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Cairns vs Yarrabah

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

Urban Centre comparison ≈ 15 km apart · Cairns profile · Yarrabah profile

Cairns Yarrabah

Cairns and Yarrabah are nearby Queensland areas with very different profiles. Yarrabah is a small area where 96.8% of people are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, compared to 9.7% in Cairns. Residents in Yarrabah are far younger, with a typical age of 25 and 31% of the population being children under 15, while the typical resident in Cairns is 39. Cairns is more diverse in birth and education, with 23.3% of people born overseas and a much higher share of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher (19.7% compared to 3.2% in Yarrabah).

Since 2011, several gaps between the two have widened. The difference in typical family income has grown to $1,054, and the share of renters in Yarrabah is now 55.1 percentage points higher than in Cairns. At the same time, some gaps have narrowed, such as the proportion of children and the unemployment rate. The two areas remain very similar in one key area, with about 2% of residents in both places speaking little or no English.

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Where they differ most

First Nations: 87.1 pts higher in Yarrabah Other language: 69.9 pts higher in Yarrabah No religion: 31.0 pts higher in Cairns Year 12: 26.4 pts higher in Cairns Renting: 55.1 pts higher in Yarrabah

Demographics & Identity

Population in Cairns in Yarrabah +151,908 larger in Cairns gap steady

153,181 86th pct 1,273 61st pct

Median age in Cairns in Yarrabah +14 yrs older in Cairns gap steady

39 yrs 29th pct 25 yrs 0th pct

Age structure

19.0% Children (0–14) +12.0 pts ▸ 31.0%

27.1% Young adults (25–44) even 27.1%

26.9% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +9.3 pts 17.6%

11.7% Youth (15–24) +6.9 pts ▸ 18.6%

15.3% Seniors (65+) ◂ +9.9 pts 5.4%

Marital status

41.7% Never married +38.2 pts ▸ 79.9%

39.3% Married ◂ +24.8 pts 14.5%

10.8% Divorced ◂ +10.1 pts 0.7%

4.4% Widowed ◂ +1.6 pts 2.7%

3.9% Separated ◂ +2.1 pts 1.7%

Age & sex structure

Cairns Yarrabah

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

68.2% Australia +29.9 pts ▸ 98.1%

4.0% England ◂ +4.0 pts 0.0%

2.9% New Zealand ◂ +2.9 pts 0.0%

1.3% Philippines ◂ +1.3 pts 0.0%

1.2% India ◂ +1.2 pts 0.0%

0.6% China ◂ +0.6 pts 0.0%

0.5% South Africa ◂ +0.5 pts 0.0%

0.4% Italy ◂ +0.4 pts 0.0%

0.4% Nepal ◂ +0.4 pts 0.0%

0.2% Vietnam ◂ +0.2 pts 0.0%

Ancestry

34.2% English ◂ +33.3 pts 0.9%

29.4% Australian ◂ +28.2 pts 1.3%

10.4% Irish ◂ +9.7 pts 0.7%

9.3% Scottish ◂ +8.9 pts 0.5%

5.2% German ◂ +4.7 pts 0.5%

4.7% Italian ◂ +4.7 pts 0.0%

2.1% Chinese ◂ +2.1 pts 0.0%

2.0% Filipino ◂ +2.0 pts 0.0%

1.6% Dutch ◂ +1.6 pts 0.0%

1.3% Indian ◂ +1.3 pts 0.0%

0.6% Greek ◂ +0.6 pts 0.0%

0.3% Vietnamese ◂ +0.3 pts 0.0%

Language

Language used at home

76.1% English only ◂ +64.2 pts 11.9%

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%

0.4% Cantonese ◂ +0.4 pts 0.0%

0.3% Vietnamese ◂ +0.3 pts 0.0%

0.2% Hindi ◂ +0.2 pts 0.0%

0.1% Arabic ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

0.1% Greek ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

Religion

Religious affiliation

42.5% Christianity +43.0 pts ▸ 85.5%

