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Cairns vs Gladstone

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

Urban Area comparison ≈ 973 km apart · Cairns profile · Gladstone profile

Cairns Gladstone

Cairns and Gladstone are both significant Queensland hubs, but they differ in how people live and work. Cairns is more walkable, with 68.3% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries compared to 51.0% in Gladstone. It is also more diverse, with 23.3% of people born overseas and 14.7% using another language at home, whereas these figures are 14.7% and 6.9% in Gladstone. Gladstone has more large family homes, with 84.1% of dwellings having three or more bedrooms, far higher than the 70.5% in Cairns.

These two areas share many common traits, such as having almost identical numbers of people per home (2.5) and similar typical weekly personal incomes. Many of the gaps between them have shifted since 2011. For instance, the typical resident is now noticeably older in Cairns by 3 years, a flip from the previous census. Similarly, the gap in university qualifications has widened, with a bachelor degree or higher now well higher in Cairns by 6.6%.

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Where they differ most

3+ bedrooms: 13.6 pts higher in Gladstone Population: 108,240 larger in Cairns Work from home: 7.7 pts higher in Cairns People / bedroom: 0.10 higher in Cairns Limited English: 1.4 pts higher in Cairns

Demographics & Identity

Population in Cairns in Gladstone +108,240 larger in Cairns gap narrowing

153,425 77th pct 45,185 60th pct

Median age in Cairns in Gladstone +3 yrs older in Cairns gap narrowing

39 yrs 43rd pct 36 yrs 14th pct

Age structure

27.1% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +0.2 pts 26.9%

26.9% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +0.4 pts 26.5%

19.0% Children (0–14) +2.9 pts ▸ 21.9%

15.3% Seniors (65+) ◂ +2.9 pts 12.4%

11.7% Youth (15–24) +0.6 pts ▸ 12.3%

Marital status

39.3% Married +4.5 pts ▸ 43.8%

41.7% Never married ◂ +4.1 pts 37.5%

10.8% Divorced ◂ +1.0 pts 9.8%

3.8% Separated +0.8 pts ▸ 4.6%

4.4% Widowed ◂ +0.1 pts 4.2%

Age & sex structure

Cairns Gladstone

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

68.2% Australia +11.1 pts ▸ 79.3%

4.0% England ◂ +1.8 pts 2.2%

2.9% New Zealand +0.4 pts ▸ 3.3%

1.3% Philippines +0.5 pts ▸ 1.8%

0.5% South Africa +0.8 pts ▸ 1.4%

1.2% India ◂ +0.3 pts 0.9%

0.6% China ◂ +0.4 pts 0.2%

0.4% Italy ◂ +0.3 pts 0.1%

0.4% Nepal ◂ +0.3 pts 0.1%

0.2% Vietnam ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

Ancestry

29.4% Australian +10.8 pts ▸ 40.3%

34.2% English +5.5 pts ▸ 39.7%

10.4% Irish ◂ +0.5 pts 9.9%

9.3% Scottish +0.7 pts ▸ 10.0%

5.2% German +1.4 pts ▸ 6.6%

4.7% Italian ◂ +2.5 pts 2.2%

2.0% Filipino +0.3 pts ▸ 2.3%

2.1% Chinese ◂ +1.2 pts 1.0%

1.6% Dutch ◂ +0.2 pts 1.5%

1.3% Indian ◂ +0.2 pts 1.2%

0.6% Greek ◂ +0.1 pts 0.5%

0.3% Vietnamese ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

Language

Language used at home

76.1% English only +10.9 pts ▸ 87.0%

0.5% Tagalog +0.3 pts ▸ 0.8%

0.7% Mandarin ◂ +0.5 pts 0.2%

0.6% Punjabi ◂ +0.4 pts 0.2%

0.6% Italian ◂ +0.4 pts 0.1%

0.4% Cantonese ◂ +0.3 pts 0.1%

0.3% Vietnamese ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

0.2% Hindi +0.1 pts ▸ 0.3%

0.1% Arabic even 0.2%

