +0.6 pts ▸ 11.6%

Marital status

41.1% Married +4.1 pts ▸ 45.2%

39.5% Never married ◂ +2.6 pts 36.9%

10.7% Divorced ◂ +1.1 pts 9.6%

4.9% Widowed ◂ +0.5 pts 4.4%

3.8% Separated +0.1 pts ▸ 3.9%

Age & sex structure

Cairns Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

70.7% Australia +5.6 pts ▸ 76.3%

3.6% England ◂ +1.6 pts 2.0%

2.6% New Zealand even 2.6%

1.1% Philippines +0.4 pts ▸ 1.5%

1.1% India ◂ +0.6 pts 0.5%

0.4% South Africa +0.5 pts ▸ 0.9%

0.6% Italy ◂ +0.5 pts 0.1%

0.4% China ◂ +0.1 pts 0.2%

0.2% Nepal ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

0.2% Vietnam ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

Ancestry

34.1% English +3.5 pts ▸ 37.6%

30.8% Australian +6.8 pts ▸ 37.6%

10.5% Irish ◂ +0.4 pts 10.2%

9.3% Scottish +0.7 pts ▸ 10.0%

6.1% Italian ◂ +3.1 pts 3.0%

5.3% German +0.6 pts ▸ 5.9%

1.6% Filipino +0.3 pts ▸ 1.9%

1.7% Chinese ◂ +0.7 pts 1.0%

1.5% Dutch ◂ +0.2 pts 1.3%

1.1% Indian ◂ +0.4 pts 0.7%

0.5% Greek ◂ +0.3 pts 0.3%

0.2% Vietnamese ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

Language

Language used at home

77.6% English only +5.4 pts ▸ 83.0%

0.8% Italian ◂ +0.7 pts 0.2%

0.8% Punjabi ◂ +0.6 pts 0.2%

0.4% Tagalog +0.3 pts ▸ 0.7%

0.5% Mandarin ◂ +0.2 pts 0.4%

0.3% Cantonese ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

0.2% Vietnamese ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

0.1% Hindi even 0.1%

0.1% Greek ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

0.1% Arabic even 0.1%

Religion

Religious affiliation

44.3% Christianity +3.4 pts ▸ 47.7%

40.7% No religion ◂ +2.8 pts 37.9%

11.1% Not stated +1.4 pts ▸ 12.5%

1.4% Buddhism ◂ +0.7 pts 0.6%

1.3% Other religions ◂ +0.9 pts 0.4%

0.7% Hinduism ◂ +0.2 pts 0.5%

0.4% Islam ◂ +0.1 pts 0.3%

0.1% Judaism ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

Education & Qualifications

Schools in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +16 more in Cairns

109 52nd pct 93 37th pct

Schools/1k kids in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +0.29 more in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday

2.32 55th pct 2.61 61st pct

Students in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +17,712 more in Cairns

48,996 60th pct 31,284 32nd pct

Avg size in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +113 larger in Cairns

450 51st pct 336 36th pct

ICSEA in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday even

967 18th pct 969 19th pct

Highest year of school

50.4% Year 12 ◂ +6.0 pts 44.4%

21.9% Year 10 +3.7 pts ▸ 25.6%

9.0% Year 9 or below +0.3 pts ▸ 9.3%

7.9% Year 11 ◂ +0.3 pts 7.6%

Highest qualification level

32.9% Certificate III / IV +6.9 pts ▸ 39.9%

19.1% Bachelor degree ◂ +4.3 pts 14.8%

14.7% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +3.4 pts 11.3%

4.9% Postgraduate degree ◂ +2.1 pts 2.8%

3.1% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +0.9 pts 2.1%

2.5% Certificate I / II +0.1 pts ▸ 2.6%

Field of qualification

14.9% Engineering & related +7.3 pts ▸ 22.3%

14.4% Management & commerce ◂ +1.5 pts 13.0%

11.0% Society & culture ◂ +3.4 pts 7.6%

10.7% Health ◂ +2.4 pts 8.3%

8.0% Education ◂ +0.9 pts 7.2%

6.4% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +0.5 pts 5.9%

5.7% Architecture & building ◂ +0.4 pts 5.3%

2.4% Agriculture & environment ◂ +0.6 pts 1.8%

2.3% Creative arts ◂ +0.8 pts 1.5%

2.2% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +0.8 pts 1.4%

1.2% Information technology ◂ +0.3 pts 0.9%

Income

Personal income in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +$130 higher in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday gap narrowing

$748 38th pct $878 72nd pct

Household income in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +$398 higher in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday gap narrowing

$1,445 30th pct $1,843 67th pct

Family income in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +$395 higher in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday gap narrowing

