White Rock
A $406,000 median house price paired with household income in the 39.9th percentile defines White Rock, and the two facts reinforce each other: affordability here is a function of modest local earnings rather than a bargain on premium stock. This Cairns suburb of 4,918 residents sits in SEIFA decile 2 across all four indexes, the second-lowest advantage tier nationally, yet 74.2% of dwellings are separate houses on a generous 9.53 km2 footprint at just 516 residents per km2. The median age of 37 runs 3.0 years below the national figure, and only 16.3% hold a university qualification, which is 13.8 points under national. Healthcare dominates employment at 21.2%, anchored by the nearby Cairns hospital precinct.
Population
4,918
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,396/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Median House
$406K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $406,000 median house price makes White Rock one of the more accessible markets in the Cairns region, and the stock suits families: 74.2% of dwellings are separate houses, with three-bedroom homes the most common at 52.4% and four-plus-bedroom homes a further 29.5%. Apartments are scarce at just 10.0%, so buyers chasing a standalone house face less competition from investor-driven density. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,343, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household income sitting in only the 39.9th percentile. Owner-occupiers split between 37.5% with a mortgage and 24.4% who own outright, so most resident households carry debt, a typical pattern for an entry-level family market where buyers are still paying down recent purchases.
For Buyers
The $406,000 median house price makes White Rock one of the more accessible markets in the Cairns region, and the stock suits families: 74.2% of dwellings are separate houses, with three-bedroom homes the most common at 52.4% and four-plus-bedroom homes a further 29.5%. Apartments are scarce at just 10.0%, so buyers chasing a standalone house face less competition from investor-driven density. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,343, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household income sitting in only the 39.9th percentile. Owner-occupiers split between 37.5% with a mortgage and 24.4% who own outright, so most resident households carry debt, a typical pattern for an entry-level family market where buyers are still paying down recent purchases.
For Investors
Renters make up 38.0% of households and weekly rent averages $340, giving landlords a sizeable tenant pool against a low $406,000 median entry price. That combination implies a gross yield in the order of 4.4%, well above what premium capital-city suburbs return, which is the core of the local investment case. The 6.7% vacancy rate is elevated and signals that supply is not tight, so rent growth depends on demand keeping pace. Forecast migration is balanced, adding about 32 net overseas and 8 net internal residents a year, modest but positive. New supply is negligible: only 1 development application was lodged in the past 12 months, an operational works civil job rather than new dwellings, so existing stock faces little fresh competition. Rent has grown 25.9% over the measured period, supporting an income-led rather than capital-led strategy.
Development Activity
Total DAs
6
Last 12 Months
6
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 White Rock iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Trinity Anglican School
Prep-12 · 1204 students
White Rock State School
Prep-6 · 439 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below the national figure, and the household profile is family-oriented: average household size is 2.6, slightly above national, and couples with children (1,386 families) outnumber couples without children (899). University qualifications reach only 16.3%, which is 13.8 points below the national rate, consistent with a workforce weighted toward Community and Personal Services (342 workers) and Labourers (254) rather than degree-dependent roles. Overseas-born residents sit at 19.7%, 1.9 points under national, so the suburb is less migrant-heavy than the country as a whole. Ancestry leans Anglo, led by English (1,465), Scottish (404) and Irish (397). Christianity (2,223 residents) dominates religion, with Buddhism (70) a distant second, reflecting the small overseas-born share.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
74.2%
Houses
13.9%
Townhouse
10.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split three ways: 37.5% of households carry a mortgage, 38.0% rent and 24.4% own outright, so debt-holding and renting households together make up nearly three-quarters of the suburb. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 74.2% separate houses, with semi-detached at 13.9% and apartments only 10.0%, which keeps the area low-density at 516 residents per km2. Three-bedroom homes lead at 52.4% and four-plus-bedroom at 29.5%, confirming a family-house market rather than a one or two-bedroom rental block. Against household income in the 39.9th percentile, the $406,000 median produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2% and a rent-to-income ratio of 24.4%, both below the 30% stress line. Affordability has held stable, moving only from 48.4% in 2011 to 49.0% in 2021.
