Cairns

Market characteristics

Cairns has a lower proportion of households in the medium to high income category compared to Queensland.

The people who live in an area are one of the most important resources that an economy draws upon, both as a market that consumes goods and services and as a source of labour.

This table provides an overview of Cairns's population demographics, and how their characteristics compare to those of the broader region.

More detailed information about Cairns's resident population, including neighbourhood profiles, can be found in the Community Profile.

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – Census 2011 and 2016 – by usual residence

Current benchmark:
reset
Market characteristics
Cairns20162011Change
NameNumber%. QueenslandNumber%. Queensland2016 - 2011
Population summary--------------
Total residents156,901100.0100.0156,163100.0100.0+738
Males77,39049.349.477,54649.749.6-156
Females79,50850.750.678,61750.350.4+891
Age structure--------------
0 - 14 years32,10320.519.433,83221.720.2-1,729
15 - 24 years18,95112.113.019,41312.413.6-462
25 - 54 years66,89642.640.569,24344.341.5-2,347
55 - 64 Years19,02112.111.817,91811.511.6+1,103
65 years and over19,91412.715.315,75710.113.1+4,157
Education institute attending--------------
Primary school13,7838.88.513,7688.88.8+15
Secondary school10,3646.66.39,4826.16.0+882
TAFE2,6641.71.62,8311.81.8-167
University5,2683.44.54,4382.84.0+830
Diversity--------------
Total overseas born33,61221.421.631,56720.220.5+2,045
Speaks language other than English at home20,77413.211.816,99410.99.7+3,780
Speaks another language, and English not well or not at all3,2062.01.82,4521.61.4+754
Qualifications--------------
Bachelor or higher degree20,24716.218.316,89813.815.9+3,349
Advanced Diploma or Diploma11,5399.28.79,7798.07.5+1,760
Certificate level28,74123.021.326,98522.119.9+1,756
No qualification47,96338.440.952,20442.745.8-4,241
Household income--------------
Nill to $64910,62518.417.6--------
$650 to $1,49918,15431.430.4--------
$1,500 to $2,44913,10322.722.3--------
$2,500 or more 9,24316.019.2--------
Housing tenure--------------
Owned14,01622.527.414,54222.928.4-526
Purchasing18,83230.231.419,49130.732.6-659
Renting22,21235.732.223,57137.132.0-1,359
Dwelling structure--------------
Separate house46,32767.473.647,02666.575.7-699
Medium house13,79820.115.714,58920.615.2-791
High density6,1949.07.86,5399.26.5-345

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics,

Cairns Regional Council

economic profile