Poverty and living standards in Cairns, Australia: official figures
The median weekly rent paid by households in the Cairns Region was $340 at the 2021 Census (rents on census night, 10 August 2021), 7th lowest of 31 areas; the national median was $375. Boundary: the Cairns Region local government area (the council area), not the wider urban region around it.
What is the average mortgage repayment in Cairns?
The median monthly mortgage repayment in the Cairns Region was $1,588 at the 2021 Census (the national median was $1,863), 8th lowest of 31 areas.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many people in Cairns have no income?
7.4% of residents of the Cairns Region had nil or negative personal income at the 2021 Census, joint 13th lowest of 31 areas, below the national figure (8.7%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many renters in Cairns are in rental stress?
33.1% of renting households in the Cairns Region paid more than 30% of their income in rent at the 2021 Census (a common measure of rental stress), 11th highest of 26 areas, above the national figure (32.2%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many households in Cairns are in mortgage stress?
11.4% of households with a mortgage in the Cairns Region paid more than 30% of their income in repayments at the 2021 Census (mortgage stress), below the national figure (14.5%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many people in Cairns are on a low income?
21.7% of residents of the Cairns Region had a personal income of $1 to $499 a week at the 2021 Census, below the national figure (23.3%); 15.5% of households had an equivalised income of $1 to $499 a week, below the national figure (15.9%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Cairns?
An estimated 1,208 people were homeless on census night 2021 in the Cairns Region, which is 70 per 10,000 residents (8th highest of 26 areas; Australia 48 per 10,000).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many households in Cairns are overcrowded?
3.9% of occupied homes in the Cairns Region needed at least one more bedroom for the people living there at the 2021 Census (Australia 3.5%).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyIs Cairns a disadvantaged area?
On the ABS SEIFA index of relative socio-economic disadvantage (2021), the Cairns Region is in decile 6 of Australia, where decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of areas and decile 10 the least.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many households in Cairns are disadvantaged?
26.7% of households in the Cairns Region were in the most disadvantaged quarter of Australian households on the ABS Index of Household Advantage and Disadvantage (2021 Census).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow Cairns compares with other cities in Australia
Median weekly rent, 2021 Census (2021 Census)
Cairns ranks 25 of 31, highest first. Values cover the 18 city council areas (ABS Local Government Areas), 8 greater capital city areas (Canberra is the whole Australian Capital Territory) and, where the 2021 Census community profile gives the figure, 5 Significant Urban Areas. The areas overlap (for example the City of Brisbane lies inside Greater Brisbane), so compare like with like.
| Rank | City | Median weekly rent, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Greater Hobart | $350 |
| 23 | Greater Perth | $350 |
| 24 | Geelong | $346 |
| 25 | Cairns | $340 |
| 26 | Greater Adelaide | $320 |
| 27 | Townsville | $305 |
| 28 | Toowoomba | $300 |
Renting households paying over 30% of income in rent, 2021 Census (2021 Census)
Cairns ranks 11 of 26, highest first. Values cover the 18 city council areas (ABS Local Government Areas), 8 greater capital city areas (Canberra is the whole Australian Capital Territory) and, where the 2021 Census community profile gives the figure, 5 Significant Urban Areas. The areas overlap (for example the City of Brisbane lies inside Greater Brisbane), so compare like with like. Not published for Significant Urban Areas.
| Rank | City | Renting households paying over 30% of income in rent, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Greater Sydney | 35.3% |
| 9 | Newcastle | 33.7% |
| 10 | Hobart | 33.5% |
| 11 | Cairns | 33.1% |
| 12 | Sydney | 33.0% |
| 13 | Geelong | 32.2% |
| 14 | Ballarat | 31.6% |
Residents with nil or negative income, 2021 Census (2021 Census)
Cairns ranks 17 of 31, highest first. Values cover the 18 city council areas (ABS Local Government Areas), 8 greater capital city areas (Canberra is the whole Australian Capital Territory) and, where the 2021 Census community profile gives the figure, 5 Significant Urban Areas. The areas overlap (for example the City of Brisbane lies inside Greater Brisbane), so compare like with like.
| Rank | City | Residents with nil or negative income, 2021 Census |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Gold Coast-Tweed Heads | 7.8% |
| 15 | Central Coast | 7.6% |
| 16 | Sydney | 7.4% |
| 17 | Cairns | 7.4% |
| 18 | Darwin | 7.4% |
| 19 | Greater Hobart | 7.4% |
| 20 | Toowoomba | 7.3% |
More on Cairns: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · all cities in Australia
Sources
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Data by region 2011-2025: Local Government Areas (ASGS Edition 3), 18 city councils, all indicators, read 28 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 788eca55906d…)
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