Yorkeys Knob
A 12.5% vacancy rate is the standout feature of Yorkeys Knob, alongside an older resident base with a median age of 46, which is 6 years above the national comparison. The coastal setting gives the suburb a different housing feel from nearby Trinity Park and Smithfield, with 46.9% of occupied dwellings rented and 37.5% semi-detached. Its population of 2,794 and density of 246.7 people per square kilometre suit a compact coastal lifestyle, while high vacancy and slow growth make it less tightly held than some established Cairns alternatives.
Local council: Cairns
Population
2,794
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,234/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
5
Yorkeys Knob suits buyers who value compact housing and coastal access but need to be comfortable with limited price transparency. A typical mortgage repayment is $1,357 per month, while weekly rent is $310 and mortgage costs equal 25.4% of household income. The housing mix is less detached-house focused than many suburban markets: 37.5% is semi-detached, 23.9% is apartment stock and only 37.0% is separate housing. Two-bedroom homes account for 51.3%, which aligns with the small 2.0-person average household size. Compared with larger family-oriented suburbs, buyers may find more manageable formats, but they should check building condition, body corporate costs and flood or coastal exposure at each address.
For Buyers
Yorkeys Knob suits buyers who value compact housing and coastal access but need to be comfortable with limited price transparency. A typical mortgage repayment is $1,357 per month, while weekly rent is $310 and mortgage costs equal 25.4% of household income. The housing mix is less detached-house focused than many suburban markets: 37.5% is semi-detached, 23.9% is apartment stock and only 37.0% is separate housing. Two-bedroom homes account for 51.3%, which aligns with the small 2.0-person average household size. Compared with larger family-oriented suburbs, buyers may find more manageable formats, but they should check building condition, body corporate costs and flood or coastal exposure at each address.
For Investors
Yorkeys Knob has a substantial tenant base, with 46.9% of households renting and weekly rent at $310. That supports a broad rental audience, but the 12.5% vacancy rate is high compared with a tightly occupied market and can limit short-term rent increases. Rental growth of 29.2% provides a positive longer-term signal, while only 5 development applications in 12 months suggest limited current construction pressure. Growth is forecast at 0.14% annually, driven primarily by overseas migration, and the area is classified as Not gentrifying with a gentrification score of 0. Compared with faster-growing Cairns locations, investors need to prioritise vacancy resilience, property presentation and operating costs rather than rely on rapid capital growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
5
Last 12 Months
5
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 Yorkeys Knob
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Yorkeys Knob State School
Demographics
Yorkeys Knob has an older and smaller-household profile than the national comparison. The median age is 46, or 6 years above the national benchmark, while the average household size is 2.0 people, 0.5 below the national figure. University attainment is 26.1%, 4.0 percentage points below the national comparison, but the overseas-born share is 24.8%, 3.2 points above it. English ancestry is the largest recorded group at 1,118 people, followed by Irish ancestry at 358 and Scottish ancestry at 334. No religion is reported by 1,374 residents, compared with 1,024 identifying with Christianity. The aging trajectory is reinforced by a 9.2% rise in the senior share and a 2.5% fall in the young share.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
37.0%
Houses
37.5%
Townhouse
23.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Yorkeys Knob has a mixed housing profile rather than a detached-house majority. Separate houses account for 37.0% of dwellings, compared with 37.5% semi-detached homes and 23.9% apartments. Two-bedroom properties dominate at 51.3%, followed by three-bedroom homes at 29.5%, reflecting an average household size of 2.0 people. Tenure is divided between renting at 46.9%, owning with a mortgage at 26.6% and owning outright at 25.7%. Rent absorbs 25.1% of household income and mortgage payments 25.4%, with neither flagged as housing stress. Compared with a conventional family-suburb market, the smaller homes and higher rental share create more turnover, while the 12.5% vacancy rate may give tenants more choice. A median house price is not available, so buyers should compare current sales by dwelling type rather than apply a single suburb-wide figure.
Mortgage / mo
$1,357
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $310.
