$340 —
Higher than 73% of urban centre areas.
- 2016: $300
- 2021: $340
Median weekly rent paid by households renting their home.
Cairns · Urban Centre
Housing & Dwellings in Cairns
Where and how people live — the homes, how they are held, and what they cost.
More than 36% of households rent in Cairns, a figure well above the national average. This high rental rate is paired with a low rate of outright home ownership. Overall, housing costs here are higher than in most similar areas, despite being slightly below state and national figures.
$340
—
- $0–$21: 2 areas
- $21–$43: 6 areas
- $43–$64: 18 areas
- $64–$86: 38 areas
- $86–$107: 35 areas
- $107–$129: 46 areas
- $129–$150: 25 areas
- $150–$171: 104 areas
- $171–$193: 82 areas
- $193–$214: 143 areas
- $214–$236: 130 areas
- $236–$257: 175 areas
- $257–$279: 114 areas
- $279–$300: 125 areas
- $300–$321: 194 areas
- $321–$343: 101 areas
- $343–$364: 128 areas
- $364–$386: 82 areas
- $386–$407: 92 areas
- $407–$429: 41 areas
- $429–$450: 24 areas
- $450–$471: 32 areas
- $471–$493: 13 areas
- $493–$514: 19 areas
- $514–$536: 14 areas
- $536–$557: 9 areas
- $557–$579: 6 areas
- $579–$600: 15 areas
All urban centre areas, 2021. The marker is Cairns — higher than 73% of areas.
| Cairns | $340 |
|---|---|
| 4870, QLD | $310 |
| Queensland | $365 |
| Australia | $375 |
Housing costs
Rents, mortgages and crowding.
Typical weekly rent is $340, which is higher than most similar areas and has risen by $40 since 2016. Typical monthly mortgage payments are $1,590, a little below the national figure of $1,863 and down from 2011.
$1,590 ▼ -8.3%
Higher than 69% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: $1,733
- 2016: $1,668
- 2021: $1,590
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 36.2% of households renting, well above the Australian figure of 30.6%. Conversely, only 25.7% of homes are owned outright, which is well below both the state and national rates.
36.2% ▼ -11.4%
Higher than 83% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 40.8%
- 2016: 40.0%
- 2021: 36.2%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are rented.
25.7% ▲ +17.5%
Lower than 83% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 21.9%
- 2016: 22.9%
- 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% of the market, which is well below the Queensland average of 74.8%. This is consistent with the fact that homes with three or more bedrooms are also well below the state and national figures at 70.5%.
0.80 ▼ -27.3%
Higher than 57% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 1.10
- 2016: 0.80
- 2021: 0.80
Average number of usual residents per bedroom — a crowding measure.
71.0% ▲ +2.1%
Lower than 94% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 69.5%
- 2016: 69.7%
- 2021: 71.0%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are separate houses.
70.5% ▲ +3.1%
Lower than 74% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 68.3%
- 2016: 68.7%
- 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/ucl/UCL303001/cairns/topic/housing-dwellings