Cairns North, QLD: suburb profile

The population of Cairns North QLD is 5,334 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Cairns North is $873 per week ($45,396 per year). Median rent in Cairns North is $340 per week ($1,473 per month). Cairns North has a median age of 37 years, younger than the national median of 38. Cairns North has a population density of 1,929 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Cairns North is England. The most common religion is No religion (39.3% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cairns North is $1,300.

Population
5,334
Census 2021
Median income
$873/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$340/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
37years
Census 2021

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

Cairns North vs the typical QLD suburb

The median personal income in Cairns North is $873 a week, 17% above the typical QLD suburb ($747). That ranks 397th of 1,527 QLD suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $340 a week, $20 more than the typical QLD suburb. Rent takes 24.3% of the median household income here, against 20.4% in the typical QLD suburb. The median resident is 37, 5 years younger 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 NorthTypical QLDDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$873/wk$747/wk +17%$766/wk
Household income$1,402/wk$1,593/wk −12%$1,637/wk
Rent$340/wk$320/wk +6%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,300/mo$1,625/mo −20%$1,733/mo
Median age3742 −5 yrs42
Rent share of household income24.3%20.4% +3.8 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 North, the typical QLD suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Cairns North Population

5,334 residents at the 2021 Census.

Cairns North Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$873/wk
$45,396 per year
Ranked 2,461 of 14,663
Median Rent
$340/wk
$1,473 per month
Ranked 3,592 of 14,663
Median Age
37years
1 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,300/mo
Avg household size: 1.9 · 0.9 per bedroom

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

Cairns North Rent Prices & Affordability

24% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,402/wk
Median rent $340/wk
Rent to income 24.3%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Cairns North against your income

About $6,075 a month
Median rent $340/wk
Left after rent $1,062/wk
Rent share 24.3%

Cairns North Schools

17
schools nearby
7
government
984
avg ICSEA score
13,277
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
Edge Hill State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 864 students
1016
ICSEA
The BUSY School Independent
Secondary · 11-12 · 1,780 students
975
ICSEA
St Francis Xavier's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 382 students
953
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
Cairns West State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 481 students
784
ICSEA
Mungalla Silver Lining School - Carins Temporary Facility Independent
Secondary
Indie School, Logan - Parramatta Park Campus Independent
Secondary
FNQ Vocational Academy Government
Secondary

Showing 15 of 17 schools.

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 North, with a map

Cairns North Map

Cairns North, Queensland Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Cairns North, Queensland: 16.9051°S, 145.7624°E

Cairns North Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (17)

People in Cairns North

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 50.9% (2,717) Female 49.1% (2,617)

Population Density

1,929
people per km²
5,334 people · 2.8 km²

Households

1.9
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$1,838
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
3.7%
India
3.6%
New Zealand
2.9%
Philippines
1.8%
China
1.4%
Japan
1.4%
Papua New Guinea
1.3%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
2.1%
Punjabi
2.0%
Japanese
1.8%
Spanish
1.4%
Australian Indigenous Languages
1.4%
Malayalam
1.2%
Korean
1.0%

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

Ancestry

English
25.7%
Australian
17.7%
Irish
10.3%
Scottish
7.7%
Australian Aboriginal
5.3%
German
4.7%
Italian
3.8%
Chinese
3.3%
Indian
2.7%
Filipino
2.3%
Dutch
1.5%

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

No religion
39.3%
Not stated
19.2%
Catholic
15.1%
Anglican
6.8%
Buddhism
2.6%
Christian (other)
2.6%
Other religions
2.2%
Uniting Church
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

8.4%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
24.9% 1,175
Separated
4.9% 232
Divorced
12.3% 580
Widowed
3.3% 155
Never married
54.5% 2,570

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
37.5%
Couple: children under 15
33.9%
One parent: children under 15
14.3%
One parent: no children under 15
7.7%
Couple: no children under 15
6.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
45.8%
2 persons
33.5%
3 persons
11.8%
4 persons
6.1%
5 persons
1.6%
6+ persons
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Cairns North

Housing Tenure

Of the 2,058 occupied private dwellings in Cairns North at the 2021 Census, 63.6% were rented, 16.0% owned outright and 17.8% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.9% 19 dwellings
Owned outright
16.0% 330 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
17.8% 366 dwellings
Rented
63.6% 1,309 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.6% 33 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
76.6%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
19.9%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
3.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
18.1%
2 bedrooms
55.6%
3 bedrooms
20.9%
4 bedrooms
2.6%
5 bedrooms
1.1%
6+ bedrooms
1.6%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.0%
$300-$449/mo
3.4%
$450-$599/mo
2.5%
$600-$799/mo
7.4%
$800-$999/mo
11.7%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
26.2%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
22.8%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
15.4%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
5.2%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
15.2%
1 vehicle
56.4%
2 vehicles
21.1%
3 vehicles
4.4%
4+ vehicles
2.9%