$1,806 29th pct $2,201 68th pct

Household income distribution

29.8% $650–$1,499 ◂ +7.0 pts 22.7%

29.1% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +0.1 pts 29.0%

17.5% Under $650 ◂ +3.2 pts 14.3%

8.2% $3,000–$3,999 +2.9 pts ▸ 11.1%

6.6% $4,000 or more +4.3 pts ▸ 10.9%

Personal income distribution

39.3% Under $650 ◂ +6.0 pts 33.3%

32.6% $650–$1,499 ◂ +3.5 pts 29.1%

14.5% $1,500–$2,999 +4.3 pts ▸ 18.8%

2.5% $3,000 or more +2.7 pts ▸ 5.2%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

8.0% Arthritis ◂ +0.5 pts 7.5%

7.7% Mental health ◂ +0.1 pts 7.6%

7.5% Other condition ◂ +1.2 pts 6.3%

6.4% Asthma +1.0 pts ▸ 7.5%

4.4% Diabetes ◂ +0.1 pts 4.3%

4.0% Heart disease ◂ +0.2 pts 3.8%

3.0% Cancer ◂ +0.4 pts 2.6%

1.9% Lung condition ◂ +0.1 pts 1.8%

1.0% Stroke ◂ +0.2 pts 0.8%

0.7% Dementia ◂ +0.1 pts 0.6%

Number of long-term health conditions

62.5% None ◂ +1.6 pts 60.9%

17.5% One condition ◂ +0.2 pts 17.3%

5.5% Two conditions ◂ +0.3 pts 5.2%

2.8% Three or more even 2.8%

Community Participation

First Nations

First Nations people in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +16,106 larger in Cairns

26,935 91st pct 10,829 74th pct

Median age in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +2 yrs older in Cairns

24 yrs 43rd pct 22 yrs 14th pct

Median income in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +$209 higher in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday

$508 23rd pct $717 79th pct

Household income in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +$512 higher in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday

$1,347 23rd pct $1,859 79th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +0.1 larger in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday gap narrowing

2.4 29th pct 2.5 57th pct

Family composition

50.6% Couples with children +6.0 pts ▸ 56.6%

30.1% Couples without children ◂ +1.4 pts 28.7%

18.0% One-parent families ◂ +4.4 pts 13.7%

1.2% Other families ◂ +0.3 pts 1.0%

Household size

36.4% 2 people ◂ +0.8 pts 35.6%

27.5% 1 person ◂ +2.7 pts 24.8%

14.7% 3 people +0.3 pts ▸ 14.9%

12.7% 4 people +2.0 pts ▸ 14.6%

5.3% 5 people +1.6 pts ▸ 6.9%

3.4% 6 or more ◂ +0.3 pts 3.1%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +$1 higher in Cairns gap narrowing

$310 35th pct $309 35th pct

Mortgage in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +$195 higher in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday gap narrowing

$1,517 29th pct $1,712 41st pct

People / bedroom in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday even gap steady

0.80 29th pct 0.80 29th pct

How homes are owned or rented

32.4% Owned with a mortgage +2.1 pts ▸ 34.5%

32.8% Rented ◂ +0.4 pts 32.4%

31.1% Owned outright ◂ +2.5 pts 28.6%

1.7% Other tenure +0.8 pts ▸ 2.5%

2.1% Not stated ◂ +0.1 pts 2.0%

Types of homes

77.5% Separate house +6.0 pts ▸ 83.5%

12.1% Flat or apartment ◂ +7.6 pts 4.5%

8.4% Townhouse / semi-detached +1.5 pts ▸ 9.9%

1.3% Other dwelling +0.1 pts ▸ 1.5%

Bedrooms per home

38.2% 3 bedrooms +3.6 pts ▸ 41.9%

26.9% 4 bedrooms +4.2 pts ▸ 31.1%

20.6% 2 bedrooms ◂ +6.0 pts 14.6%

5.7% 5 or more ◂ +0.1 pts 5.6%

5.6% 1 bedroom ◂ +1.6 pts 4.0%

0.9% Studio / none ◂ +0.1 pts 0.8%

Weekly rent distribution

42.1% $200–$349 ◂ +7.7 pts 34.4%

34.6% $350–$549 +0.9 pts ▸ 35.5%

15.2% Under $200 +6.4 pts ▸ 21.6%

3.8% $550–$749 ◂ +0.2 pts 3.6%

0.7% $750 or more ◂ +0.1 pts 0.5%

Monthly mortgage distribution

41.4% $1,000–$1,799 ◂ +3.6 pts 37.8%

25.6% $1,800–$2,999 +5.6 pts ▸ 31.2%

19.9% Under $1,000 ◂ +4.2 pts 15.7%

7.3% $3,000 or more +1.6 pts ▸ 8.9%

Transport & Vehicles

PT stops in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +185 more in Cairns

