Cairns City
With 87.1% of dwellings being apartments and a vacancy rate of 35.6%, Cairns City functions more like a transit hub than a settled residential suburb, yet household income sits in the 56th percentile nationally and rent-to-income remains a comfortable 25.4%. The suburb covers just 1.81 square kilometres at a density of 1,993 residents per square kilometre, and 50.7% of residents rent rather than own. Overseas-born residents reach 42.3%, which is 20.7 percentage points above the national average, and population grew 27.6% over the past decade, driven mainly by overseas migration of 528 net arrivals per year compared with a net internal outflow of 360.
Population
3,616
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,627/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$505K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is estimated at $505,000 based on 2025 rent data, and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.6%, below the 30% stress threshold. Only 2.6% of dwellings are separate houses, while 87.1% are apartments, so buyers are effectively choosing between apartments and a narrow semi-detached segment at 6.3%. Two-bedroom units dominate at 43.4%, followed by three-bedroom at 36.3%. Outright owners at 31.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 17.7%, suggesting a significant cohort of paid-off investors rather than owner-occupier churn. Compared to inner-city suburbs elsewhere, the price point is accessible, but the extremely high vacancy rate of 35.6% warrants careful due diligence before purchase.
For Buyers
The median house price is estimated at $505,000 based on 2025 rent data, and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.6%, below the 30% stress threshold. Only 2.6% of dwellings are separate houses, while 87.1% are apartments, so buyers are effectively choosing between apartments and a narrow semi-detached segment at 6.3%. Two-bedroom units dominate at 43.4%, followed by three-bedroom at 36.3%. Outright owners at 31.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 17.7%, suggesting a significant cohort of paid-off investors rather than owner-occupier churn. Compared to inner-city suburbs elsewhere, the price point is accessible, but the extremely high vacancy rate of 35.6% warrants careful due diligence before purchase.
For Investors
A renter majority of 50.7% and weekly rent of $413 give landlords a large potential tenant pool, but the 35.6% vacancy rate is the dominant risk factor. At the $505,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 4.3%, above most capital-city benchmarks. The suburb is classified as having early signs of gentrification, with a gentrification score of 20 and population up 30% since 2011. Overseas migration of 528 net arrivals per year is the primary growth driver, compared with a net internal outflow of 360 per year. Development activity shows 8 applications in the past 12 months, mostly short-term accommodation and operational works rather than new residential supply. Population is forecast to reach approximately 15,277 by 2031 from a current base of around 13,599.
Development Activity
Total DAs
10
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, and the senior share rose 4.2 points over the decade while the working-age share moved only 0.1 points, indicating an aging trajectory. Overseas-born residents at 42.3% sit 20.7 percentage points above the national average, the highest cross-national delta in the brief's comparisons field. University-educated residents reach 22.6%, which is 7.5 percentage points below the national figure, a gap that aligns with the hospitality and healthcare employment profile. Average household size is 1.9, down 0.6 from the national figure, consistent with the couples-without-children majority: 59.6% of families are couples with no children. The most common ancestry groups are English (822) and Irish (302), and the top languages spoken other than English include French (26) and Italian (22).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
2.6%
Houses
6.3%
Townhouse
87.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split between renters (50.7%), outright owners (31.6%) and mortgage holders (17.7%). The outright-owner share being nearly double the mortgage-holder share points to a large investor-owned stock held free of debt. Apartments account for 87.1% of all dwellings, with semi-detached at 6.3% and separate houses at just 2.6%, making this one of the most apartment-dominant profiles in Queensland. Two-bedroom dwellings are the modal size at 43.4%, followed by three-bedroom at 36.3%. Rent-to-income sits at 25.4% and mortgage-to-income at 24.6%, both below the 30% stress level, indicating housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes. The vacancy rate of 35.6% is the standout feature, far above typical residential markets, and signals persistent structural oversupply in the short-stay and investment apartment segment.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$413
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$907
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
35.6%
Unoccupied
477
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
59.6%
Couples, no children
1,054
Total families
Economy & Employment
Hospitality leads employment at 21.5% (198 workers) and Healthcare follows closely at 21.1% (195 workers), together accounting for more than 42% of the local workforce. This dual-sector concentration reflects Cairns City's role as both a tourism gateway and a regional health centre. Professional occupations (321) and Managers (216) are the top categories by headcount, yet the IRSAD decile of 4 places the suburb below the national median on advantage. The unemployment rate of 8.4% is above average, and the participation rate of 38.4% is low, partly because 697 residents are not in the labour force relative to a total population of 3,616. Real income grew 8.0% over the decade. The IER score is decile 1, indicating the lowest tier of economic resources, a notable gap against the IEO score of decile 7 for education and occupation.
