Manunda
A renter-majority, apartment-led suburb, Manunda has 5,191 residents across 4.25 square kilometres, creating a density of 1,222.6 people per square kilometre. Renting accounts for 56.7% of occupied dwellings and apartments represent 47.4%, a markedly different profile compared with a detached-house suburb. Vacancy is 10.0%, which can give tenants more choice but may also soften investor competition for leasing. Household income sits at the 16.2 percentile nationally, while the overseas-born share is 30.4%, or 8.8 percentage points higher than the national figure. Its location near Manoora and Cairns North supports access to established Cairns services, although low growth of 0.06% annually and an aging trajectory point to a steady rather than rapidly changing market.
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
10
Manunda suits buyers prioritising lower ongoing housing costs, central convenience and smaller dwellings rather than large detached homes. A current median house price is not available, so the $259 weekly rent provides a useful affordability reference alongside the $1,300 monthly mortgage figure. Apartments account for 47.4% of housing, while separate houses make up 38.8% and semi-detached dwellings 13.4%. Smaller layouts are common, with 22.9% of dwellings having 0 or 1 bedroom and 35.9% having 2 bedrooms. Mortgage repayments equal 28.1% of household income, compared with rent at 24.2%, suggesting a meaningful budget difference for households moving from renting to ownership. Compared with a detached-house suburb, buyers should pay closer attention to body corporate costs, building condition and resale depth.
For Buyers
Manunda suits buyers prioritising lower ongoing housing costs, central convenience and smaller dwellings rather than large detached homes. A current median house price is not available, so the $259 weekly rent provides a useful affordability reference alongside the $1,300 monthly mortgage figure. Apartments account for 47.4% of housing, while separate houses make up 38.8% and semi-detached dwellings 13.4%. Smaller layouts are common, with 22.9% of dwellings having 0 or 1 bedroom and 35.9% having 2 bedrooms. Mortgage repayments equal 28.1% of household income, compared with rent at 24.2%, suggesting a meaningful budget difference for households moving from renting to ownership. Compared with a detached-house suburb, buyers should pay closer attention to body corporate costs, building condition and resale depth.
For Investors
Manunda's investment case is centred on rental demand, apartment supply and entry-level affordability rather than strong capital growth. Renters comprise 56.7% of occupied dwellings and the weekly rent is $259, creating a relatively accessible price point for tenants. However, the 10.0% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly supplied rental market would normally record, so investors should allow for longer leasing periods and careful property selection. Nine development applications were recorded over 12 months, including multiple dwelling proposals, which could add competing stock if delivered. The annual growth trend is only 0.06%, and the suburb is classified as not gentrifying, so an investment strategy based on rapid price uplift would be weaker than one based on stable income and low purchase costs. Compared with lower-vacancy markets, tenant incentives and property presentation may matter more.
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
Schools in Manunda
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
St Francis Xavier's School (Manunda)
Cairns School of Distance Education
Trinity Bay State High School
Cairns West State School
Demographics
Manunda's median age is 39, one year below the national figure, but its longer-term trajectory is aging. The overseas-born population is 30.4%, 8.8 percentage points higher than nationally, while university participation at 21.2% is 8.9 points below the national comparison. English ancestry is reported by 1,480 residents, followed by 1,414 recording other ancestry, while Irish and Scottish ancestry account for 476 and 389 people. Nepali is the largest listed non-English language with 108 speakers, followed by AIndLng at 46 and Japanese at 34. Christianity has 2,155 adherents and no religion 1,935. Average household size is 2.1, or 0.4 below the national figure, which helps explain the high share of smaller apartments. Compared with larger-lot suburbs near Cairns North and Manoora, Manunda's compact housing and renter base support greater residential turnover, measured at 29.7%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
38.8%
Houses
13.4%
Townhouse
47.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Manunda has a compact, apartment-heavy housing market with a strong rental orientation. Of occupied dwellings, 56.7% are rented, 20.8% are owned outright and 21.6% are being purchased with a mortgage. Separate houses account for 38.8%, compared with 47.4% apartments and 13.4% semi-detached homes. The bedroom profile reinforces this smaller-format pattern: 22.9% have 0 or 1 bedroom, 35.9% have 2 bedrooms, 29.6% have 3 bedrooms and only 11.6% have 4 or more. Rent uses 24.2% of household income, while mortgage costs use 28.1%, and the household income percentile is 16.2 nationally. Compared with a detached-house suburb, the lower space allocation can improve entry affordability but increases the importance of body corporate fees, parking and building maintenance. A 10.0% vacancy rate also indicates more choice for renters than in a tightly constrained market.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $259.
