Bentley Park
At a median age of 32, Bentley Park sits 8 years below the national median, making it one of the youngest suburbs in the Cairns region. University attainment at 18.7% runs 11.4 pp below the national average, while the top occupation is Community/Personal services (590 workers), not Professionals. Despite the young population, the senior share has grown 3.9 pp over the decade, signalling the first wave of residents who bought in the early 2000s approaching retirement. With 97.1% detached houses and 55.6% having 4+ bedrooms, housing stock was purpose-built for families.
Population
8,360
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,831/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
Median House
$459K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price of $459,000 places Bentley Park well below the national capital-city average, offering large family homes at a fraction of coastal prices. Mortgage repayments at $1,517/month consume just 19.1% of household income, far below the 30% stress mark. The housing stock is almost entirely detached (97.1%), with 55.6% of homes at 4+ bedrooms and 39.7% at 3 bedrooms. Apartment options barely exist at 2.0%. Average household size of 3.0 is higher than the national 2.5, reflecting the family-heavy buyer profile. Entry price is affordable, but 47.3% mortgage penetration shows active purchasing.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price of $459,000 places Bentley Park well below the national capital-city average, offering large family homes at a fraction of coastal prices. Mortgage repayments at $1,517/month consume just 19.1% of household income, far below the 30% stress mark. The housing stock is almost entirely detached (97.1%), with 55.6% of homes at 4+ bedrooms and 39.7% at 3 bedrooms. Apartment options barely exist at 2.0%. Average household size of 3.0 is higher than the national 2.5, reflecting the family-heavy buyer profile. Entry price is affordable, but 47.3% mortgage penetration shows active purchasing.
For Investors
Renter share at 34.7% provides a solid tenant base, higher than many comparable outer-suburban areas. Weekly rent sits at $385, and rent-to-income of 21% keeps tenants comfortable. Vacancy at 5.8% runs above the national benchmark, which limits rental tightening pressure. Only 5 DAs were lodged in 12 months, so new supply is not a threat. Population growth at 1.56% annually (144 people/year) is healthy, driven equally by internal (+42/year) and overseas (+40/year) migration. Gross rental yield around 4.4% at the estimated $459,000 median is stronger than most capital-city returns.
Development Activity
Total DAs
33
Last 12 Months
7
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+75.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bentley Park iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Therese's School
Prep-6 · 541 students
Bentley Park College
Prep-12 · 1771 students
Demographics
English ancestry leads at 2,617 residents, but the second-largest group is classified as Other (1,803), indicating significant non-European diversity. Indigenous language speakers (76) form the largest non-English language group, reflecting Cairns' proximity to Indigenous communities. Overseas-born at 17.9% runs 3.7 pp below the national average. The young median age (32 vs national 40) drives a household composition weighted toward families: 3,191 couples with children against 1,413 couples without. SEIFA IRSAD decile 3 places Bentley Park in the bottom 30% nationally for socioeconomic advantage, a gap that contrasts with its mortgage-belt identity.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.1%
Houses
0.9%
Townhouse
2.0%
Apartment
Tenure
The estimated median of $459,000 keeps Bentley Park in the affordable bracket. Ownership splits show 18.1% own outright (low, reflecting a young suburb), 47.3% carry mortgages, and 34.7% rent. Mortgage-to-income at 19.1% is comfortable. The detached-house dominance (97.1%) with virtually no apartments makes this a pure low-density suburb. Bedroom sizes run large: 55.6% at 4+ and 39.7% at 3, with only 4.7% at 2 or fewer bedrooms. Affordability has remained stable (mortgage-to-income moved from 47.6% to 46.9% between 2011 and 2021), unlike many capital-city suburbs where ratios have blown out.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$385
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$821
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.8%
Unoccupied
162
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
20.6%
Couples, no children
6,856
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare (20.7%) is the largest employer, followed by Education (12.1%), Construction (10.6%), Public Admin (10.0%), and Retail (8.2%). These 5 sectors cover 61.6% of all jobs, a narrow base dependent on government-funded services. Community/Personal services (590) leads occupations, with Labourers (443) also prominent, placing Bentley Park below the national white-collar average. Unemployment at 6.9% is above the national rate. SEIFA IEO decile 3 flags below-average educational opportunity, consistent with the 18.7% university rate. The IRSD decile 4 confirms moderate deprivation, though rising real income (+5.9% over the decade) shows slow improvement.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
5,003
Unemployed
265
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.3%
Part-time
26.8%
Participation
63.3%
Employed
3,657
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.7%
Postgraduate
2.6%
Born Overseas
17.9%
Dwellings
2,613
Transport to Work
Public transport use is just 1.2%, with 89.2% driving to work, reflecting Cairns' car-dependent layout. Walking and cycling combined capture only 1.7%. Bentley Park has 2 schools: St Therese's School (Catholic primary, ICSEA 991, 541 students) sits near the national benchmark, while Bentley Park College (Government combined, ICSEA 869, 1,771 students) scores well below average, reflecting the suburb's socioeconomic profile. Need-for-assistance at 5.4% is above the national average. SEIFA IRSAD decile 3 is the lowest among Cairns outer suburbs, though housing stress remains manageable at 19.1% mortgage-to-income.
Drive
89.2%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.56%/yr
(+144 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 12.7% over the past decade at 1.56% annually, adding about 144 people per year, above the national average growth rate. Medium forecasts project 10,151 by 2031, up from 9,214 in 2025. Growth is balanced between internal migration (+42/year) and overseas (+40/year), which is unusual for regional areas that typically rely on one source. Rent growth at 28.3% over the decade outpaced income growth at 5.9%, tightening affordability for renters even as mortgage stress stayed flat. The working-age share actually grew 1.4 pp, offsetting the aging signal, suggesting new families continue to move in while seniors age in place.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+40
Net Internal / yr
+42
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +20% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bentley Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bentley Park a good suburb to live in?
Bentley Park scores SEIFA IRSAD decile 3, placing it in the bottom 30% nationally for advantage. However, mortgage stress is low at 19.1% of income, unemployment is 6.9%, and the young median age of 32 creates an active family community. It suits buyers prioritising space and affordability over services.
What is the median house price in Bentley Park?
The estimated median house price is $459,000, with 97.1% of dwellings being detached houses. Mortgage repayments average $1,517/month, consuming about 19.1% of household income, well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Bentley Park?
Bentley Park has 2 schools: St Therese's School (Catholic primary, ICSEA 991, 541 students) and Bentley Park College (Government combined, ICSEA 869, 1,771 students). St Therese's tracks near the national ICSEA benchmark of 1000, while the college sits below average.
Is Bentley Park safe?
Crime data is not reported at the suburb level for Bentley Park. The SEIFA IRSD decile 4 indicates moderate disadvantage, and unemployment at 6.9% sits above the national average. These socioeconomic indicators suggest mixed safety outcomes compared to higher-decile Cairns suburbs.
Is Bentley Park good for property investment?
Gross rental yield around 4.4% ($385/week on $459,000) is higher than most capital-city returns. Renter share at 34.7% provides a reasonable tenant pool. However, vacancy at 5.8% runs above the national benchmark, and population growth at 1.56% annually is moderate, so capital gains may be gradual.
How is Bentley Park's population changing?
Population grew 12.7% over the past decade to 9,214 in 2025, adding about 144 people per year. Growth is evenly split between internal (+42/year) and overseas (+40/year) migration. The median age of 32 sits 8 years below national, though the senior share has risen 3.9 pp over 10 years.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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