Redlynch
A sprawling 25.4 square kilometre suburb on Cairns' western fringe where 65.2% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, a figure that places Redlynch in the top tier nationally for large-home dominance. Household incomes sit at the 88.5 percentile nationally, and 52.5% of households hold mortgages, making this a classic mortgage-belt suburb for Cairns' professional class. SEIFA places Redlynch at IRSAD decile 7 with IER at decile 9, the highest economic resources reading in the Cairns region. Population growth runs strong at 1.73% per year (258 persons), nearly double the national average, while the 3.8% unemployment rate sits below the national figure.
Population
10,571
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,317/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Median House
$537K
Estimated from rent (2025)
No median house price data is available for Redlynch, but the $1,842 monthly mortgage repayment and mortgage-to-income ratio of just 18.4% indicate a comfortable affordability position, well below the 30% stress threshold and significantly lower than metropolitan averages. Detached houses dominate at 90.8% of stock, with apartments at 6.2% and semi-detached at just 2.8%, almost no densification. The 65.2% four-plus bedroom share is exceptionally high compared to the national average, reflecting the newer estate-style builds common on Cairns' western fringe. Three-bedroom homes make up 24.6%. The 5.0% vacancy rate is within normal bounds. Weekly rent of $440 is strong for regional Queensland, consistent with the high-income demographic.
For Buyers
No median house price data is available for Redlynch, but the $1,842 monthly mortgage repayment and mortgage-to-income ratio of just 18.4% indicate a comfortable affordability position, well below the 30% stress threshold and significantly lower than metropolitan averages. Detached houses dominate at 90.8% of stock, with apartments at 6.2% and semi-detached at just 2.8%, almost no densification. The 65.2% four-plus bedroom share is exceptionally high compared to the national average, reflecting the newer estate-style builds common on Cairns' western fringe. Three-bedroom homes make up 24.6%. The 5.0% vacancy rate is within normal bounds. Weekly rent of $440 is strong for regional Queensland, consistent with the high-income demographic.
For Investors
Renters account for just 22.6% of households, well below the national average, making this an owner-occupier-dominated market with a shallow tenant pool. Weekly rent of $440 is the highest in the Cairns region, supported by professional families who cannot yet buy. The 5.0% vacancy rate is manageable. However, no median house price is available for yield calculations. Population growth at 1.73% per year (258 persons) is among the strongest in Far North Queensland, driven by balanced internal (99/yr) and overseas (103/yr) migration. Zero development applications in the past 12 months contrasts with the strong population growth, suggesting the suburb may be approaching buildable-land constraints.
Development Activity
Total DAs
9
Last 12 Months
9
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 Redlynch iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Andrew's Catholic College Redlynch Valley
Prep-12 · 1373 students
Redlynch State College
Prep-12 · 1834 students
Demographics
English (4,148), Irish (1,124) and Scottish (1,074) ancestries dominate, making this an Anglo-leaning suburb with 23.4% born overseas, just 1.8 points above the national average. Malayalam (99 speakers) leads non-English languages, followed by Japanese (65), Korean (46) and Mandarin (33), reflecting the Indian and East Asian health professional community in Cairns. University qualification rate at 34.7% sits 4.6 points above the national average. The 3.0 average household size is above national at 2.5, and only 18.9% of families are couples without children, indicating a family-with-children-dominant population. Median age of 37 runs 3 years below the national figure. Christianity leads religion at 4,744, with small Buddhist (135) and Hindu (110) communities.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.8%
Houses
2.8%
Townhouse
6.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Mortgage holders dominate tenure at 52.5%, with outright owners at 24.9% and renters at 22.6%. This tenure profile is the signature of a younger suburb where families are still paying down loans on recently built homes. Detached houses at 90.8% leave little room for other housing types. The bedroom distribution is skewed heavily large: 65.2% have four or more bedrooms, 24.6% have three, and only 8.8% have two bedrooms. This outsized concentration of large homes, well above the national average, reflects the estate-style development pattern of Cairns' outer suburbs. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,842 against household income in the 88.5 percentile produce a comfortable 18.4% mortgage-to-income ratio, among the lowest stress readings nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$1,842
Rent / wk
$440
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,005
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.0%
Unoccupied
174
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.9%
Couples, no children
8,941
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates at 23.8% of employment, followed by Education at 13.3%, Public Administration at 10.9%, Construction at 8.0% and Professional/Tech at 5.8%. The healthcare and education concentration, both above national averages, reflects Cairns' role as a regional service centre. Professionals form the largest occupational group at 1,463, with Community/Personal Service (773) and Clerical/Admin (709) following. The 3.8% unemployment rate sits below the national average, and the 69.4% participation rate is well above the national figure. SEIFA IER decile 9 is the standout metric, placing Redlynch's economic resources near the top nationally, while IEO at decile 7 reflects solid but not exceptional educational attainment. Real income growth of 4.8% over the decade is moderate.
