Cairns - South

The population is notably young and diverse, with children under 15 making up 19.0% of residents. De facto relationships are much more common here than in most other areas, at 14.8%.

English and Australian are the most common ancestries, though 21.5% of the community was born overseas. This figure has risen slightly since 2011.

A higher than usual 15.9% of people use a language other than English at home. However, the proportion of people who speak little or no English is a little below the national figure.

About 39.3% of residents report having no religion, which is a little below the Queensland average. This figure has risen sharply by 16 points since 2011.

Educational attainment is lower than in most areas, with only 16.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is well below the national figure of 26.3%.

Typical weekly household income is $1,469, which is a little below the state and national figures. Higher earners are less common, with only 7.8% of people earning $2,000 or more a week.

Residents here are less likely to have a long-term health condition compared to most areas, with a rate of 24.6%. Mental health conditions are reported by 7.9% of the population.

The area has a much higher rate of former Defence Force members than most other places, at 4.1%. However, volunteering has fallen to 13.0% since 2011.

First Nations people make up a large part of the community, with 22.8% speaking a First Nations language. Year 12 completion is far above the national figure at 47.7%, though unemployment is much higher than most areas at 17.8%.

One-parent families are very common here, representing 21.0% of households. This is well above the national average of 14.1%.

Rental properties are much more common than usual, making up 39.1% of homes. The area also has far fewer large homes, with only 66.9% having three or more bedrooms.

Cars are the primary way to get around, while only 1.2% of people commute by public transport. About 8.5% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is higher than in most areas.

The community is quite mobile, with 42.1% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 13.8% of the population.

Unemployment is a little above the national average at 6.4%. The biggest employers are in health care and social assistance, followed by accommodation and food services.

The population has grown by 4.9% since 2021, which is well below the Queensland growth rate of 8.7%.

Cairns - South is very wet and warm, with average annual rainfall of 2,274mm and average minimum temperatures well above the state average.

The area is somewhat walkable, and residents have great access to parks, with 94.1% of homes within a 15-minute walk of one.