Whitfield
A median age of 45 years, five years above the national average, defines Whitfield's character as a mature, established residential suburb in Cairns. With 79.4% separate houses and a median house price of $451,000, it sits well below southeast Queensland coastal markets while delivering the detached-living format most owner-occupiers seek. SEIFA data places it at decile 6 on both IRSAD and IRSD, suggesting moderate advantage rather than deprivation or affluence. University qualifications reach 38.4%, some 8.3 percentage points above the national figure, and Professionals form the single largest occupation group at 697 workers, consistent with a suburb that draws knowledge workers despite its suburban Cairns location.
Population
4,262
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,681/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Median House
$451K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $451,000 is a significant entry point below coastal southeast Queensland benchmarks, and with 79.4% of dwellings being separate houses and 19.3% semi-detached, buyers get genuine detached living. Bedroom distribution is skewed larger: 35.4% are four-plus bedroom homes and 38.5% are three-bedroom, so family-sized properties dominate. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8%, which is below the conventional 30% stress threshold. Outright owners account for 33.9% versus 35.2% on a mortgage, a near-even split that points to an established community with significant debt-free tenure. Vacancy sits at 7.0%, which is elevated compared to tight capitals, so buyers face less competitive urgency.
For Buyers
The median house price of $451,000 is a significant entry point below coastal southeast Queensland benchmarks, and with 79.4% of dwellings being separate houses and 19.3% semi-detached, buyers get genuine detached living. Bedroom distribution is skewed larger: 35.4% are four-plus bedroom homes and 38.5% are three-bedroom, so family-sized properties dominate. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8%, which is below the conventional 30% stress threshold. Outright owners account for 33.9% versus 35.2% on a mortgage, a near-even split that points to an established community with significant debt-free tenure. Vacancy sits at 7.0%, which is elevated compared to tight capitals, so buyers face less competitive urgency.
For Investors
Whitfield's investment case rests on yield rather than capital growth. Weekly rent of $340 against a $451,000 median implies a gross yield around 3.9%, modest but serviceable, with a 31.0% renter share providing a steady tenant base. However, a 7.0% vacancy rate is above comfortable levels and signals that rental supply is adequate or slightly excess relative to demand. Development activity is low, with only 5 applications lodged in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and operational works, so new supply pressure is minimal. The suburb's healthcare and education employment base (29.1% and 11.2% of workers respectively) provides some demand stability, as these sectors are less cyclical than tourism-linked employment. Population density is 715 people per km2, lower than comparable inner-suburban areas nationally.
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 Whitfield iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Whitfield State School
Prep-6 · 774 students
Demographics
The median age of 45 runs 5.0 years above the national figure, and the household composition reflects this: 31.5% of families are couples without children while couples with children account for 38.1%. Average household size of 2.3 is 0.2 below national, consistent with an older, post-family profile. Overseas-born residents are 23.3%, which is 1.7 percentage points above the national average, modest international diversity anchored by English-speaking ancestry. The top ancestries are English (1,690), Irish (559) and Scottish (469), an Anglo-Celtic lean. University qualifications at 38.4% sit 8.3 points above national norms, which is notable for a regional Cairns suburb. Volunteering runs at 20.1% of residents, above typical suburban rates, pointing to an engaged community. The workforce participation rate of 60.8% is moderate, partly because the older age profile pushes 1,097 residents out of the labour force.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
79.4%
Houses
19.3%
Townhouse
1.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Whitfield distributes across three near-equal thirds: 33.9% own outright, 35.2% carry a mortgage and 31.0% rent. Outright owners at roughly a third of households indicate long tenure and accumulated equity. The stock is predominantly separate houses at 79.4%, with semi-detached dwellings at 19.3% and apartments at only 1.4%, a profile that suits owner-occupiers more than renters. The $451,000 median house price is estimated from 2025 rent data rather than transaction volumes, so should be treated as indicative. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,733 represent 23.8% of median household income, below stress levels. A vacancy rate of 7.0% is above average compared to most capital-city suburbs, suggesting the rental market is softer than in more supply-constrained areas nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$340
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$887
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.0%
Unoccupied
129
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.5%
Couples, no children
3,055
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 29.1% of workers (473 people), more than double the second industry, Education at 11.2% (182 workers). Public Administration (8.2%), Construction (7.8%) and Professional/Technical services (7.0%) follow. By occupation, Professionals are the clear plurality at 697 workers, with Managers at 267 and Community/Personal service workers at 262. The unemployment rate is low at 3.8%, below the national average, and the full-time employment rate among those employed is 61.9%. The SEIFA IEO score of 1,040 at decile 7 reflects better-than-average education and occupational outcomes, while the IRSAD decile of 6 places overall advantage at moderate levels. Household income sits at the 58.4th percentile nationally, reflecting middle-to-comfortable rather than high incomes.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.9%
Part-time
34.3%
Participation
60.8%
Employed
2,076
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.4%
Postgraduate
9.6%
Born Overseas
23.3%
Dwellings
1,695
Transport to Work
Transport in Whitfield is car-dependent by any measure: 87.1% of residents drive to work, against just 0.9% using public transport. Walking and cycling account for 4.8%, a modestly above-average active mode share for a regional suburb. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families depend on institutions in neighbouring Cairns areas. The IRSAD decile of 6 places Whitfield in the middle tier nationally for socioeconomic advantage, above disadvantage but not in the top bracket. Rent stress is absent: rent-to-income at 20.2% and mortgage-to-income at 23.8% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, making housing costs manageable for current residents. An assistance need rate of 7.6% (309 people) is consistent with the older age profile, where some residents require daily support.
Drive
87.1%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
4.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Whitfield compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Whitfield a good suburb to live in?
Whitfield suits owner-occupiers seeking detached housing in Cairns. About 79.4% of dwellings are separate houses, mortgage costs average $1,733 per month at 23.8% of household income, and SEIFA IRSAD sits at decile 6, placing it in the moderate-advantage tier nationally. The median age of 45 signals an established, settled community rather than a fast-changing area.
What is the median house price in Whitfield?
The median house price is approximately $451,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $340 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $1,733. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8% is below the 30% stress threshold, making purchase relatively affordable for households near the median.
What schools are in Whitfield?
No schools are recorded inside the Whitfield boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Cairns suburbs. The suburb has a highly educated resident base with university qualifications at 38.4%, some 8.3 percentage points above the national figure, and 11.2% of the local workforce is employed in Education.
Is Whitfield safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Whitfield in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, placing it in the moderate-advantage tier nationally. Housing stress is absent, with both rent-to-income at 20.2% and mortgage-to-income at 23.8% below stress thresholds.
Is Whitfield good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $340 against a $451,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.9%, serviceable but not high-growth. The 31.0% renter share provides a tenant base, but a 7.0% vacancy rate is elevated compared to tighter capital-city markets. Development activity is very low at 5 applications in 12 months, limiting new supply competition.
How is Whitfield's population changing?
Detailed population forecast data is not available for Whitfield in this dataset. The suburb's median age of 45 is 5 years above the national figure, and 73.1% of residents remained at the same address over the five-year reference period, indicating stable, low-turnover demographics rather than rapid growth or decline.
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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