Cairns City

Cairns City lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Cairns City's population was around 13,903 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 1,336 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,567. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,509 in June 2024 and an additional 278 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,238 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Cairns City's population growth of 10.6% since the 2021 Census exceeded that of both the SA4 region (7.8%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 92.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 and based on 2022 data. Population projections indicate a significant increase in the top quartile of non-metropolitan areas nationally, with Cairns City expected to gain 4,055 persons by 2041, reflecting an overall growth of 26.3% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Cairns City according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Cairns City averaged approximately 9 new dwelling approvals annually from FY-21 to FY-25, with a total of 49 homes approved during this period. In FY-26, 41 dwellings have been approved so far. Over the past five financial years, an average of 12.5 new residents arrived per year for each dwelling constructed.

This indicates a significant demand exceeding supply, which typically leads to price growth and increased buyer competition. The average construction cost value of new dwellings in Cairns City is $319,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. In FY-26, there have been $308.0 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity. However, compared to the Rest of Qld, Cairns City has significantly less development activity, with 79.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new properties typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties.

Nationally, this is also below average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New development in Cairns City consists of 17.0% detached dwellings and 83.0% townhouses or apartments. This skew towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. Future projections estimate that Cairns City will add 3,661 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Cairns City has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

AreaSearch has identified 68 infrastructure projects that could impact the area. Key projects include the Cairns Health and Innovation Centre (CHIC), Cairns Hospital Expansion Project, Cairns Smart Green Economy Initiative, and Esplanade Waterfront Apartment Towers. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment drivers in Cairns City are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Cairns City has an educated workforce with prominent essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 5.9% as of September 2025.

In this month, 8,102 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.8% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in Cairns City is lower at 54.8%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Employment among residents is concentrated in accommodation & food, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Notably, employment in accommodation & food is 2.6 times the regional average.

Construction has a limited presence with 5.2% employment compared to 10.1% regionally. The area functions as an employment hub with 1.9 workers per resident, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.5%, while employment declined by 3.3%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment rise by 1.7% and the labour force grow by 2.1%. State-level data up to 25-Nov-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, closely aligned with the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 indicate a projected expansion in employment by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cairns City's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The median income among taxpayers in Cairns City SA2 was $52,262 and the average income stood at $64,999 during financial year 2022. These figures are comparable to those of Rest of Qld's which were $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 13.99% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $59,573 (median) and $74,092 (average). According to census data, personal income ranks at the 57th percentile ($838 weekly), while household income sits at the 26th percentile. The largest income bracket comprises 30.7% of residents earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (4,268 residents). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 22nd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Cairns City features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Cairns City's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consists of 19.2% houses and 80.8% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Non-Metro Qld's composition of 68.4% houses and 31.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cairns City is at 18.8%, with mortgaged properties at 19.1% and rented dwellings at 62.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area is $1,300, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure for Cairns City is $330, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $315. Nationally, Cairns City's mortgage repayments are significantly lower at $1,300 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Cairns City features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 47.2% of all households, including 11.7% couples with children, 24.2% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 52.8%, with lone person households at 43.4% and group households comprising 9.4%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Queensland average of 2.4.

Cairns City shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Cairns City's residents aged 15 and above have a higher proportion with university qualifications at 36.0%, compared to the broader Queensland average of 20.6% and the SA4 region average of 21.1%. The most common university qualification is bachelor degrees, held by 25.2% of residents, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 37.9% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (14.5%) and certificates (23.4%). Educational participation is notably high in Cairns City, with 38.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes secondary education (9.3%), tertiary education (9.3%), and primary education (7.7%).

Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Transport analysis in Cairns City shows 32 active public transport stops operating. These are served by a mix of buses along 20 individual routes. Together, these routes facilitate 1,856 weekly passenger trips.

The city's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents on average located 254 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 265 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 58 weekly trips per individual stop.

Cairns City's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Cairns City with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~7,215 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 7.9 and 5.8% of residents respectively. A total of 74.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 71.7% across Rest of Qld. As of 2021, the area has 14.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,954 people), which is lower than the 15.7% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Cairns City was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Cairns City's cultural diversity is notable, with 29.5% speaking a language other than English at home and 41.4% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 41.5%. The 'Other' religious category is overrepresented in Cairns City at 2.4%, compared to 1.5% regionally.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups are English (22.3%), Other (19.2%), and Australian (15.1%), with Australians notably underrepresented compared to the regional average of 21.9%. Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Spanish at 1.0% vs regional 0.4%, French at 1.0% vs regional 0.5%, and Korean at 1.4% vs regional 0.4%.

Cairns City's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Cairns City has a median age of 36 years, which is lower than both the Rest of Qld figure of 41 and Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group is notably over-represented in Cairns City at 27.9%, compared to the Rest of Qld average and the national figure of 14.5%. Meanwhile, the 5-14 age group is under-represented at 5.9%. Between 2021 and present, the median age has decreased by 1.5 years to 36 due to an increase in younger residents. Specifically, the 25-34 age group grew from 23.8% to 27.9%, while the 45-54 cohort declined from 13.1% to 10.9% and the 55-64 group dropped from 12.5% to 11.1%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Cairns City. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 39%, adding 1,505 people to reach a total of 5,390 from the current figure of 3,884. Conversely, the 15-24 cohort shows minimal growth of just 5% (84 people).