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Cairns vs Rockhampton

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

Urban Area comparison ≈ 867 km apart · Cairns profile · Rockhampton profile

Cairns Rockhampton

Cairns and Rockhampton are two major Queensland hubs, though they offer very different lifestyles. Cairns is much more diverse, with 23.3% of people born overseas and 14.7% using another language at home. It is also more walkable, with 85.5% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport, compared to 0.0% in Rockhampton. In contrast, Rockhampton is dominated by detached housing, which makes up 87.8% of its homes compared to 71.0% in Cairns. Rockhampton also has a higher share of larger homes, with 79.3% having three or more bedrooms.

The gap in language diversity has widened since 2011, but the two areas share many other traits. They have similar typical household incomes, around $1,500 a week, and an almost identical share of people aged 65 and over. Both areas also have a similar proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents, sitting between 8.7% and 9.6%.

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Where they differ most

Separate houses: 16.8 pts higher in Rockhampton Born overseas: 13.1 pts higher in Cairns Work from home: 7.5 pts higher in Cairns 3+ bedrooms: 8.8 pts higher in Rockhampton Population: 74,132 larger in Cairns

Demographics & Identity

Population in Cairns in Rockhampton +74,132 larger in Cairns gap narrowing

153,425 77th pct 79,293 72nd pct

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

39 yrs 43rd pct 36 yrs 14th pct

Age structure

27.1% Young adults (25–44) even 27.1%

26.9% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +3.4 pts 23.5%

19.0% Children (0–14) +1.5 pts ▸ 20.5%

15.3% Seniors (65+) +0.5 pts ▸ 15.7%

11.7% Youth (15–24) +1.5 pts ▸ 13.2%

Marital status

39.3% Married +3.3 pts ▸ 42.6%

41.7% Never married ◂ +2.8 pts 38.8%

10.8% Divorced ◂ +1.5 pts 9.3%

4.4% Widowed +1.1 pts ▸ 5.5%

3.8% Separated even 3.8%

Age & sex structure

Cairns Rockhampton

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

68.2% Australia +15.1 pts ▸ 83.3%

4.0% England ◂ +2.8 pts 1.3%

2.9% New Zealand ◂ +1.5 pts 1.4%

1.3% Philippines ◂ +0.1 pts 1.2%

1.2% India ◂ +0.4 pts 0.8%

0.6% China even 0.5%

0.5% South Africa even 0.5%

0.4% Italy ◂ +0.4 pts 0.0%

0.2% Vietnam +0.2 pts ▸ 0.4%

0.4% Nepal ◂ +0.1 pts 0.3%

Ancestry

29.4% Australian +11.7 pts ▸ 41.1%

34.2% English +4.4 pts ▸ 38.6%

10.4% Irish +0.2 pts ▸ 10.7%

9.3% Scottish +0.3 pts ▸ 9.7%

5.2% German +1.3 pts ▸ 6.5%

4.7% Italian ◂ +3.3 pts 1.4%

2.1% Chinese ◂ +0.7 pts 1.4%

2.0% Filipino ◂ +0.4 pts 1.6%

1.6% Dutch ◂ +0.6 pts 1.1%

1.3% Indian ◂ +0.3 pts 1.0%

0.6% Greek ◂ +0.3 pts 0.3%

0.3% Vietnamese +0.1 pts ▸ 0.4%

Language

Language used at home

76.1% English only +9.6 pts ▸ 85.6%

0.7% Mandarin ◂ +0.1 pts 0.6%

0.6% Punjabi ◂ +0.3 pts 0.3%

0.6% Italian ◂ +0.5 pts 0.0%

0.5% Tagalog even 0.6%

0.3% Vietnamese +0.2 pts ▸ 0.5%

0.4% Cantonese ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

0.2% Hindi even 0.2%

0.1% Arabic ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

0.1% Greek ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

Religion

Religious affiliation

