Manunda
A $341,000 median house price and a 57.2% renter share define this inner Cairns suburb, and the two facts feed each other. Household income sits in the 16.2nd percentile nationally, and Manunda scores decile 1 on three of the four SEIFA indexes (IRSAD, IRSD and IER), the most disadvantaged tier in the country. The dwelling stock is apartment heavy at 47.4%, higher than the 38.8% that are separate houses, which keeps entry prices low across a compact 4.25 km2 footprint. University qualifications reach only 21.2%, 8.9 points below the national figure, while 30.4% of residents were born overseas, 8.8 points above national. The median age of 39 runs 1.0 year below national.
Population
5,191
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,069/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$341K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $341,000 median makes Manunda one of the cheapest entry points in the Cairns region, and that affordability traces directly to the housing mix. Apartments account for 47.4% of dwellings against 38.8% separate houses, so detached homes are the scarce, more sought-after segment. Two bedroom dwellings dominate at 35.9% and three bedroom at 29.6%, while 4-plus bedroom family homes are just 11.6%, a shortage that pushes larger households toward neighbouring suburbs. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.1%, below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes in the 16.2nd percentile. Owners are split evenly, with 21.0% holding outright and 21.8% carrying a mortgage, so buyers compete more with the 57.2% renter majority than with established owner occupiers.
For Buyers
The $341,000 median makes Manunda one of the cheapest entry points in the Cairns region, and that affordability traces directly to the housing mix. Apartments account for 47.4% of dwellings against 38.8% separate houses, so detached homes are the scarce, more sought-after segment. Two bedroom dwellings dominate at 35.9% and three bedroom at 29.6%, while 4-plus bedroom family homes are just 11.6%, a shortage that pushes larger households toward neighbouring suburbs. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.1%, below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes in the 16.2nd percentile. Owners are split evenly, with 21.0% holding outright and 21.8% carrying a mortgage, so buyers compete more with the 57.2% renter majority than with established owner occupiers.
For Investors
A 57.2% renter share and weekly rent of $259 give landlords a deep tenant pool, and the low $341,000 median lifts the gross yield to roughly 4.0%, well above the sub-2% returns common in capital city markets. Rent has grown 36.3% over the period, the strongest signal of demand pressure. The catch is the 10.0% vacancy rate, high enough to flag periodic oversupply in the apartment segment that is 47.4% of stock. Demand support is thin: net overseas migration adds 65 residents a year while internal migration removes 68, leaving population growth near flat at 0.06% annually. Development is minimal at 4 applications in 12 months, mostly lot reconfigurations and dwelling alterations rather than new supply, so the investment case rests on yield and rent escalation more than capital growth or stock turnover.
Development Activity
Total DAs
4
Last 12 Months
4
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
Schools in Manunda iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Cairns School of Distance Education
Prep-12 · 3692 students
St Francis Xavier's School
Prep-6 · 382 students
Trinity Bay State High School
7-12 · 1784 students
Cairns West State School
Prep-6 · 481 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1.0 year below the national figure, yet the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 4.0 points while the working-age share fell 4.1 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 30.4%, which is 8.8 points above national, and ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,480), Irish (476) and Scottish (389). The leading non-English languages are Nepali (108 speakers), Japanese (34), Punjabi (33) and Korean (21), an unusually South Asian and East Asian mix for a regional suburb. University qualifications at 21.2% run 8.9 points below national, consistent with a workforce weighted toward service roles. Average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, and couples without children (27.5%, 872 families) slightly outnumber couples with children (959).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
38.8%
Houses
13.4%
Townhouse
47.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily toward renting: 57.2% rent, 21.8% carry a mortgage and 21.0% own outright. A renter majority this large, combined with the 16.2nd percentile household income, explains why the median house price holds at just $341,000. The stock is 47.4% apartments and 13.4% semi-detached, leaving separate houses at 38.8%, so detached dwellings carry a scarcity premium. Two bedroom dwellings make up 35.9% and three bedroom 29.6%, while 4-plus bedroom homes are only 11.6%. Rent has risen 36.3% over the period, far outpacing real income growth of 4.7%, which is why affordability worsened from 37.8% in 2011 to 40.0% in 2021. Rent-to-income sits at 24.2% and mortgage-to-income at 28.1%, both below the 30% stress line, a sign that low prices still offset weak incomes.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$259
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$648
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.0%
Unoccupied
241
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.5%
Couples, no children
3,175
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in lower-wage service sectors: Healthcare leads at 22.9% (318 workers), Hospitality follows at 11.0% (152) and Education at 9.5% (131), with Retail at 8.2% and Public Administration at 7.7%. By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers (401) and Professionals (340) head the list, followed by Labourers (317), a profile that aligns with the decile 1 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is elevated at 9.4%, well above the typical national range, and participation is low at 51.1% because 1,488 residents are not in the labour force. The full-time employment rate reads 58.7%. All four SEIFA indexes land near the bottom, with IRSAD, IRSD and IER at decile 1 and IEO at decile 2, reflecting the combination of low incomes, high renting and service-sector employment.
