$340 —
Higher than 74% of council (lga) areas.
- 2016: $300
- 2021: $340
Median weekly rent paid by households renting their home.
Cairns · Council (LGA)
Housing & Dwellings in Cairns
Where and how people live — the homes, how they are held, and what they cost.
Weekly rents of $340 are much higher than in most areas, making housing a significant daily expense for people in Cairns. While the typical mortgage payment is a little below the national figure, the city has a very high proportion of renters compared to the rest of the country.
$340
—
- $0–$21: 0 areas
- $21–$43: 0 areas
- $43–$64: 3 areas
- $64–$86: 15 areas
- $86–$107: 11 areas
- $107–$129: 20 areas
- $129–$150: 15 areas
- $150–$171: 45 areas
- $171–$193: 25 areas
- $193–$214: 57 areas
- $214–$236: 36 areas
- $236–$257: 48 areas
- $257–$279: 36 areas
- $279–$300: 27 areas
- $300–$321: 45 areas
- $321–$343: 28 areas
- $343–$364: 27 areas
- $364–$386: 28 areas
- $386–$407: 26 areas
- $407–$429: 10 areas
- $429–$450: 6 areas
- $450–$471: 12 areas
- $471–$493: 2 areas
- $493–$514: 7 areas
- $514–$536: 5 areas
- $536–$557: 4 areas
- $557–$579: 2 areas
- $579–$600: 7 areas
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Cairns — higher than 74% of areas.
| Cairns | $340 |
|---|---|
| Rest of Qld | $345 |
| Queensland | $365 |
| Australia | $375 |
Housing costs
Rents, mortgages and crowding.
Typical weekly rent is $340, which is much higher than most areas and has risen $40 since 2016. Meanwhile, the usual monthly home loan payment is $1,588, a figure that is a little below the Queensland and national averages.
$1,588 —
Higher than 62% of council (lga) areas.
- 2016: $1,665
- 2021: $1,588
Median monthly mortgage repayment for households with a mortgage.
Weekly rent distribution
View on map →Cairns splits fairly evenly between $350–$549 (43%) and $200–$349 (39%), with Under $200 at 12%.
Monthly mortgage distribution
View on map →In Cairns, the largest group is $1,000–$1,799 at 44%, followed by $1,800–$2,999 (29%) and Under $1,000 (19%).
Owning & renting
How homes are owned or rented.
Renting is common here, with 35% of households renting, which is well above the Australian figure. At the same time, the 26.4% who own their home outright is much lower than in most other areas.
35.0% —
Higher than 75% of council (lga) areas.
- 2016: 38.9%
- 2021: 35.0%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are rented.
26.4% —
Lower than 79% of council (lga) areas.
- 2016: 23.7%
- 2021: 26.4%
Share of occupied private dwellings owned outright (no mortgage).
How homes are owned or rented
View on map →Cairns splits fairly evenly between Owned with a mortgage (36%) and Rented (35%), with Owned outright at 26%.
Types of homes
Houses, townhouses, apartments and bedrooms.
Separate houses make up 72.9% of homes, though the 71.3% of dwellings with three or more bedrooms is well below the state average. This means rooms are often crowded, with 0.80 people per bedroom, a figure much higher than in most areas.
0.80 —
Lower than 57% of council (lga) areas.
- 2016: 0.80
- 2021: 0.80
Average number of usual residents per bedroom — a crowding measure.
72.9% —
Lower than 81% of council (lga) areas.
- 2016: 71.5%
- 2021: 72.9%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are separate houses.
71.3% —
Lower than 73% of council (lga) areas.
- 2016: 69.5%
- 2021: 71.3%
Share of occupied private dwellings with three or more bedrooms.
Types of homes
View on map →In Cairns, Separate house is the majority at 73%; Flat or apartment is next at 16%.
Bedrooms per home
View on map →In Cairns, the largest group is 3 bedrooms at 36%, followed by 4 bedrooms (30%) and 2 bedrooms (21%).
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Cairns
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Housing & Dwellings in Cairns [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA32080/cairns/topic/housing-dwellings