Unemployment
1.8%
Labour Force
8,659
Unemployed
155
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.8%
Part-time
33.4%
Participation
69.4%
Employed
5,330
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.7%
Postgraduate
6.7%
Born Overseas
23.4%
Dwellings
3,328
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extreme at 89.5% driver share, with public transport at just 1.0% and walking/cycling at 2.5%, consistent with a suburban-fringe location. Schools are strong: St Andrew's Catholic College (ICSEA 1,067, Catholic combined, 1,373 students) and Redlynch State College (ICSEA 1,007, Government combined, 1,834 students) both sit above the national benchmark of 1,000. The combined enrolment of 3,207 means Redlynch has substantial local education capacity relative to its population. Volunteering at 18.9% sits above the national median. The 5.1% needing daily assistance is close to the national average, consistent with the younger age profile.
Drive
89.5%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.73%/yr
(+258 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 1.73% annually (258 persons per year), nearly double the national average and the strongest in the Cairns region. Over the past decade, population grew 19.8%. Migration is balanced with 99 internal arrivals and 104 overseas arrivals per year. The aging trajectory shows the senior share rising 5.4 percentage points and working-age share declining 2.4 points, moderate aging compared to other regional suburbs. The gentrification score of 21 shows early signs. Affordability has remained stable at roughly 42.6-43.3% between 2011 and 2021. Medium projections forecast the population reaching 16,677 by 2031, up from 14,877 in 2025, a substantial 12% increase.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+104
Net Internal / yr
+99
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +25% since 2011, Net internal migration +99/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Redlynch compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Redlynch a good suburb to live in?
Redlynch suits families wanting large homes near Cairns. The 65.2% four-plus bedroom share is exceptionally high nationally, and mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.4% is comfortable. Both local schools score above the national ICSEA benchmark of 1,000. Trade-offs include extreme car dependence at 89.5% and limited public transport at 1.0%. IRSAD decile 7 confirms above-average advantage.
What is the median house price in Redlynch?
No median house price is available for Redlynch. Proxy indicators show monthly mortgage repayments of $1,842 and weekly rent of $440. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.4% is well below the 30% stress threshold, indicating strong affordability relative to the 88.5 percentile household income. Rent-to-income at 19.0% also shows no stress.
What schools are in Redlynch?
Redlynch has 2 schools, both above the national ICSEA benchmark of 1,000. St Andrew's Catholic College (1,067, Catholic combined, 1,373 students) and Redlynch State College (1,007, Government combined, 1,834 students) enrol a combined 3,207 students. The IEO decile 7 reading confirms above-average educational advantage among adult residents.
Is Redlynch safe?
Crime data is not available at the suburb level for Redlynch. The IRSAD decile 7 and IER decile 9 place it well above the national median on socioeconomic advantage, which typically correlates with lower crime rates. The 3.8% unemployment rate sits below the national average. Buyers should check Queensland Police Service data for the Cairns district statistics.
Is Redlynch good for property investment?
Redlynch's 22.6% renter share is below the national average, creating a shallow tenant pool. Weekly rent of $440 is the strongest in Cairns, supported by the 88.5 percentile income demographic. Population growth at 1.73% per year (258 persons) is nearly double the national average. Zero development applications in 12 months suggest potential supply constraints for new builds.
How is Redlynch's population changing?
Redlynch's population sits at roughly 14,877, having grown 19.8% over the past decade. Annual growth of 1.73% adds 258 people per year, nearly double the national average. Migration is balanced at 99 internal and 104 overseas arrivals per year. Median age of 37 is 3 years below national. Medium projections forecast 16,677 by 2031.
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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