$680
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $680 · units $510
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
28.4%
Couples with children
37.7%
Couples, no children
30.6%
Single parent
1,154
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Manunda's largest listed industry, employing 318 people and representing 22.9% of workers. Hospitality accounts for 11.0% or 152 workers, followed by education at 9.5% or 131, retail at 8.2% or 113, and public administration at 7.7% or 107. This service-led structure is reinforced by community and personal service occupations with 401 workers, alongside 340 professionals, 321 trades workers and 317 labourers. The unemployment rate is 8.7%, participation is 54.8% and only 54.4% of employed workers are full-time, helping explain why household income sits at the 16.2 percentile nationally. Socioeconomic measures are below the national midpoint: IEO is decile 2, while IER, IRSD and IRSAD are all decile 1. The gap between education and occupation decile 2 and the income and resources decile 1 suggests that employment in local services does not consistently translate into high household financial capacity.
Unemployment
8.7%
Labour Force
2,390
Unemployed
209
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.4%
Part-time
38.2%
Participation
54.8%
Employed
2,181
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.2%
Postgraduate
3.8%
Born Overseas
30.4%
Dwellings
2,159
Transport to Work
Manunda is compact at 4.25 square kilometres, with 5,191 residents and density of 1,222.6 people per square kilometre. Four nearby schools provide a mix of three government options and one Catholic school, including primary, high school and distance education types. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because catchments can cross suburb boundaries. Daily travel is car-led, with 71.1% driving to work, compared with 2.3% using public transport and 6.5% walking or cycling; working from home accounts for 11.3%. A current suburb-level crime rate is not available, so recent Queensland Police information and street-level inspection are important for safety decisions. IRSAD is in decile 1, below higher-resource suburbs, indicating that limited household and economic resources may affect housing quality and service pressures. Compared with low-density outer suburbs, the compact form can make nearby services easier to reach, but apartment living and car dependence remain important practical considerations.
Drive
71.1%
Public Transport
2.3%
Walk / Cycle
6.5%
Work from Home
11.3%
Population Forecast
+0.06%/yr
(+3 people/yr)
EstablishedManunda is an established, slow-growth suburb, with the forecast annual trend at 0.06%, far below the pace associated with a high-growth corridor. Population change across the wider area is 4.5% over 10 years, while the forecast trajectory is Aging, supported by a 4.0 percentage-point increase in the senior share and a 4.1-point fall in the working share. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, which helps sustain demand despite limited overall expansion. Rental growth has reached 36.3%, while affordability worsened from 37.8 in 2011 to 40.0 in 2021. The gentrification score is 10 and the stage is not gentrifying, indicating that rising rents have not yet translated into a broader transformation of the suburb. Compared with faster-growing Cairns locations, Manunda's outlook is more dependent on rental demand, aging households and overseas migration than on major population acceleration.
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 can suit renters and buyers seeking a compact Cairns location, with 56.7% of households renting and 47.4% of dwellings being apartments. The $259 weekly rent is relatively accessible, while 2.3% public transport use and 71.1% car commuting show that daily travel is mainly car-based.
What is the median house price in Manunda?
A current median house price is not published for Manunda. Housing decisions can still be framed around the $259 weekly rent, the 38.8% separate-house share and the 47.4% apartment share. Buyers should compare individual listings carefully because dwelling type, body corporate fees and condition can materially change the total cost.
What schools are in Manunda?
Four nearby schools cover a mix of sectors and types: 3 are government schools and 1 is Catholic. The mix includes primary, high school and distance education options. Families should confirm the exact enrolment zone for an address because school catchments can differ even within a 4.25 square kilometre suburb.
Is Manunda safe?
No current suburb-level crime rate is available, so safety should be checked using recent Queensland Police information and an inspection at different times of day. Manunda has 5,191 residents at a density of 1,222.6 people per square kilometre, making street-level conditions, building management and surrounding activity important considerations.
Is Manunda good for property investment?
Manunda may suit investors focused on rental demand and lower-cost apartments, with 56.7% of households renting and weekly rent of $259. The 10.0% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly supplied market, while 9 development applications in 12 months could add competition. Annual growth is only 0.06%, so income and purchase price matter more than rapid capital growth.
How is Manunda's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 4.5% over 10 years, while the annual forecast trend is 0.06%. Manunda has an Aging trajectory, with the senior share up 4.0 percentage points and the working share down 4.1 points. Overseas migration is the primary driver, so change is gradual rather than comparable with a high-growth corridor.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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