42.4% No religion ◂ +31.0 pts 11.4%

10.7% Not stated ◂ +8.4 pts 2.3%

1.7% Buddhism ◂ +1.7 pts 0.0%

1.1% Other religions ◂ +0.8 pts 0.3%

1.0% Hinduism ◂ +1.0 pts 0.0%

0.5% Islam ◂ +0.5 pts 0.0%

0.1% Judaism ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

Education & Qualifications

Highest year of school

55.5% Year 12 ◂ +26.4 pts 29.1%

19.1% Year 10 +15.4 pts ▸ 34.5%

7.8% Year 11 +10.6 pts ▸ 18.4%

7.4% Year 9 or below +6.6 pts ▸ 14.0%

Highest qualification level

31.0% Certificate III / IV +19.5 pts ▸ 50.5%

21.3% Bachelor degree ◂ +15.2 pts 6.0%

15.4% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +8.0 pts 7.4%

2.4% Certificate I / II +7.0 pts ▸ 9.3%

5.8% Postgraduate degree ◂ +5.8 pts 0.0%

3.4% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +1.7 pts 1.6%

Field of qualification

12.1% Society & culture +5.8 pts ▸ 17.9%

15.8% Management & commerce ◂ +4.8 pts 11.0%

14.1% Engineering & related ◂ +7.2 pts 6.9%

11.7% Health ◂ +5.4 pts 6.3%

5.4% Architecture & building +5.0 pts ▸ 10.4%

7.8% Education +1.5 pts ▸ 9.3%

1.7% Agriculture & environment +6.2 pts ▸ 8.0%

6.6% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +0.6 pts 6.0%

2.5% Creative arts ◂ +2.5 pts 0.0%

2.3% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +2.3 pts 0.0%

1.4% Information technology ◂ +1.4 pts 0.0%

Income

Personal income in Cairns in Yarrabah +$476 higher in Cairns gap widening

$811 78th pct $335 4th pct

Household income in Cairns in Yarrabah +$307 higher in Cairns gap widening

$1,574 70th pct $1,267 50th pct

Family income in Cairns in Yarrabah +$1,054 higher in Cairns gap widening

$1,949 73rd pct $895 6th pct

Household income distribution

28.4% $650–$1,499 +4.3 pts ▸ 32.6%

30.9% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +3.6 pts 27.3%

15.6% Under $650 +5.5 pts ▸ 21.1%

9.1% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +6.2 pts 2.9%

7.7% $4,000 or more ◂ +5.6 pts 2.1%

Personal income distribution

36.7% Under $650 +41.7 pts ▸ 78.4%

33.5% $650–$1,499 ◂ +18.0 pts 15.5%

16.6% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +14.0 pts 2.6%

2.9% $3,000 or more ◂ +2.9 pts 0.0%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

4.0% Diabetes +5.4 pts ▸ 9.3%

7.9% Mental health ◂ +5.1 pts 2.8%

7.7% Other condition ◂ +3.7 pts 4.1%

7.1% Arthritis ◂ +5.0 pts 2.1%

6.4% Asthma ◂ +1.1 pts 5.3%

3.5% Heart disease +1.8 pts ▸ 5.3%

2.8% Cancer ◂ +2.1 pts 0.7%

1.7% Lung condition ◂ +0.7 pts 1.0%

0.9% Stroke ◂ +0.2 pts 0.7%

0.7% Dementia +0.1 pts ▸ 0.8%

Number of long-term health conditions

64.0% None +5.6 pts ▸ 69.6%

17.1% One condition ◂ +2.0 pts 15.1%

5.1% Two conditions ◂ +1.2 pts 3.9%

2.4% Three or more ◂ +0.5 pts 2.0%

Community Participation

Family & Households

Household size in Cairns in Yarrabah +2.2 larger in Yarrabah gap steady

2.5 64th pct 4.7 100th pct

Family composition

52.2% Couples with children ◂ +3.2 pts 49.0%

18.8% One-parent families +22.5 pts ▸ 41.3%

27.7% Couples without children ◂ +21.4 pts 6.4%

1.2% Other families +1.4 pts ▸ 2.6%

Household size

34.8% 2 people ◂ +21.5 pts 13.2%

3.2% 6 or more +31.5 pts ▸ 34.7%

27.5% 1 person ◂ +17.6 pts 9.9%

13.6% 4 people +4.6 pts ▸ 18.2%

15.7% 3 people ◂ +4.1 pts 11.6%

5.3% 5 people +7.9 pts ▸ 13.2%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Cairns in Yarrabah +$200 higher in Cairns gap widening