$690
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $690 · units $520
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$781
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.5%
Unoccupied
183
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.0%
Couples with children
48.2%
Couples, no children
25.1%
Single parent
720
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Yorkeys Knob's largest industry at 23.2%, representing 215 workers, followed by education at 11.1% and 103 workers. Hospitality, construction and public administration contribute 8.8%, 8.6% and 8.5% respectively, creating an employment base linked to essential services, local institutions and visitor activity. Professionals number 284, trades 209 and community or personal service workers 199. The participation rate is 59.3%, unemployment is 6.2% and 53.5% of workers are employed full time. Household income ranks at the 27.2 percentile, below the national midpoint. SEIFA results are uneven: education and occupation sits at decile 5, while economic resources is decile 2 and disadvantage and advantage are both decile 3. That gap suggests moderate skills alongside lower financial capacity.
Unemployment
6.2%
Labour Force
1,431
Unemployed
89
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.5%
Part-time
40.0%
Participation
59.3%
Employed
1,342
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.1%
Postgraduate
4.6%
Born Overseas
24.8%
Dwellings
1,280
Transport to Work
Yorkeys Knob is practical for residents who drive, work from home or prefer a quieter coastal setting. Car driving accounts for 75.7% of journeys, compared with just 0.9% using public transport and 3.7% walking or cycling, so daily errands are more car-dependent than in a transit-oriented suburb. Work from home is reported at 16.2%, which may suit the area's housing mix and slower pace. There is 1 local government school, Yorkeys Knob State School, but families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. The IRSAD score sits at decile 3 and the IEO score at decile 5, indicating lower relative advantage than higher-decile Cairns areas. A current crime-rate figure is not available, so safety decisions should include a street-level check and inspection at different times.
Drive
75.7%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
16.2%
Growth Outlook
Yorkeys Knob is on an aging, slow-growth path rather than a rapid expansion cycle. Forecast growth is 0.14% annually, below the pace associated with high-growth suburbs, while population change across the wider area is 2.4% over 10 years. Overseas migration is identified as the primary growth driver, but the local trajectory is classified as Aging, with the senior share up 9.2% and the working share down 5.2%. Rent growth of 29.2% indicates stronger housing pressure than the population trend alone would suggest, partly because rental demand can shift faster than resident numbers. Affordability was 37.7% in 2011 and 39.2% in 2021, described as Stable. Compared with a gentrifying market, the score of 0 and stage Not gentrifying point to limited transformation pressure.
Population trend: Cairns council area
Yorkeys Knob sits in the Cairns council area. These are the council area's residents, not Yorkeys Knob's.
Residents 2025
179,334
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.0%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Yorkeys Knob compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Yorkeys Knob a good suburb to live in?
Yorkeys Knob can suit residents seeking a coastal setting, smaller homes and a quieter pace. The median age is 46, car use is 75.7% and public transport use is 0.9%, so it is better suited to drivers and remote workers than households needing frequent transit.
What is the median house price in Yorkeys Knob?
A current median house price is not available for Yorkeys Knob. Buyers can still compare properties using the $310 weekly median rent, the 37.0% separate-house share and the 51.3% concentration of two-bedroom dwellings, while checking recent sales for the exact property type.
What schools are in Yorkeys Knob?
Yorkeys Knob State School is the 1 local government school listed for the suburb. Families should confirm the school's current enrolment zone, year-level availability and application requirements against the exact address before purchasing or signing a lease.
Is Yorkeys Knob safe?
There is no suburb crime-rate figure to support a simple yes or no verdict. Yorkeys Knob has 2,794 residents and an IRSAD decile of 3, so prospective residents should review current police information, inspect the street in daylight and after dark, and ask nearby residents about local conditions.
Is Yorkeys Knob good for property investment?
Yorkeys Knob has a large rental base at 46.9% and weekly rent of $310, but the 12.5% vacancy rate is a material risk. Forecast growth is only 0.14% annually and the area is Not gentrifying, so investment decisions should focus on vacancy resilience, maintenance costs and property presentation.
How is Yorkeys Knob's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 2.4% over 10 years, with annual growth of 0.14%. The trajectory is Aging, supported by a 9.2% increase in the senior share and a 2.5% decline in the young share, while overseas migration is the primary growth driver.
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).
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