23.3% ▲ +10.5%
Higher than 94% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 21.1%
- 2016: 22.3%
- 2021: 23.3%
Share of people born outside Australia (birthplace-not-stated excluded).
Cairns · Urban Centre
Ancestry & Birthplace in Cairns
Where people and their families come from — the ancestries they identify with and where they were born.
Daily life in Cairns is shaped by a diverse mix of backgrounds, with 23.3% of the population born overseas. This reflects a community with a strong international feel, where a large number of residents have moved here from across the globe.
Ancestry
The ancestries people most identify with.
English and Australian ancestries are the most common, making up 34.2% and 29.4% of the population. Irish, Scottish, and German heritage also feature prominently in the local family histories.
Country of birth
Australia and the largest overseas communities.
The proportion of people born overseas has risen to 23.3% since 2011, a figure that is among the highest for similar areas. While this is about the same as the Queensland figure, it remains well below the national average of 27.7%.
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). Ancestry & Birthplace in Cairns [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL303001/cairns/topic/ancestry-heritage