Unemployment
11.0%
Labour Force
2,746
Unemployed
301
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.7%
Part-time
31.9%
Participation
51.1%
Employed
2,019
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.2%
Postgraduate
3.8%
Born Overseas
30.4%
Dwellings
2,159
Transport to Work
Manunda leans hard on cars: 80.1% of commuters drive while only 2.6% take public transport and 7.3% walk or cycle, above the modest active-transport share but below any car-light benchmark. The suburb scores decile 1 on the IRSAD index, the most disadvantaged tier nationally, and decile 1 on IRSD, indicating a high concentration of relative disadvantage. Volunteering runs at 13.1% and 7.5% of residents (348 people) need daily assistance, somewhat above what the median age of 39 alone would suggest. No schools are recorded inside the 4.25 km2 boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Cairns suburbs. The main livability draw remains affordability, with rent-to-income at 24.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite weak local incomes.
Drive
80.1%
Public Transport
2.6%
Walk / Cycle
7.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.06%/yr
(+3 people/yr)
EstablishedManunda is effectively flat: annual population growth registers 0.06%, about 3 people a year, and the 10-year change is just 4.5%, classifying it as an established, slow-growth suburb. The current population of 5,352 has recovered past the COVID low of 5,249, a 2.0% rebound, though it remains below the pre-COVID 5,412. Medium forecasts hold the population near 5,386 by 2031, so little expansion is expected. Overseas migration of 65 a year is the only positive driver, offset by net internal outflow of 68. The gentrification score of 16 places it firmly in the not gentrifying band, which fits a suburb already at decile 1 advantage with worsening affordability and real income growth of only 4.7% over the decade.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+65
Net Internal / yr
-68
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
COVID recovered (-3% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Manunda compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Manunda a good suburb to live in?
Manunda is one of the most affordable inner Cairns suburbs, with a $341,000 median house price and rent-to-income of 24.2%, below the 30% stress line. The trade-offs are real: it scores decile 1 on IRSAD, the most disadvantaged tier nationally, and unemployment runs at 9.4%, above typical levels.
What is the median house price in Manunda?
The median house price is $341,000, among the cheapest in the Cairns region. Weekly rent averages $259 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,300, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.1%, below the 30% stress threshold despite incomes in the 16.2nd percentile nationally.
What schools are in Manunda?
No schools are recorded inside the 4.25 km2 Manunda boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Cairns suburbs. University qualifications among residents reach 21.2%, which is 8.9 points below the national figure, reflecting a service-weighted workforce.
Is Manunda safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Manunda in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 1 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the lowest tier, and 7.5% of its residents (348 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a higher-disadvantage area.
Is Manunda good for property investment?
Rent of $259 a week against a $341,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.0%, well above capital-city returns, and rent grew 36.3% over the period. The risk is a 10.0% vacancy rate signalling apartment oversupply, with population growth near flat at 0.06% annually limiting capital gains.
How is Manunda's population changing?
Population growth is 0.06% annually, about 3 people a year, with a 4.5% rise over 10 years. The current 5,352 residents recovered 2.0% past the COVID low of 5,249 but stay below the pre-COVID 5,412. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 4.0 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Manunda?
About 30.4% of residents were born overseas, 8.8 points above the national figure. English dominates, with Nepali (108 speakers), Japanese (34), Punjabi (33) and Korean (21) the most common non-English languages, an unusually South Asian and East Asian mix for a regional Cairns suburb.
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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