0.1% Greek even 0.1%

Religion

Religious affiliation

42.4% No religion +4.1 pts ▸ 46.5%

42.5% Christianity +0.3 pts ▸ 42.8%

10.7% Not stated ◂ +2.7 pts 7.9%

1.7% Buddhism ◂ +1.0 pts 0.8%

1.1% Other religions ◂ +0.7 pts 0.5%

1.0% Hinduism ◂ +0.1 pts 0.9%

0.5% Islam +0.1 pts ▸ 0.6%

0.1% Judaism even 0.1%

Education & Qualifications

Highest year of school

55.5% Year 12 ◂ +7.2 pts 48.3%

19.1% Year 10 +7.0 pts ▸ 26.1%

7.8% Year 11 +1.4 pts ▸ 9.2%

7.4% Year 9 or below +1.6 pts ▸ 9.0%

Highest qualification level

31.0% Certificate III / IV +13.7 pts ▸ 44.7%

21.3% Bachelor degree ◂ +4.9 pts 16.4%

15.4% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +3.7 pts 11.7%

5.8% Postgraduate degree ◂ +2.5 pts 3.3%

2.4% Certificate I / II +1.5 pts ▸ 3.9%

3.4% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +0.8 pts 2.5%

Field of qualification

14.0% Engineering & related +12.0 pts ▸ 26.1%

15.8% Management & commerce +0.1 pts ▸ 15.9%

12.1% Society & culture ◂ +3.4 pts 8.7%

11.7% Health ◂ +3.8 pts 7.9%

7.8% Education +0.5 pts ▸ 8.4%

6.6% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +1.0 pts 5.6%

5.4% Architecture & building ◂ +0.1 pts 5.3%

2.5% Creative arts ◂ +1.2 pts 1.3%

2.3% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +0.6 pts 1.7%

1.7% Agriculture & environment ◂ +0.4 pts 1.4%

1.4% Information technology ◂ +0.1 pts 1.3%

Income

Personal income in Cairns in Gladstone +$18 higher in Cairns gap narrowing

$812 76th pct $794 73rd pct

Household income in Cairns in Gladstone +$116 higher in Gladstone gap narrowing

$1,575 65th pct $1,691 75th pct

Family income in Cairns in Gladstone +$162 higher in Gladstone gap narrowing

$1,951 63rd pct $2,113 79th pct

Household income distribution

30.9% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +0.8 pts 30.1%

28.4% $650–$1,499 ◂ +3.4 pts 25.0%

15.6% Under $650 +0.8 pts ▸ 16.4%

9.1% $3,000–$3,999 +1.4 pts ▸ 10.5%

7.7% $4,000 or more +1.8 pts ▸ 9.5%

Personal income distribution

36.7% Under $650 +3.0 pts ▸ 39.7%

33.5% $650–$1,499 ◂ +6.2 pts 27.3%

16.6% $1,500–$2,999 +3.9 pts ▸ 20.6%

2.9% $3,000 or more +1.8 pts ▸ 4.7%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

7.9% Mental health +2.1 pts ▸ 10.0%

6.3% Asthma +1.8 pts ▸ 8.2%

7.1% Arthritis +0.9 pts ▸ 8.1%

7.7% Other condition +0.1 pts ▸ 7.8%

4.0% Diabetes +0.8 pts ▸ 4.8%

3.5% Heart disease +0.1 pts ▸ 3.5%

2.8% Cancer ◂ +0.2 pts 2.6%

1.7% Lung condition +0.4 pts ▸ 2.1%

0.9% Stroke ◂ +0.1 pts 0.8%

0.7% Dementia ◂ +0.2 pts 0.5%

Number of long-term health conditions

64.1% None ◂ +1.1 pts 63.0%

17.1% One condition +1.6 pts ▸ 18.6%

5.1% Two conditions +0.8 pts ▸ 5.9%

2.4% Three or more +0.7 pts ▸ 3.1%

Community Participation

Family & Households

Household size in Cairns in Gladstone even gap narrowing

2.5 71st pct 2.5 71st pct

Family composition

52.2% Couples with children +4.0 pts ▸ 56.2%

27.7% Couples without children ◂ +2.0 pts 25.7%

18.8% One-parent families ◂ +1.6 pts 17.2%

1.2% Other families ◂ +0.3 pts 0.9%

Household size

34.8% 2 people ◂ +0.8 pts 33.9%

27.5% 1 person ◂ +0.3 pts 27.1%

15.7% 3 people ◂ +0.6 pts 15.2%

13.6% 4 people +1.0 pts ▸ 14.6%

5.3% 5 people +0.9 pts ▸ 6.2%

3.2% 6 or more ◂ +0.2 pts 3.0%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Cairns in Gladstone +$70 higher in Cairns gap narrowing

