Cairns City, QLD: suburb profile

The population of Cairns City QLD is 3,616 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Cairns City is $907 per week ($47,164 per year). Median rent in Cairns City is $413 per week ($1,790 per month). Cairns City has a median age of 44 years, older than the national median of 38. Cairns City has a population density of 1,993 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Cairns City is England. The most common religion is Not stated (39.2% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Spanish. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cairns City is $1,733.

Population
3,616
Census 2021
Median income
$907/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$413/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
44years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021.

Cairns City vs the typical QLD suburb

The median personal income in Cairns City is $907 a week, 21% above the typical QLD suburb ($747). That ranks 328th of 1,527 QLD suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $413 a week, $93 more than the typical QLD suburb. Rent takes 25.4% of the median household income here, against 20.4% in the typical QLD suburb. The median resident is 44, 2 years older than in the typical QLD suburb (42).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureCairns CityTypical QLDDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$907/wk$747/wk +21%$766/wk
Household income$1,627/wk$1,593/wk +2%$1,637/wk
Rent$413/wk$320/wk +29%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,733/mo$1,625/mo +7%$1,733/mo
Median age4442 +2 yrs42
Rent share of household income25.4%20.4% +5.0 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Cairns City, the typical QLD suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Cairns City Population

3,616 residents at the 2021 Census.

Cairns City Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$907/wk
$47,164 per year
Ranked 2,048 of 14,663
Median Rent
$413/wk
$1,790 per month
Ranked 1,698 of 14,663
Median Age
44years
6 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,733/mo
Avg household size: 1.9 · 0.9 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Cairns City Rent Prices & Affordability

25% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $1,627/wk
Median rent $413/wk
Rent to income 25.4%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Cairns City against your income

About $7,050 a month
Median rent $413/wk
Left after rent $1,214/wk
Rent share 25.4%

Cairns City Schools

14
schools nearby
6
government
985
avg ICSEA score
11,931
total students
Mother of Good Counsel School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 354 students
1091
ICSEA
St Augustine's College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 777 students
1060
ICSEA
St Monica's College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 697 students
1058
ICSEA
St Joseph's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 348 students
1029
ICSEA
Cairns School of Distance Education Government
Combined · Prep-12 · 3,692 students
1024
ICSEA
Cairns State High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,636 students
1019
ICSEA
The BUSY School Independent
Secondary · 11-12 · 1,780 students
975
ICSEA
Trinity Bay State High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,784 students
908
ICSEA
Parramatta State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 482 students
887
ICSEA
Balaclava State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 381 students
797
ICSEA
Mungalla Silver Lining School - Carins Temporary Facility Independent
Secondary
FNQ Vocational Academy Government
Secondary
Mastery Schools Australia - Cairns Campus Independent
Combined
Indie School, Logan - Parramatta Park Campus Independent
Secondary

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Cairns City, with a map

Cairns City Map

Cairns City, Queensland Map data: OpenStreetMap
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Cairns City, Queensland: 16.9222°S, 145.7745°E

Cairns City Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (14)

People in Cairns City

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 56.2% (2,031) Female 43.8% (1,581)

Population Density

1,993
people per km²
3,616 people · 1.8 km²

Households

1.9
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$2,162
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
4.1%
New Zealand
2.3%
India
1.6%
France
1.1%
South Korea
1.1%
China
1.0%
Italy
1.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Spanish
1.9%
French
1.4%
Korean
1.3%
Mandarin
1.2%
Italian
1.2%
Japanese
0.9%
Punjabi
0.7%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
22.7%
Australian
12.1%
Irish
8.4%
Scottish
5.9%
Italian
4.2%
German
3.7%
Chinese
3.1%
Australian Aboriginal
2.2%
Indian
1.9%
French
1.6%
Filipino
1.2%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

Not stated
39.2%
No religion
29.0%
Catholic
14.0%
Anglican
6.6%
Uniting Church
1.7%
Presbyterian and Reformed
1.4%
Christian (other)
1.2%
Buddhism
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

3.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
30.1% 1,034
Separated
3.8% 130
Divorced
12.5% 430
Widowed
3.6% 123
Never married
50.0% 1,715

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
60.4%
Couple: children under 15
22.7%
Couple: no children under 15
7.4%
One parent: children under 15
5.6%
One parent: no children under 15
3.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
38.9%
2 persons
43.0%
3 persons
10.7%
4 persons
5.8%
5 persons
1.3%
6+ persons
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Cairns City

Housing Tenure

Of the 864 occupied private dwellings in Cairns City at the 2021 Census, 48.6% were rented, 30.3% owned outright and 17.0% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.2% 10 dwellings
Owned outright
30.3% 262 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
17.0% 147 dwellings
Rented
48.6% 420 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.1% 18 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Semi-detached (2+ storey)
70.4%
Separate house
29.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
16.7%
2 bedrooms
43.9%
3 bedrooms
36.8%
4 bedrooms
2.2%
6+ bedrooms
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
12.2%
$300-$449/mo
2.6%
$450-$599/mo
3.5%
$600-$799/mo
2.6%
$800-$999/mo
10.4%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
14.8%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
11.3%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
24.3%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
11.3%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
7.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
16.6%
1 vehicle
56.1%
2 vehicles
20.7%
3 vehicles
4.7%
4+ vehicles
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Cairns City