Mortgage / mo
$1,343
Rent / wk
$340
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$694
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.7%
Unoccupied
121
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.3%
Couples, no children
3,549
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 21.2% (260 workers), reflecting the suburb's position beside the Cairns hospital and aged-care precinct, followed by Construction at 11.8% (145) and Education at 10.9% (133). By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers lead at 342, ahead of Professionals at 277 and Labourers at 254, a mix that explains the below-average 16.3% university rate. The labour market is soft: unemployment runs at 8.3%, well above the national norm, and the participation rate is just 53.0%, held down partly by 1,253 residents not in the labour force. SEIFA scores sit at decile 2 across all four indexes (IRSAD 898, IRSD 919, IEO 900, IER 932), placing White Rock in the second-lowest advantage tier nationally, which aligns with the modest 39.9th-percentile household income.
Unemployment
8.6%
Labour Force
2,560
Unemployed
220
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.2%
Part-time
29.5%
Participation
53.0%
Employed
1,866
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.3%
Postgraduate
2.3%
Born Overseas
19.7%
Dwellings
1,673
Transport to Work
White Rock is heavily car-dependent, with 87.7% of commuters driving and only 2.1% using public transport and 1.7% walking or cycling, a pattern that reflects the low 516 residents per km2 density and limited transit coverage. No schools are recorded inside the 9.53 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Cairns suburbs. The suburb scores decile 2 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the second-lowest tier nationally, and 8.5% of residents (376 people) need daily assistance, both pointing to a community with real support needs. Volunteering runs at 11.9%. On the positive side, rent-to-income at 24.4% and mortgage-to-income at 22.2% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, so housing costs remain manageable relative to local earnings.
Drive
87.7%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.94%/yr
(+49 people/yr)
EstablishedWhite Rock is growing slowly but steadily, with annual population growth of 0.94% (about 49 people a year) and a 10-year rise of 9.5%, classifying it as an established suburb rather than a boom market. The population climbed from 5,085 in 2023 to 5,198 in 2025, and the medium forecast extends that trend to roughly 5,514 by 2031. Migration is balanced, with about 32 net overseas and 8 net internal arrivals a year, so growth is organic rather than driven by a single inflow. The trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 7.0 points while the working-age share fell 2.4 points and the young share dropped 2.3 points over the decade. The gentrification score of 19 reads as not gentrifying, consistent with decile 2 SEIFA standing and only 1.1% real income growth over the period.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+32
Net Internal / yr
+8
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +12% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How White Rock compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is White Rock a good suburb to live in?
White Rock suits affordability-focused families: the median house price is $406,000 and 74.2% of dwellings are separate houses. The trade-offs are SEIFA decile 2 standing, the second-lowest tier nationally, and an 8.3% unemployment rate, both above typical metro levels. Housing costs stay manageable, with mortgage-to-income at 22.2%.
What is the median house price in White Rock?
The median house price is about $406,000, one of the more affordable in the Cairns region. Weekly rent averages $340 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $1,343, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2%, comfortably below the 30% housing stress threshold.
What schools are in White Rock?
No schools are recorded inside the 9.53 km2 White Rock boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Cairns suburbs. The local university qualification rate is 16.3%, which is 13.8 points below the national figure, reflecting a workforce weighted toward trades and service roles.
Is White Rock safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for White Rock in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 2 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the second-lowest tier nationally, and 8.5% of residents need daily assistance, both pointing to a community with elevated support needs.
Is White Rock good for property investment?
Rent of $340 a week against a $406,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.4%, well above premium capital-city suburbs. Renters make up 38.0% of households, a solid tenant pool, but the 6.7% vacancy rate is elevated, so rent growth depends on demand keeping pace with supply.
How is White Rock's population changing?
Population is growing about 0.94% a year, roughly 49 people, with a 9.5% rise over the past decade. It climbed from 5,085 in 2023 to 5,198 in 2025 and is forecast near 5,514 by 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 7.0 points and the working-age share down 2.4 points.
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.
Explore White Rock on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map