$340 —
Higher than 68% of urban area areas.
- 2016: $230
- 2021: $340
Median weekly rent paid by households renting their home.
Cairns · Urban Area
Housing & Dwellings in Cairns
Where and how people live — the homes, how they are held, and what they cost.
More than a third of households in Cairns are renting, which is well above the national figure. This high rental rate and a lower-than-average share of outright home ownership highlight a housing market where fewer people own their homes outright. Overall, the area features more apartments and smaller homes than most of Australia.
$340
—
- $150–$161: 1 area
- $161–$171: 0 areas
- $171–$182: 1 area
- $182–$193: 1 area
- $193–$204: 3 areas
- $204–$214: 0 areas
- $214–$225: 4 areas
- $225–$236: 2 areas
- $236–$246: 4 areas
- $246–$257: 8 areas
- $257–$268: 6 areas
- $268–$279: 5 areas
- $279–$289: 8 areas
- $289–$300: 6 areas
- $300–$311: 15 areas
- $311–$321: 5 areas
- $321–$332: 6 areas
- $332–$343: 3 areas
- $343–$354: 7 areas
- $354–$364: 3 areas
- $364–$375: 2 areas
- $375–$386: 7 areas
- $386–$396: 3 areas
- $396–$407: 3 areas
- $407–$418: 0 areas
- $418–$429: 2 areas
- $429–$439: 1 area
- $439–$450: 5 areas
All urban area areas, 2021. The marker is Cairns — higher than 68% of areas.
| Cairns | $340 |
|---|---|
| 4870, QLD | $310 |
| Queensland | $365 |
| Australia | $375 |
Housing costs
Rents, mortgages and crowding.
Typical weekly rents have risen to $340, a figure higher than most areas. Meanwhile, the usual monthly mortgage payment has fallen to $1,595, which is about the same as the Queensland figure.
$1,595 ▼ -26.4%
Higher than 59% of urban area areas.
- 2011: $2,167
- 2016: $2,000
- 2021: $1,595
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 36.1% of households renting, well above both the state and national rates. Only 25.7% of homes are owned outright, a result that is well below the national average.
36.1% ▼ -13.8%
Higher than 81% of urban area areas.
- 2011: 41.9%
- 2016: 45.6%
- 2021: 36.1%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are rented.
25.7% ▲ +77.5%
Lower than 87% of urban area areas.
- 2011: 14.5%
- 2016: 14.1%
- 2021: 25.7%
Share of occupied private dwellings owned outright (no mortgage).
How homes are owned or rented
View on map →Cairns splits fairly evenly between Rented (36%) and Owned with a mortgage (35%), with Owned outright at 26%.
Types of homes
Houses, townhouses, apartments and bedrooms.
Separate houses make up 71.0% of the market, which is well below the national figure. The area has seen a shift toward smaller homes, with the share of houses having three or more bedrooms falling 13 points since 2011.
0.80 ▼ -27.3%
Higher than 57% of urban area areas.
- 2011: 1.10
- 2016: 0.80
- 2021: 0.80
Average number of usual residents per bedroom — a crowding measure.
71.0% ▼ -11.6%
Lower than 87% of urban area areas.
- 2011: 80.3%
- 2016: 82.1%
- 2021: 71.0%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are separate houses.
70.5% ▼ -16.0%
Lower than 88% of urban area areas.
- 2011: 83.9%
- 2016: 85.4%
- 2021: 70.5%
Share of occupied private dwellings with three or more bedrooms.
Types of homes
View on map →In Cairns, Separate house is the majority at 71%; Flat or apartment is next at 17%.
Bedrooms per home
View on map →In Cairns, the largest group is 3 bedrooms at 36%, followed by 4 bedrooms (30%) and 2 bedrooms (22%).
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/sua/3004/cairns/topic/housing-dwellings