42.5% Christianity +8.0 pts ▸ 50.5%

42.4% No religion ◂ +5.0 pts 37.4%

10.7% Not stated ◂ +1.5 pts 9.1%

1.7% Buddhism ◂ +0.9 pts 0.8%

1.1% Other religions ◂ +0.5 pts 0.6%

1.0% Hinduism +0.1 pts ▸ 1.1%

0.5% Islam +0.1 pts ▸ 0.5%

0.1% Judaism ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

Education & Qualifications

Highest year of school

55.5% Year 12 ◂ +7.5 pts 48.0%

19.1% Year 10 +6.5 pts ▸ 25.6%

7.4% Year 9 or below +3.7 pts ▸ 11.1%

7.8% Year 11 ◂ +1.3 pts 6.5%

Highest qualification level

31.0% Certificate III / IV +7.0 pts ▸ 38.1%

21.3% Bachelor degree ◂ +2.6 pts 18.7%

15.4% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +3.2 pts 12.2%

5.8% Postgraduate degree ◂ +1.4 pts 4.4%

2.4% Certificate I / II +1.0 pts ▸ 3.4%

3.4% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +0.5 pts 2.9%

Field of qualification

14.0% Engineering & related +3.8 pts ▸ 17.9%

15.8% Management & commerce ◂ +1.3 pts 14.5%

12.1% Society & culture ◂ +0.9 pts 11.2%

11.7% Health even 11.7%

7.8% Education +0.4 pts ▸ 8.3%

6.6% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +0.9 pts 5.7%

5.4% Architecture & building ◂ +0.6 pts 4.8%

2.5% Creative arts ◂ +0.9 pts 1.5%

2.3% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +0.6 pts 1.6%

1.7% Agriculture & environment even 1.8%

1.4% Information technology +0.2 pts ▸ 1.6%

Income

Personal income in Cairns in Rockhampton +$29 higher in Cairns gap narrowing

$812 76th pct $783 70th pct

Household income in Cairns in Rockhampton +$30 higher in Cairns gap narrowing

$1,575 65th pct $1,545 62nd pct

Family income in Cairns in Rockhampton +$7 higher in Rockhampton gap narrowing

$1,951 63rd pct $1,958 64th pct

Household income distribution

30.9% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +1.8 pts 29.1%

28.4% $650–$1,499 ◂ +1.0 pts 27.4%

15.6% Under $650 +1.1 pts ▸ 16.7%

9.1% $3,000–$3,999 +0.1 pts ▸ 9.2%

7.7% $4,000 or more +0.1 pts ▸ 7.8%

Personal income distribution

36.7% Under $650 +1.7 pts ▸ 38.4%

33.5% $650–$1,499 ◂ +1.8 pts 31.7%

16.6% $1,500–$2,999 +0.1 pts ▸ 16.7%

2.9% $3,000 or more +0.3 pts ▸ 3.2%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

7.9% Mental health +2.9 pts ▸ 10.8%

7.1% Arthritis +2.7 pts ▸ 9.9%

6.3% Asthma +3.3 pts ▸ 9.7%

7.7% Other condition +0.7 pts ▸ 8.4%

4.0% Diabetes +1.4 pts ▸ 5.3%

3.5% Heart disease +1.5 pts ▸ 4.9%

2.8% Cancer +0.2 pts ▸ 3.0%

1.7% Lung condition +0.8 pts ▸ 2.5%

0.9% Stroke +0.3 pts ▸ 1.2%

0.7% Dementia +0.2 pts ▸ 0.9%

Number of long-term health conditions

64.1% None ◂ +6.1 pts 58.0%

17.1% One condition +3.0 pts ▸ 20.1%

5.1% Two conditions +1.9 pts ▸ 7.0%

2.4% Three or more +1.9 pts ▸ 4.3%

Community Participation

Family & Households

Household size in Cairns in Rockhampton even gap narrowing

2.5 71st pct 2.5 71st pct

Family composition

52.2% Couples with children +1.6 pts ▸ 53.8%

27.7% Couples without children ◂ +2.1 pts 25.6%

18.8% One-parent families +0.5 pts ▸ 19.2%

1.2% Other families +0.1 pts ▸ 1.3%

Household size

34.8% 2 people ◂ +1.3 pts 33.4%

27.5% 1 person ◂ +0.5 pts 27.0%

15.7% 3 people ◂ +0.7 pts 15.0%

13.6% 4 people +1.3 pts ▸ 14.9%

5.3% 5 people +1.1 pts ▸ 6.3%

3.2% 6 or more +0.2 pts ▸ 3.4%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Cairns in Rockhampton +$50 higher in Cairns gap narrowing