$340 73rd pct $140 10th pct

Mortgage in Cairns in Yarrabah +$507 higher in Cairns

$1,590 69th pct $1,083 29th pct

People / bedroom in Cairns in Yarrabah +0.60 higher in Yarrabah gap narrowing

0.80 57th pct 1.40 98th pct

How homes are owned or rented

36.2% Rented +55.1 pts ▸ 91.3%

35.1% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +35.1 pts 0.0%

25.7% Owned outright ◂ +22.9 pts 2.9%

1.2% Other tenure +5.0 pts ▸ 6.2%

1.7% Not stated +0.8 pts ▸ 2.5%

Types of homes

71.0% Separate house +5.9 pts ▸ 76.9%

17.0% Flat or apartment +0.8 pts ▸ 17.8%

10.6% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +7.3 pts 3.3%

0.7% Other dwelling +0.5 pts ▸ 1.2%

Bedrooms per home

29.1% 4 bedrooms +15.1 pts ▸ 44.2%

35.2% 3 bedrooms ◂ +8.7 pts 26.4%

21.5% 2 bedrooms ◂ +7.9 pts 13.6%

6.2% 5 or more +1.7 pts ▸ 7.9%

5.6% 1 bedroom ◂ +1.0 pts 4.5%

0.7% Studio / none +0.5 pts ▸ 1.2%

Weekly rent distribution

11.3% Under $200 +83.8 pts ▸ 95.0%

41.8% $350–$549 ◂ +41.8 pts 0.0%

37.9% $200–$349 ◂ +34.7 pts 3.2%

5.0% $550–$749 ◂ +5.0 pts 0.0%

0.9% $750 or more ◂ +0.9 pts 0.0%

Transport & Vehicles

How people get to work

57.9% Car (driver) ◂ +4.7 pts 53.2%

2.4% Walked +12.4 pts ▸ 14.7%

5.1% Car (passenger) +8.6 pts ▸ 13.7%

11.8% Worked at home ◂ +9.7 pts 2.1%

1.0% Bus +2.1 pts ▸ 3.2%

1.2% Bicycle ◂ +1.2 pts 0.0%

0.0% Train even 0.0%

Motor vehicles per home

38.5% 1 vehicle +0.1 pts ▸ 38.6%

37.9% 2 vehicles ◂ +13.7 pts 24.2%

6.7% No vehicle +21.3 pts ▸ 28.0%

11.6% 3 vehicles ◂ +5.6 pts 5.9%

5.5% 4 or more ◂ +0.4 pts 5.1%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

18.4% Health care & social assistance +13.2 pts ▸ 31.6%

7.4% Public administration & safety +21.6 pts ▸ 28.9%

8.8% Education & training +10.7 pts ▸ 19.5%

10.3% Accommodation & food ◂ +10.3 pts 0.0%

9.8% Retail trade ◂ +8.2 pts 1.6%

8.4% Construction ◂ +3.2 pts 5.3%

5.8% Transport & warehousing ◂ +5.8 pts 0.0%

4.8% Professional & technical ◂ +2.7 pts 2.1%

4.5% Other services ◂ +4.5 pts 0.0%

3.7% Administrative & support ◂ +2.1 pts 1.6%

3.4% Manufacturing ◂ +3.4 pts 0.0%

2.0% Wholesale trade ◂ +2.0 pts 0.0%

Occupations people work in

15.1% Community & personal service +13.8 pts ▸ 28.9%

20.9% Professionals +1.8 pts ▸ 22.6%

9.8% Labourers +5.5 pts ▸ 15.3%

14.7% Technicians & trades ◂ +4.7 pts 10.0%

11.9% Clerical & administrative +1.3 pts ▸ 13.2%

10.9% Managers ◂ +5.6 pts 5.3%

9.6% Sales workers ◂ +8.0 pts 1.6%

5.4% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +5.4 pts 0.0%

Walkability

Walk score in Cairns in Yarrabah +4.6 higher in Cairns

5.7 78th pct 1.1 11th pct

Types ≤15 min in Cairns in Yarrabah +3.4 more in Cairns

5.4 64th pct 2.0 18th pct

15-min city in Cairns in Yarrabah +66.9 pts higher in Cairns

66.9% 56th pct 0.0% 0th pct

Walk to shops in Cairns in Yarrabah +68.6 pts higher in Cairns

68.6% 58th pct 0.0% 0th pct

Walk to transit in Cairns in Yarrabah +85.9 pts higher in Cairns

85.9% 78th pct 0.0% 0th pct

Walk to school in Cairns in Yarrabah +30.8 pts higher in Yarrabah

64.2% 46th pct 95.0% 85th pct

Walk to a park in Cairns in Yarrabah +96.3 pts higher in Cairns

96.3% 64th pct 0.0% 0th pct

Walk to health in Cairns in Yarrabah +44.4 pts higher in Cairns

44.4% 58th pct 0.0% 0th pct

Amenities/1k in Cairns in Yarrabah +11.3 more in Cairns

12.9 32nd pct 1.6 3rd pct

Intersections/km² in Cairns in Yarrabah +23 higher in Cairns

82 88th pct 60 79th pct

Mean slope in Cairns in Yarrabah +2.2 pts higher in Yarrabah

5.5% 61st pct 7.7% 82nd pct

Compare Cairns with nearby areas

Kuranda Yarrabah Gordonvale Goldsborough Mareeba Mareeba - South Tinaroo Oak Beach

Compare Yarrabah with nearby areas

Cairns Gordonvale Kuranda Goldsborough Tinaroo Babinda Yungaburra Mareeba

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Cairns vs Yarrabah [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/ucl/UCL303001/cairns/vs/UCL315108/yarrabah