Census employment data presents the number of persons employed in each industry sector (full-time and part-time) in Cairns regardless of where they live. By comparing the number of jobs in each industry sector to a regional benchmark, you can clearly see local economic strengths and weaknesses. By looking at how the number of jobs in each industry is changing over time, you can track how the structure of the local economy is changing. Go to the Employment locations page to see where employment is taking place across Cairns.
Note: Census employment figures are known to undercount employment by varying amounts depending on the Census year. All Census counts are an undercount of total population, and in addition, some people don’t state their workforce status or industry. Also counts by place of work exclude those with no fixed workplace address. For this reason, it is recommended that for total job numbers, users look at the Employment by industry (Total) modelled estimates which are updated on an annual basis, and based on the ABS Labour Force survey, less prone to undercount. The Census counts by industry are included here for a greater level of industry detail (3-digit ANZSIC).
Data source
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – Census 2016 & 2021 – by place of work
Current benchmark:
| Employment (Census) by industry sector | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||||
| Industry | Number | % | Regional QLD | Number | % | Regional QLD | 2016 - 2021 | ||
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 1,118 | 1.5 | 4.5 | 1,060 | 1.6 | 4.9 | +58 | ||
| Mining | 236 | 0.3 | 3.6 | 217 | 0.3 | 3.7 | +19 | ||
| Manufacturing | 2,775 | 3.7 | 5.7 | 2,628 | 3.9 | 5.8 | +147 | ||
| Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services | 829 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 620 | 0.9 | 1.2 | +209 | ||
| Construction | 5,541 | 7.4 | 8.3 | 4,522 | 6.7 | 7.6 | +1,019 | ||
| Wholesale Trade | 1,578 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1,618 | 2.4 | 2.3 | -40 | ||
| Retail Trade | 7,588 | 10.2 | 10.0 | 7,621 | 11.3 | 10.7 | -33 | ||
| Accommodation and Food Services | 7,750 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7,130 | 10.6 | 8.7 | +620 | ||
| Transport, Postal and Warehousing | 4,106 | 5.5 | 3.9 | 4,179 | 6.2 | 4.3 | -73 | ||
| Information Media and Telecommunications | 406 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 563 | 0.8 | 1.0 | -157 | ||
| Financial and Insurance Services | 995 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1,079 | 1.6 | 1.8 | -84 | ||
| Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services | 1,322 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1,449 | 2.1 | 2.0 | -127 | ||
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 3,529 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 3,261 | 4.8 | 4.5 | +268 | ||
| Administrative and Support Services | 2,439 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2,678 | 4.0 | 3.2 | -239 | ||
| Public Administration and Safety | 5,631 | 7.6 | 5.5 | 5,417 | 8.0 | 6.0 | +214 | ||
| Education and Training | 6,978 | 9.4 | 9.0 | 6,249 | 9.3 | 9.2 | +729 | ||
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 14,133 | 19.0 | 15.7 | 10,311 | 15.3 | 13.2 | +3,822 | ||
| Arts and Recreation Services | 1,128 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1,327 | 2.0 | 1.7 | -199 | ||
| Other Services | 3,534 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 2,936 | 4.4 | 4.0 | +598 | ||
| Industry not classified | 2,779 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 2,586 | 3.8 | 4.2 | +193 | ||
| Total persons | 74,402 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 67,451 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +6,951 | ||
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions). Please refer to specific data notes for more information | |||||||||
Dominant groups
An analysis of the jobs held by the local workers in Cairns in 2021 shows the three most popular industry sectors were:
- Health Care and Social Assistance (14,133 people or 19.0%)
- Accommodation and Food Services (7,750 people or 10.4%)
- Retail Trade (7,588 people or 10.2%)
In combination these three fields accounted for 29,471 people in total or 39.6% of the local workers.
In comparison, Regional QLD employed 15.7% in Health Care and Social Assistance; 8.5% in Accommodation and Food Services and 10.0% in Retail Trade.
The major differences between the jobs held by local workers of Cairns and Regional QLD were:
- A larger percentage of local workers employed in the field of Health Care and Social Assistance (19.0% compared to 15.7%)
- A smaller percentage of local workers employed in the field of Mining (0.3% compared to 3.6%)
- A smaller percentage of local workers employed in the field of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (1.5% compared to 4.5%)
- A larger percentage of local workers employed in the field of Public Administration and Safety (7.6% compared to 5.5%)
Emerging groups
The largest changes in the jobs held by local workers between 2016 and 2021 in Cairns were for those employed in:
- Health Care and Social Assistance (+3,822 local workers)
- Construction (+1,019 local workers)
- Education and Training (+729 local workers)
- Accommodation and Food Services (+620 local workers)