$340 68th pct $270 29th pct

Mortgage in Cairns in Gladstone +$17 higher in Cairns gap narrowing

$1,595 59th pct $1,578 58th pct

People / bedroom in Cairns in Gladstone +0.10 higher in Cairns gap widening

0.80 57th pct 0.70 0th pct

How homes are owned or rented

36.1% Rented +3.1 pts ▸ 39.2%

35.2% Owned with a mortgage +0.3 pts ▸ 35.5%

25.7% Owned outright ◂ +2.5 pts 23.3%

1.7% Not stated ◂ +0.6 pts 1.1%

1.2% Other tenure ◂ +0.3 pts 0.9%

Types of homes

71.0% Separate house +11.8 pts ▸ 82.8%

17.0% Flat or apartment ◂ +7.8 pts 9.1%

10.6% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +3.5 pts 7.1%

0.8% Other dwelling even 0.8%

Bedrooms per home

35.2% 3 bedrooms +5.4 pts ▸ 40.6%

29.1% 4 bedrooms +8.5 pts ▸ 37.7%

21.5% 2 bedrooms ◂ +9.4 pts 12.0%

6.2% 5 or more ◂ +0.3 pts 5.8%

5.6% 1 bedroom ◂ +3.3 pts 2.3%

0.7% Studio / none ◂ +0.4 pts 0.3%

Weekly rent distribution

37.9% $200–$349 +14.4 pts ▸ 52.3%

41.8% $350–$549 ◂ +20.9 pts 20.9%

11.3% Under $200 +11.5 pts ▸ 22.7%

5.0% $550–$749 ◂ +4.1 pts 0.9%

0.9% $750 or more ◂ +0.7 pts 0.1%

Monthly mortgage distribution

41.2% $1,000–$1,799 ◂ +2.0 pts 39.1%

27.5% $1,800–$2,999 +1.0 pts ▸ 28.5%

17.9% Under $1,000 +1.1 pts ▸ 19.0%

7.8% $3,000 or more ◂ +0.1 pts 7.7%

Transport & Vehicles

How people get to work

57.9% Car (driver) +12.5 pts ▸ 70.4%

11.8% Worked at home ◂ +7.7 pts 4.1%

5.1% Car (passenger) +0.1 pts ▸ 5.2%

2.4% Walked ◂ +0.4 pts 2.0%

1.2% Bicycle ◂ +0.6 pts 0.5%

1.0% Bus ◂ +0.6 pts 0.4%

0.0% Train even 0.0%

Motor vehicles per home

37.9% 2 vehicles +1.4 pts ▸ 39.2%

38.4% 1 vehicle ◂ +2.9 pts 35.6%

11.6% 3 vehicles +2.3 pts ▸ 13.8%

6.7% No vehicle ◂ +1.5 pts 5.1%

5.5% 4 or more +0.8 pts ▸ 6.3%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

18.4% Health care & social assistance ◂ +7.8 pts 10.7%

3.4% Manufacturing +11.3 pts ▸ 14.7%

8.4% Construction +1.9 pts ▸ 10.3%

10.3% Accommodation & food ◂ +3.3 pts 7.0%

9.8% Retail trade ◂ +0.3 pts 9.4%

8.8% Education & training ◂ +0.4 pts 8.4%

5.8% Transport & warehousing +2.2 pts ▸ 8.0%

7.4% Public administration & safety ◂ +2.6 pts 4.8%

4.8% Professional & technical ◂ +1.3 pts 3.5%

4.5% Other services ◂ +0.7 pts 3.8%

3.7% Administrative & support ◂ +0.3 pts 3.4%

1.7% Mining +1.6 pts ▸ 3.2%

Occupations people work in

20.9% Professionals ◂ +5.2 pts 15.7%

14.7% Technicians & trades +5.6 pts ▸ 20.4%

15.1% Community & personal service ◂ +3.9 pts 11.2%

9.8% Labourers +2.3 pts ▸ 12.1%

11.9% Clerical & administrative ◂ +1.6 pts 10.3%

5.4% Machinery operators & drivers +6.3 pts ▸ 11.7%

10.9% Managers ◂ +2.7 pts 8.2%

9.6% Sales workers ◂ +1.2 pts 8.3%

Walkability

Walk score in Cairns in Gladstone +1.0 higher in Cairns

5.7 77th pct 4.7 43rd pct

Types ≤15 min in Cairns in Gladstone +0.7 more in Cairns

5.4 74th pct 4.7 46th pct

15-min city in Cairns in Gladstone +16.3 pts higher in Cairns

66.5% 76th pct 50.2% 41st pct

Walk to shops in Cairns in Gladstone +17.3 pts higher in Cairns

68.3% 81st pct 51.0% 40th pct

Walk to transit in Cairns in Gladstone +0.5 pts higher in Cairns

85.5% 60th pct 85.0% 57th pct

Walk to school in Cairns in Gladstone +8.2 pts higher in Cairns

64.0% 50th pct 55.7% 30th pct

Walk to a park in Cairns in Gladstone +2.4 pts higher in Cairns

96.3% 90th pct 93.9% 77th pct

Walk to health in Cairns in Gladstone +1.7 pts higher in Cairns

44.2% 62nd pct 42.4% 59th pct

Amenities/1k in Cairns in Gladstone +1.5 more in Cairns

13.0 30th pct 11.5 17th pct

Intersections/km² in Cairns in Gladstone +47 higher in Cairns

66 93rd pct 18 47th pct

Mean slope in Cairns in Gladstone +1.8 pts higher in Gladstone

5.6% 59th pct 7.4% 87th pct

Compare Cairns with nearby areas

Townsville Airlie Beach - Cannonvale Mackay Emerald Not in any Significant Urban Area Mount Isa Rockhampton Yeppoon Gladstone Bundaberg Hervey Bay Maryborough

Compare Gladstone with nearby areas

Yeppoon Rockhampton Bundaberg Hervey Bay Maryborough Gympie Kingaroy Sunshine Coast Emerald Mackay Toowoomba Brisbane

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Cairns vs Gladstone [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sua/3004/cairns/vs/3006/gladstone