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

Work, income and education in Cairns North

Employment

Employed full-time
40.2% 1,500 people
Employed part-time
25.4% 948 people
Unemployed
5.6% 209 people
Not in labour force
28.7% 1,071 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
34.2%
Community & Personal Service
18.4%
Managers
12.2%
Technicians & Trade Workers
11.7%
Clerical & Administrative
8.0%
Sales Workers
5.7%
Labourers
5.7%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.2%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.3%
$1-$149/wk
1.2%
$150-$299/wk
2.3%
$300-$399/wk
3.6%
$400-$499/wk
6.1%
$500-$649/wk
5.4%
$650-$799/wk
6.2%
$800-$999/wk
8.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
11.1%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.6%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
12.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
5.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
5.6%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.0%
$4,000+/wk
5.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.4%
$1-$149/wk
3.2%
$150-$299/wk
5.5%
$300-$399/wk
3.8%
$400-$499/wk
4.0%
$500-$649/wk
4.5%
$650-$799/wk
10.3%
$800-$999/wk
12.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.4%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.7%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
8.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.5%
$3,500+/wk
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
51.7%
Did not go to work
19.4%
Walked only
11.6%
Car (passenger)
6.8%
Bicycle
3.6%
Bus
2.4%
Other
1.7%
Taxi/Rideshare
1.3%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.2%
Truck
0.3%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
73.8%
Year 10 or equivalent
14.9%
Year 11 or equivalent
8.2%
Year 9 or equivalent
3.0%

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
35.1%
Certificate III/IV
25.8%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
19.7%
Postgraduate Degree
11.8%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.2%
Certificate I/II
2.4%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
21.4%
Health
20.9%
Society & Culture
16.0%
Engineering
11.6%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
8.5%
Education
5.9%
Architecture & Building
3.9%
Creative Arts
3.9%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.5%
Agriculture & Environment
2.4%
Information Technology
2.2%

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

School & University Attendance

Secondary: Government
31.0%
Vocational Education
25.0%
Primary: Government
21.4%
Primary: Catholic
10.5%
Pre-school
6.8%
Secondary: Catholic
4.3%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
0.5%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
0.5%

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
78.7%
Has need for assistance
4.2%
Need for assistance not stated
17.0%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
424
Arthritis
140
Asthma
112
Heart disease
100
Diabetes
86
Lung condition
73
Cancer
53
Kidney disease
43
Stroke
28
Dementia
9

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
8.6% 329
Did not provide
91.4% 3,503

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
15.5% 596
Not a volunteer
84.5% 3,255

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
1.9% 74
Current ADF: Reserves
0.4% 15
Previously served
3.0% 118
Never served
94.6% 3,662

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
54.3%
1 child
15.0%
2 children
18.4%
3 children
7.1%
4 children
4.1%
5+ children
1.1%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
14
1951: 1960
25
1961: 1970
84
1971: 1980
99
1981: 1990
141
1991: 2000
154
2001: 2010
356
2011: 2015
313
2016
73
2017
90
2018
93
2019
162
2020
105
2021
23

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

Population Mobility

35.4%
moved in the last year
71.2%
moved in the last 5 years
7.4%
unemployment rate (Census)
59.6%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,833
Moved from QLD
827
Moved: same area (SA2)
308
Moved from NSW
94
Moved from VIC
94
Moved from overseas
91
Moved from NT
32
Moved from SA
26
Moved from WA
23
Moved from ACT
15
Moved from TAS
9

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
24.9%
5: 14 hours
27.9%
15: 29 hours
8.6%
30+ hours
4.7%
Did not do domestic work
33.9%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
79.4%
Step family: no other children
15.2%
Blended family: no other children
3.9%
Intact family: other children present
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Allenstown
Income: $701/wk Rent: $250/wk $90/wk less rent
Hyde Park (Qld)
Income: $848/wk Rent: $253/wk $87/wk less rent
Kin Kora
Income: $855/wk Rent: $280/wk $60/wk less rent
North Toowoomba
Income: $718/wk Rent: $285/wk $55/wk less rent
East Toowoomba
Income: $838/wk Rent: $300/wk $40/wk less rent
Frenchville
Income: $880/wk Rent: $300/wk $40/wk less rent
Norman Gardens
Income: $836/wk Rent: $300/wk $40/wk less rent
Woodend (Qld)
Income: $744/wk Rent: $300/wk $40/wk less rent

Suburbs near Cairns North

The closest suburb to Cairns North is Manunda, 1.9 km away.

Manunda
1.9 km away · income $648/wk · rent $259/wk
Edge Hill
2.0 km away · income $942/wk · rent $310/wk
Parramatta Park
2.0 km away · income $758/wk · rent $290/wk
Cairns City
2.3 km away · income $907/wk · rent $413/wk
Westcourt
2.9 km away · income $664/wk · rent $300/wk
Whitfield (Qld)
3.0 km away · income $887/wk · rent $340/wk

Compare Cairns North

Frequently Asked Questions About Cairns North

What is the population of Cairns North QLD?

The population of Cairns North QLD is 5,334 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,929 people per km². Cairns North is ranked #1,475 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Cairns North?

The median personal income in Cairns North QLD is $873 per week, or $45,396 per year. The median household income is $1,402 per week. Family income is $1,838 per week. Cairns North is ranked #2,461 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Cairns North?

Median rent in Cairns North QLD is $340 per week ($1,473 per month). Rent represents 24.3% of household income, which is considered affordable. Cairns North ranks #3,592 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Cairns North?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cairns North QLD is $1,300. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Cairns North?

The median age in Cairns North QLD is 37 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Cairns North a good suburb to live in?

Cairns North is a suburb in Queensland with a population of 5,334. The median income is $873/wk, which is above the typical QLD suburb ($747/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (24.3% 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: 30479. All dollar figures in AUD.