The Age Structure of Cairns's resident workers is indicative of the residential role and function of the local area. This includes factors such as when the area was settled; what types of households live there; the level of access the area has to employment, services and facilities; the local dwelling stock characteristics (including cost of housing); local amenity and a range of other factors that attract people to an area.
The age structure of Cairns's resident workers is indicative of the skill-levels and experience that local businesses can draw upon. For example, younger resident workers, while less experienced, are typically more mobile and have higher level skills in use of new technologies.
For a complete local resident workers analysis for Cairns, Age Structure should be analysed in conjunction with Qualification, Occupations, Hours worked and Income.
Data source
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – Census 2016 and 2021 – by usual residence
Select industry:
Current benchmark:
Sex:
| Resident workers age structure | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns Regional Council - All industries | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||||
| Ten year age groups (years) | Number | % | Queensland% | Number | % | Queensland% | 2016 - 2021 | ||
| 15 to 24 years | 11,023 | 13.8 | 15.5 | 9,951 | 13.7 | 15.6 | +1,072 | ||
| 25 to 34 years | 15,909 | 20.0 | 21.6 | 14,799 | 20.4 | 21.8 | +1,110 | ||
| 35 to 44 years | 17,256 | 21.7 | 21.8 | 16,661 | 23.0 | 22.0 | +595 | ||
| 45 to 54 years | 18,034 | 22.6 | 21.0 | 16,615 | 22.9 | 21.9 | +1,419 | ||
| 55 to 64 years | 13,301 | 16.7 | 15.3 | 11,314 | 15.6 | 14.8 | +1,987 | ||
| 65 years and over | 4,127 | 5.2 | 4.7 | 3,066 | 4.2 | 4.0 | +1,061 | ||
| Total Persons | 79,650 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 72,406 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +7,244 | ||
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions) | |||||||||
Dominant groups
Analysis of the resident workers (All industries) age structure of Cairns in 2021compared to Queensland shows that there was a lower proportion of persons in the younger age groups (15 to 44 years) as well as a higher proportion of persons in the older age groups (45 years and over).
Overall, 55.5% of the resident workers was aged under 45 years, compared to 58.9% for Queensland. 44.5% were aged 45 years and over, compared to 41.1% for Queensland.
The major difference between the resident workers age structure of Cairns and Queensland is:
- A smaller percentage of resident workers aged 15 to 24 years (13.8% compared to 15.5%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers aged 25 to 34 years (20.0% compared to 21.6%)
- A larger percentage of resident workers aged 45 to 54 years (22.6% compared to 21.0%)
- A larger percentage of resident workers aged 55 to 64 years (16.7% compared to 15.3%)
Emerging groups
From 2016 to 2021, Cairns's resident workers (All industries) population increased by 7,244 people (10.0%). This represents an average annual change of 1.93% per year over the period.
The largest changes in the resident workers age structure in Cairns between 2016 and 2021 were in the age groups:
- 55 to 64 years (+1,987 persons)
- 45 to 54 years (+1,419 persons)
- 25 to 34 years (+1,110 persons)
- 15 to 24 years (+1,072 persons)