The local workers is made up of all the people who are employed in the local area, regardless of where they live. Local workers statistics reveal how the characteristics of the local workers in Cairns vary between each industry sector and indicates specific industry sector local workers requirements and employment opportunities.
Access the detailed tables for further exploration of each characteristic.
NOTE: All tables in the workers section are based on Census employment data which differ from the NIEIR employment estimates. See data notes for more details.
Data source
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – Census 2016 & 2021 – by place of work
Current industry:
Current benchmark:
| Local workers key statistics - All industries | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns | 2021 | 2016 | change | ||||||
| Name | number | % | Queensland | number | % | Queensland | 2016 to 2021 | ||
| Local workers | |||||||||
| Total local workers (Census) | 74,402 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 67,460 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +6,942 | ||
| Males | 35,304 | 47.5 | 50.7 | 32,461 | 48.1 | 51.8 | +2,843 | ||
| Females | 39,088 | 52.5 | 49.3 | 34,994 | 51.9 | 48.2 | +4,094 | ||
| Age structure | |||||||||
| 15 - 24 years | 10,681 | 14.4 | 15.6 | 9,549 | 14.2 | 15.6 | +1,132 | ||
| 25 - 54 years | 47,462 | 63.8 | 64.4 | 44,453 | 65.9 | 65.6 | +3,009 | ||
| 55 - 64 years | 12,416 | 16.7 | 15.3 | 10,559 | 15.7 | 14.8 | +1,857 | ||
| 65 years and over | 3,842 | 5.2 | 4.7 | 2,894 | 4.3 | 4.0 | +948 | ||
| Top three industries | |||||||||
| Health care and social assistance | 14,133 | 19.0 | 15.4 | 10,311 | 15.3 | 13.0 | +3,822 | ||
| Accommodation and food services | 7,750 | 10.4 | 7.2 | 7,130 | 10.6 | 7.4 | +620 | ||
| Retail trade | 7,588 | 10.2 | 9.3 | 7,621 | 11.3 | 9.9 | -33 | ||
| Top three occupations | |||||||||
| Professionals | 15,661 | 21.0 | 21.4 | 13,376 | 19.8 | 19.9 | +2,285 | ||
| Community and personal service workers | 11,365 | 15.3 | 12.4 | 9,417 | 14.0 | 11.4 | +1,948 | ||
| Technicians and trades workers | 10,230 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 9,175 | 13.6 | 14.2 | +1,055 | ||
| Hours worked | |||||||||
| Full time | 43,191 | 58.1 | 58.9 | 41,913 | 62.1 | 62.3 | +1,278 | ||
| Part time | 29,963 | 40.3 | 39.3 | 24,327 | 36.1 | 35.9 | +5,636 | ||
| Qualifications | |||||||||
| Bachelor or higher degree | 19,979 | 26.9 | 29.3 | 15,718 | 23.3 | 25.1 | +4,261 | ||
| Advanced diploma or diploma | 9,284 | 12.5 | 11.3 | 8,135 | 12.1 | 10.9 | +1,149 | ||
| Certificate level | 20,917 | 28.1 | 26.5 | 18,560 | 27.5 | 26.3 | +2,357 | ||
| No qualifications | 22,427 | 30.1 | 30.7 | 22,899 | 33.9 | 35.0 | -472 | ||
| Individual Income | |||||||||
| Less than $500 | 9,642 | 13.0 | 13.2 | -- | 0 | 0 | -- | ||
| $500 -$1,999 | 53,909 | 72.5 | 68.3 | -- | 0 | 0 | -- | ||
| $2,000 or more | 10,109 | 13.6 | 17.5 | -- | 0 | 0 | -- | ||
| Method of Travel to Work | |||||||||
| Car | 48,104 | 64.7 | 64.9 | 50,961 | 75.5 | 69.6 | -2,857 | ||
| Public Transport | 871 | 1.2 | 4.1 | 1,210 | 1.8 | 6.9 | -339 | ||
| Bicycle | 894 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1,292 | 1.9 | 1.0 | -398 | ||
| Walked only | 1,853 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2,276 | 3.4 | 3.3 | -423 | ||
| Other Characteristics | |||||||||
| Born overseas | 20,806 | 28.0 | 27.7 | 18,159 | 26.9 | 25.7 | +2,647 | ||
| Speaks a language other than English at home | 11,362 | 15.3 | 14.4 | 9,195 | 13.6 | 12.3 | +2,167 | ||
| Arrived between 2016 and August 2021 | 2,995 | 4.0 | 4.4 | -- | 0 | 0 | -- | ||
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 | |||||||||