Employment

Employed full-time
38.8% 788 people
Employed part-time
21.0% 427 people
Unemployed
5.6% 114 people
Not in labour force
34.5% 700 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
32.0%
Managers
16.0%
Technicians & Trade Workers
13.6%
Community & Personal Service
12.8%
Clerical & Administrative
8.5%
Labourers
7.6%
Sales Workers
6.5%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.0%
$1-$149/wk
0.5%
$150-$299/wk
2.0%
$300-$399/wk
2.2%
$400-$499/wk
4.7%
$500-$649/wk
5.2%
$650-$799/wk
5.2%
$800-$999/wk
7.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.5%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.9%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
5.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.5%
$4,000+/wk
13.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.8%
$1-$149/wk
2.3%
$150-$299/wk
5.1%
$300-$399/wk
4.9%
$400-$499/wk
4.5%
$500-$649/wk
4.4%
$650-$799/wk
9.0%
$800-$999/wk
11.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.0%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
11.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.7%
$3,500+/wk
5.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
37.6%
Walked only
26.5%
Did not go to work
22.0%
Car (passenger)
5.4%
Bicycle
3.6%
Other
1.9%
Bus
1.5%
Ferry
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.6%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
70.5%
Year 10 or equivalent
18.7%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.3%
Year 9 or equivalent
3.6%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
35.2%
Certificate III/IV
25.7%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
20.4%
Postgraduate Degree
12.3%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.4%
Certificate I/II
2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
23.1%
Health
20.5%
Society & Culture
13.6%
Engineering
11.9%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
9.8%
Education
6.3%
Architecture & Building
4.2%
Creative Arts
3.7%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.0%
Information Technology
2.3%
Agriculture & Environment
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Vocational Education
31.0%
Secondary: Government
21.9%
Primary: Government
17.1%
Primary: Catholic
8.6%
Secondary: Catholic
8.1%
Pre-school
7.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.3%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
2.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
59.2%
Has need for assistance
2.9%
Need for assistance not stated
38.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
155
Arthritis
92
Asthma
83
Heart disease
71
Diabetes
61
Cancer
47
Lung condition
46
Kidney disease
29
Stroke
27
Dementia
11

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
8.8% 184
Did not provide
91.2% 1,897

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
16.0% 334
Not a volunteer
84.0% 1,752

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
1.2% 25
Current ADF: Reserves
0.2% 4
Previously served
3.9% 81
Never served
94.7% 1,984

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
52.2%
1 child
11.9%
2 children
21.7%
3 children
9.3%
4 children
4.3%
5+ children
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
3
1951: 1960
32
1961: 1970
58
1971: 1980
67
1981: 1990
84
1991: 2000
76
2001: 2010
155
2011: 2015
127
2016
42
2017
29
2018
57
2019
110
2020
72
2021
21

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

39.7%
moved in the last year
65.8%
moved in the last 5 years
8.0%
unemployment rate (Census)
40.7%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,340
Moved from QLD
439
Moved: same area (SA2)
136
Moved from NSW
91
Moved from overseas
78
Moved from VIC
72
Moved from WA
21
Moved from NT
16
Moved from TAS
12
Moved from SA
7
Moved from ACT
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
23.5%
5: 14 hours
26.9%
15: 29 hours
8.0%
30+ hours
5.1%
Did not do domestic work
36.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
75.0%
Step family: no other children
17.4%
Other couple: children only
7.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Glenlee (Qld)
Income: $858/wk Rent: $350/wk $63/wk less rent
Port Douglas
Income: $824/wk Rent: $350/wk $63/wk less rent
Camp Mountain
Income: $913/wk Rent: $390/wk $23/wk less rent
Barcaldine
Income: $869/wk Rent: $200/wk $213/wk less rent
Mundingburra
Income: $727/wk Rent: $270/wk $143/wk less rent
Whitfield (Qld)
Income: $887/wk Rent: $340/wk $73/wk less rent
Mount Lofty
Income: $965/wk Rent: $340/wk $73/wk less rent
Wamuran
Income: $771/wk Rent: $345/wk $68/wk less rent

Suburbs near Cairns City

The closest suburb to Cairns City is Parramatta Park, 1.1 km away.

Parramatta Park
1.1 km away · income $758/wk · rent $290/wk
Cairns North
2.3 km away · income $873/wk · rent $340/wk
Westcourt
2.4 km away · income $664/wk · rent $300/wk
Bungalow
2.5 km away · income $710/wk · rent $270/wk
Manunda
2.7 km away · income $648/wk · rent $259/wk
Edge Hill
4.0 km away · income $942/wk · rent $310/wk

Compare Cairns City

Frequently Asked Questions About Cairns City

What is the population of Cairns City QLD?

The population of Cairns City QLD is 3,616 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,993 people per km². Cairns City is ranked #2,089 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Cairns City?

The median personal income in Cairns City QLD is $907 per week, or $47,164 per year. The median household income is $1,627 per week. Family income is $2,162 per week. Cairns City is ranked #2,048 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Cairns City?

Median rent in Cairns City QLD is $413 per week ($1,790 per month). Rent represents 25.4% of household income, which is considered moderate. Cairns City ranks #1,698 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Cairns City?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cairns City QLD is $1,733. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Cairns City?

The median age in Cairns City QLD is 44 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Cairns City a good suburb to live in?

Cairns City is a suburb in Queensland with a population of 3,616. The median income is $907/wk, which is above the typical QLD suburb ($747/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (25.4% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Brisbane Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 30478. All dollar figures in AUD.