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 2016 and 2021 – by usual residence
Current benchmark:
| Market characteristics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||
| Name | Number | % | Queensland | Number | % | Queensland | 2021 - 2016 |
| Population summary | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Total residents | 166,943 | 100.2 | 100.2 | 156,901 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +10,042 |
| Males | 82,340 | 49.4 | 49.3 | 77,390 | 49.3 | 49.4 | +4,950 |
| Females | 84,597 | 50.8 | 50.8 | 79,508 | 50.7 | 50.6 | +5,089 |
| Age structure | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 0 - 14 years | 31,848 | 19.1 | 18.7 | 32,103 | 20.5 | 19.4 | -255 |
| 15 - 24 years | 19,485 | 11.7 | 12.4 | 18,951 | 12.1 | 13.0 | +534 |
| 25 - 54 years | 68,699 | 41.2 | 40.1 | 66,896 | 42.6 | 40.5 | +1,803 |
| 55 - 64 Years | 21,093 | 12.7 | 12.0 | 19,021 | 12.1 | 11.8 | +2,072 |
| 65 years and over | 25,822 | 15.5 | 17.0 | 19,914 | 12.7 | 15.3 | +5,908 |
| Education institute attending | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Primary school | 13,731 | 8.2 | 8.3 | 13,783 | 8.8 | 8.5 | -52 |
| Secondary school | 11,992 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 10,364 | 6.6 | 6.3 | +1,628 |
| TAFE | 4,023 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2,664 | 1.7 | 1.6 | +1,359 |
| University | 5,647 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 5,268 | 3.4 | 4.5 | +379 |
| Diversity | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Total overseas born | 37,272 | 22.4 | 22.7 | 33,612 | 21.4 | 21.6 | +3,660 |
| Speaks language other than English at home | 23,472 | 14.1 | 13.2 | 20,774 | 13.2 | 11.8 | +2,698 |
| Speaks another language, and English not well or not at all | 3,010 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 3,206 | 2.0 | 1.8 | -196 |
| Qualifications | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Bachelor or higher degree | 25,830 | 19.1 | 21.9 | 20,247 | 16.2 | 18.3 | +5,583 |
| Advanced Diploma or Diploma | 13,280 | 9.8 | 9.4 | 11,539 | 9.2 | 8.7 | +1,741 |
| Certificate level | 32,081 | 23.7 | 22.1 | 28,741 | 23.0 | 21.3 | +3,340 |
| No qualification | 48,000 | 35.5 | 37.5 | 47,963 | 38.4 | 40.9 | +37 |
| Household income | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Nill to $649 | 9,650 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 10,625 | 9.2 | 8.8 | -975 |
| $650 to $1,499 | 17,620 | 14.2 | 13.5 | 18,154 | 15.7 | 15.2 | -534 |
| $1,500 to $2,449 | 14,681 | 11.8 | 11.3 | 13,103 | 11.3 | 11.1 | +1,578 |
| $2,500 or more | 14,723 | 11.9 | 13.6 | 9,243 | 8.0 | 9.6 | +5,480 |
| Housing tenure | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Owned | 16,649 | 25.3 | 28.2 | 14,016 | 22.5 | 27.4 | +2,633 |
| Purchasing | 21,633 | 32.8 | 32.4 | 18,826 | 30.2 | 31.4 | +2,807 |
| Renting | 21,709 | 32.9 | 31.7 | 21,804 | 35.0 | 31.3 | -95 |
| Dwelling structure | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Separate house | 49,548 | 68.5 | 71.9 | 46,327 | 67.4 | 73.6 | +3,221 |
| Medium house | 14,132 | 19.5 | 16.2 | 13,798 | 20.1 | 15.7 | +334 |
| High density | 6,785 | 9.4 | 9.7 | 6,194 | 9.0 | 7.8 | +591 |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, | |||||||