Council (LGA) · Area profile
Cairns
1,689 km²
A strong First Nations presence defines Cairns, where nearly 10% of the population identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. This regional hub has grown by 6.4% since 2016 and is welcoming to newcomers, with many residents born overseas. It is a place where families and young adults predominate, and where a high number of de facto partnerships are common. The community is diverse and evolving, marked by a significant shift toward those with no religious affiliation.
A family-heavy area that's short on schools per child.
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The typical resident is 39 years old, and the area is home to a larger share of children under 15 than most similar regions. De facto relationships are much more common here than in other parts of Australia.
Born overseas, 22.3% of the population comes from outside Australia, a figure that is much higher than most similar areas. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Irish and Scottish.
Another language is spoken at home by 14.1% of people, which is higher than most similar areas. However, this is well below the national figure of 22.3%.
People with no religion make up 42.2% of the community, a figure that rose by 9.9 percentage points since 2016. This is well above the national figure of 38.9%.
More adults here have completed Year 12 than in most similar areas, and 19.1% hold a bachelor degree or higher. Qualifications are most common in management, commerce, and engineering.
Typical weekly household income is $1,578, which is higher than most similar areas. The number of households earning $3,000 or more per week rose by 6.8 percentage points since 2016.
Long-term health conditions are less common here than in most areas, and the rate of mental health conditions is also lower than the state and national figures.
The area has a higher number of former Defence Force members than most similar regions. However, the proportion of people who volunteer fell by 4.5 percentage points since 2016.
First Nations people make up a significant part of the community, with 21.2% speaking a First Nations language. Year 12 completion is far above the national figure, though the unemployment rate is much higher than most areas.
One-parent families are much more common here than in most areas. This is consistent with the fact that homes tend to be larger, with an average of 2.5 people per household.
Renting is much more common than in most similar areas, and the typical weekly rent of $340 is also much higher. Outright home ownership is much lower than the national figure.
Public transport is used by very few commuters, and 58.1% of workers travel by car. While there are many bus stops, the walk to the nearest one is much longer than in most areas.
The population is quite mobile, with 43.6% of people moving in the last five years. This is much higher than most similar areas.
Health care and social assistance is the largest industry, followed by accommodation and food. The unemployment rate of 5.7% is much higher than most similar areas.
The region is a major business hub with over 15,000 businesses and a population estimate of 179,334. It generally ranks higher than 70% of similar areas for overall advantage.
Cairns is exceptionally wet and warm, with annual rainfall far above the Queensland average and minimum temperatures much higher than most areas.
Crime rates are much higher than most areas, particularly for theft, burglary, and drug offences. The overall recorded offence rate is significantly elevated.
The area is somewhat walkable, with nearly 80% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. This is far above the state average.