462 14th pct 277 8th pct

Stops/1k in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +0.29 more in Cairns

1.82 9th pct 1.53 7th pct

Departures/1k in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +345.0 more in Cairns

446.8 36th pct 101.8 9th pct

PT routes in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +11 more in Cairns

22 14th pct 11 7th pct

How people get to work

58.9% Car (driver) +8.0 pts ▸ 66.9%

11.1% Worked at home ◂ +5.2 pts 5.9%

5.5% Car (passenger) even 5.5%

3.2% Walked +0.5 pts ▸ 3.7%

1.3% Bus +0.5 pts ▸ 1.8%

1.0% Bicycle ◂ +0.5 pts 0.5%

0.0% Train even 0.0%

Motor vehicles per home

38.0% 2 vehicles +1.7 pts ▸ 39.7%

37.3% 1 vehicle ◂ +5.2 pts 32.1%

12.4% 3 vehicles +3.0 pts ▸ 15.4%

6.2% 4 or more +2.4 pts ▸ 8.5%

6.1% No vehicle ◂ +1.8 pts 4.3%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

16.2% Health care & social assistance ◂ +5.1 pts 11.1%

2.0% Mining +12.0 pts ▸ 14.0%

9.6% Accommodation & food ◂ +1.4 pts 8.2%

9.5% Retail trade ◂ +1.0 pts 8.5%

8.7% Education & training ◂ +1.8 pts 6.9%

8.3% Construction ◂ +0.4 pts 7.9%

7.0% Public administration & safety ◂ +3.1 pts 3.9%

5.2% Transport & warehousing +0.7 pts ▸ 5.8%

5.5% Agriculture, forestry & fishing ◂ +0.7 pts 4.8%

4.1% Manufacturing +1.0 pts ▸ 5.1%

4.3% Other services +0.2 pts ▸ 4.5%

4.3% Professional & technical ◂ +0.6 pts 3.6%

Occupations people work in

14.7% Technicians & trades +4.5 pts ▸ 19.2%

18.3% Professionals ◂ +4.6 pts 13.7%

14.3% Community & personal service ◂ +4.1 pts 10.2%

6.2% Machinery operators & drivers +7.4 pts ▸ 13.6%

12.1% Labourers ◂ +0.6 pts 11.5%

12.0% Managers ◂ +1.2 pts 10.8%

11.4% Clerical & administrative ◂ +0.5 pts 10.9%

9.1% Sales workers ◂ +1.1 pts 8.0%

Economy & Advantage

ERP in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +77,595 higher in Cairns

271,408 48th pct 193,813 30th pct

Growth in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +0.2 pts higher in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday

5.6% 45th pct 5.8% 48th pct

Environment & Climate

Rainfall in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +948 higher in Cairns

1,542 93rd pct 593 25th pct

Max temp in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +3.7 higher in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday

26.8 78th pct 30.5 92nd pct

Min temp in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +0.8 higher in Cairns

16.5 91st pct 15.6 88th pct

Walkability

Walk score in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +0.6 higher in Cairns

4.1 28th pct 3.5 13th pct

Types ≤15 min in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +0.4 more in Cairns

4.0 25th pct 3.6 13th pct

15-min city in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +7.8 pts higher in Cairns

47.7% 28th pct 40.0% 14th pct

Walk to shops in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +5.0 pts higher in Cairns

49.6% 35th pct 44.7% 22nd pct

Walk to transit in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +12.7 pts higher in Cairns

48.7% 21st pct 36.0% 13th pct

Walk to school in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +0.3 pts higher in Cairns

48.7% 17th pct 48.4% 17th pct

Walk to a park in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +2.3 pts higher in Cairns

77.8% 35th pct 75.5% 31st pct

Walk to health in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +2.2 pts higher in Cairns

34.4% 23rd pct 32.2% 18th pct

Amenities/1k in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +4.1 more in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday

13.1 25th pct 17.2 60th pct

Intersections/km² in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +1 higher in Cairns

1 29th pct 0 7th pct

Mean slope in Cairns in Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday +0.3 pts higher in Cairns

5.9% 57th pct 5.5% 48th pct

Compare Cairns with nearby areas

Townsville Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday Queensland - Outback Central Queensland Wide Bay Darling Downs - Maranoa Moreton Bay - North Sunshine Coast Toowoomba Moreton Bay - South Ipswich Brisbane - North

Compare Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday with nearby areas

Townsville Central Queensland Cairns Wide Bay Darling Downs - Maranoa Queensland - Outback Moreton Bay - North Sunshine Coast Toowoomba Moreton Bay - South Ipswich Brisbane - West

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Cairns vs Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sa4/306/cairns/vs/312/mackay-isaac-whitsunday