$340 68th pct $290 40th pct

Mortgage in Cairns in Rockhampton +$176 higher in Cairns gap narrowing

$1,595 59th pct $1,419 37th pct

People / bedroom in Cairns in Rockhampton even gap steady

0.80 57th pct 0.80 57th pct

How homes are owned or rented

36.1% Rented ◂ +3.6 pts 32.5%

35.2% Owned with a mortgage +0.9 pts ▸ 36.1%

25.7% Owned outright +2.7 pts ▸ 28.5%

1.7% Not stated ◂ +0.2 pts 1.5%

1.2% Other tenure +0.2 pts ▸ 1.4%

Types of homes

71.0% Separate house +16.8 pts ▸ 87.8%

17.0% Flat or apartment ◂ +12.2 pts 4.7%

10.6% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +3.7 pts 6.9%

0.8% Other dwelling ◂ +0.4 pts 0.4%

Bedrooms per home

35.2% 3 bedrooms +7.3 pts ▸ 42.5%

29.1% 4 bedrooms +1.2 pts ▸ 30.4%

21.5% 2 bedrooms ◂ +5.6 pts 15.9%

6.2% 5 or more +0.3 pts ▸ 6.5%

5.6% 1 bedroom ◂ +2.7 pts 2.9%

0.7% Studio / none ◂ +0.5 pts 0.3%

Weekly rent distribution

37.9% $200–$349 +15.4 pts ▸ 53.3%

41.8% $350–$549 ◂ +16.8 pts 25.0%

11.3% Under $200 +4.7 pts ▸ 16.0%

5.0% $550–$749 ◂ +3.7 pts 1.3%

0.9% $750 or more ◂ +0.7 pts 0.1%

Monthly mortgage distribution

41.2% $1,000–$1,799 +5.0 pts ▸ 46.1%

27.5% $1,800–$2,999 ◂ +6.0 pts 21.6%

17.9% Under $1,000 +3.2 pts ▸ 21.1%

7.8% $3,000 or more ◂ +2.0 pts 5.8%

Transport & Vehicles

How people get to work

57.9% Car (driver) +12.3 pts ▸ 70.1%

11.8% Worked at home ◂ +7.5 pts 4.2%

5.1% Car (passenger) +1.5 pts ▸ 6.6%

2.4% Walked ◂ +0.1 pts 2.3%

1.2% Bicycle ◂ +0.7 pts 0.5%

1.0% Bus ◂ +0.1 pts 1.0%

0.0% Train even 0.0%

Motor vehicles per home

38.4% 1 vehicle ◂ +2.5 pts 36.0%

37.9% 2 vehicles ◂ +0.7 pts 37.1%

11.6% 3 vehicles +1.7 pts ▸ 13.2%

5.5% 4 or more +1.7 pts ▸ 7.1%

6.7% No vehicle ◂ +0.1 pts 6.5%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

18.4% Health care & social assistance ◂ +0.3 pts 18.1%

10.3% Accommodation & food ◂ +3.3 pts 7.0%

8.8% Education & training +1.3 pts ▸ 10.2%

9.8% Retail trade even 9.8%

8.4% Construction ◂ +0.8 pts 7.7%

7.4% Public administration & safety ◂ +0.8 pts 6.6%

3.4% Manufacturing +2.5 pts ▸ 5.9%

5.8% Transport & warehousing ◂ +0.5 pts 5.3%

1.7% Mining +3.2 pts ▸ 4.9%

4.8% Professional & technical ◂ +1.3 pts 3.5%

4.5% Other services ◂ +0.1 pts 4.5%

3.7% Administrative & support ◂ +0.9 pts 2.8%

Occupations people work in

20.9% Professionals ◂ +3.6 pts 17.2%

14.7% Technicians & trades +1.1 pts ▸ 15.8%

15.1% Community & personal service ◂ +0.8 pts 14.3%

11.9% Clerical & administrative +0.6 pts ▸ 12.5%

9.8% Labourers +2.1 pts ▸ 11.9%

10.9% Managers ◂ +2.5 pts 8.4%

9.6% Sales workers ◂ +0.5 pts 9.1%

5.4% Machinery operators & drivers +3.5 pts ▸ 8.9%

Walkability

Walk score in Cairns in Rockhampton +1.7 higher in Cairns

5.7 77th pct 4.0 25th pct

Types ≤15 min in Cairns in Rockhampton +0.8 more in Cairns

5.4 74th pct 4.6 43rd pct

15-min city in Cairns in Rockhampton +8.6 pts higher in Cairns

66.5% 76th pct 57.9% 60th pct

Walk to shops in Cairns in Rockhampton +6.8 pts higher in Cairns

68.3% 81st pct 61.4% 71st pct

Walk to transit in Cairns in Rockhampton +85.5 pts higher in Cairns

85.5% 60th pct 0.0% 0th pct

Walk to school in Cairns in Rockhampton +11.2 pts higher in Rockhampton

64.0% 50th pct 75.2% 79th pct

Walk to a park in Cairns in Rockhampton +7.5 pts higher in Cairns

96.3% 90th pct 88.7% 47th pct

Walk to health in Cairns in Rockhampton +9.3 pts higher in Rockhampton

44.2% 62nd pct 53.4% 85th pct

Amenities/1k in Cairns in Rockhampton +4.1 more in Cairns

13.0 30th pct 8.9 8th pct

Intersections/km² in Cairns in Rockhampton +51 higher in Cairns

66 93rd pct 15 37th pct

Mean slope in Cairns in Rockhampton +0.4 pts higher in Cairns

5.6% 59th pct 5.1% 51st 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 Rockhampton with nearby areas

Yeppoon Gladstone Emerald Bundaberg Mackay Hervey Bay Maryborough Airlie Beach - Cannonvale Kingaroy Gympie Sunshine Coast Toowoomba

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Cairns vs Rockhampton [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sua/3004/cairns/vs/3014/rockhampton