Unemployment
6.3%
Labour Force
8,572
Unemployed
537
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.0%
Part-time
26.6%
Participation
38.4%
Employed
1,204
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.6%
Postgraduate
5.7%
Born Overseas
42.3%
Dwellings
799
Transport to Work
An unusually high 40.3% of residents walk or cycle, compared to the typical car-dependent pattern nationally, and only 2.0% use public transport, suggesting the suburb's compact 1.81 square kilometre footprint enables pedestrian travel for most daily errands. Car use at 50.4% is below the national norm. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on institutions in surrounding areas. Crime data is not available for this suburb. The IRSAD decile of 4 places Cairns City below the national median on the relative socio-economic advantage scale, and the IRSD decile of 3 indicates higher-than-average disadvantage compared to national figures. Volunteering runs at 16.0% and 4.6% of residents (104 people) need daily assistance, slightly above the national norm.
Drive
50.4%
Public Transport
2.0%
Walk / Cycle
40.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.76%/yr
(+240 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 27.6% over the past decade and is forecast to reach 15,277 by 2031 under the medium scenario, up from an estimated 13,599 in 2025, representing annual growth of around 1.76% or 240 persons per year. The primary driver is overseas migration at a net 528 arrivals per year, while net internal migration runs at negative 360 per year, meaning the suburb gains internationally but loses domestically. Affordability has remained stable, moving from 39.6% in 2011 to 39.4% in 2021. Rent grew 32.0% over the period, outpacing real income growth of 8.0%, tightening affordability for new tenants. The gentrification stage is classified as early signs, with population up 30% since 2011 and a net internal outflow that typically signals lower-income residents moving out as rents rise.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+528
Net Internal / yr
-360
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +30% since 2011, Net internal outflow -360/yr, Strong overseas inflow +528/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cairns City compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cairns City a good suburb to live in?
Cairns City suits renters and single-person households more than families. It has a compact walkable footprint where 40.3% of residents walk or cycle, and housing costs are manageable with rent-to-income at 25.4%. The trade-offs are a 35.6% vacancy rate, no schools within the boundary, and an IRSAD decile of 4, below the national median on advantage.
What is the median house price in Cairns City?
The median house price is estimated at $505,000 based on 2025 rent data. Weekly rent averages $413 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733. With 87.1% of dwellings being apartments, most buyers are entering the unit market rather than purchasing detached houses.
What schools are in Cairns City?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.81 square kilometre Cairns City boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Local university qualification rates are 22.6%, which is 7.5 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with the hospitality-heavy employment base.
Is Cairns City safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Cairns City in this dataset. The suburb scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, indicating higher-than-average disadvantage compared to the national distribution. The 8.4% unemployment rate is above the national average, which is a known correlate of crime risk.
Is Cairns City good for property investment?
The rental yield is approximately 4.3%, above most capital-city benchmarks, and 50.7% of residents rent. However, the 35.6% vacancy rate is the critical risk factor, signalling persistent oversupply in the apartment segment that makes up 87.1% of all dwellings. Population is forecast to grow to 15,277 by 2031, and overseas migration of 528 net arrivals per year supports underlying demand.
How is Cairns City's population changing?
Population grew 27.6% over the past decade and is forecast to reach 15,277 by 2031 from a 2025 base of around 13,599. Annual growth averages 1.76% or 240 persons. Overseas migration (net 528 per year) is the primary driver, partially offset by net internal outflow of 360 residents per year leaving for other parts of Australia.
What languages are spoken in Cairns City?
About 42.3% of residents were born overseas, which is 20.7 percentage points above the national average, making this one of the more internationally diverse suburbs in Queensland. The top non-English languages are French (26 speakers), Italian (22), Mandarin (21) and Korean (20), reflecting a mix of long-term migrants and transient tourism-sector workers.
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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