Cairns Regional Council

Cairns City

QLD4870

Cairns City at a glance

Walk score

100

Walker's paradise

Population

3,616

Median age 44

The brief

What to know about Cairns City.

Cairns City (4870) sits in the Cairns region of Queensland.

Cairns City has roughly 3,616 residents, with an established, older skew. Households are a roughly even mix of owners and renters. Day-to-day life here is very walkable, with most errands manageable on foot.

Side by side

Compare Cairns City with a nearby suburb.

Median, growth, schools, walkability, all in one view.

Day to day

What it’s like to live here.

Cairns City scores 100/100 on walkability, which makes it very walkable with limited public transport. Coffee, groceries and a meal out are mostly walking-distance, which keeps a household viable on one car.

Summer days here average around 32°C (warm), winter mornings around 17°C (mild). Annual rainfall lands at about 2065mm. Data comes from the Bureau of Meteorology's Cairns Aero station, 97.0km away.

Schooling within or near the suburb covers 6 government primary, 3 government secondary, 8 Catholic, 1 independent.

Who lives here

Demographics.

The 2021 Census put Cairns City's population at 3,616, with a median age of 44. That sits as an established, older skew. Households are a roughly even mix of owners and renters (47% own, 49% rent), which shapes everything from school catchment stability to how often properties turn over. Lone-person households are notable here (39%), often a marker of unit-heavy stock and walkable infrastructure.

Population

3,616

Median age

44

Family households

53%

Lone person

39%

Demographics data as of May 2026· ABS 2021 Census

Market

The price of a home here.

Median house price

Verified median pending

We don't yet have a verified suburb-level median for this market. We're working on a data partner; in the meantime, treat the state-level figures as a guide only. How we source data.

Sales data as of May 2026· sales-qld

Rental and ownership

Weekly rent (house)

$310/wk

Weekly rent (unit)

$413/wk

Owner occupied

47%

Renter occupied

49%

At a deeper level

PopulationSource: ABS Census 2021 · May 2026

3,616

Median age: 44

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Safety

Crime and safety.

Offence Summary

LGA-wide data, not suburb-specific

QLD Police only publishes crime statistics at the local government area / region level. The numbers below cover the entire Cairns Regional Council, which may include suburbs with very different crime profiles. Quieter residential pockets within the LGA likely have lower rates than the total suggests; busier areas may have higher.

24,995

total offences in 2026 across the Cairns Regional Council LGA

Top offence categories

Offences Against Property3,980 (15.9%)
Other Offences3,709 (14.8%)
Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry)1,798 (7.2%)
Offences Against the Person1,154 (4.6%)
Breach Domestic Violence Protection Order1,112 (4.4%)

Crime statistics are reported at LGA level and may cover a broader area than this suburb.

Source: State Police Open Data

Getting around

Walkability.

Walk Score

100

Transit Score

30

Bike Score

100

Scores calculated from OpenStreetMap data (ODbL)

Walkability data as of May 2026· OpenStreetMap

Place

Location.

Amenities

Transport

Nearby suburbs

Education

Schools in Cairns City.

Local schools for Cairns City

View the catchment for each school to find out more.

Government School Catchment

Cairns State High School

7-12CoEdGovernment
View Catchment

Parramatta State School

Prep-6CoEdGovernment
View Catchment

Trinity Bay State High School

7-12CoEdGovernment
View Catchment

© ACARA, licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Climate

Weather year-round.

Annual Rainfall

2065 mm

Hottest Month (avg max)

31.5°C

Coldest Month (avg min)

16.9°C

Monthly Rainfall (mm)

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Weather data from BOM station Cairns Aero (97 km away)

Climate data as of May 2026· Bureau of Meteorology

Frequently asked

About Cairns City.

What is the Cairns City postcode?
Cairns City is in the 4870 postcode, in QLD, in the Cairns Regional Council region.
What is the average rent in Cairns City?
The median weekly rent for houses is $310, for units it's $413.
What schools are in Cairns City?
There are 20 schools serving Cairns City on this page, including St Monica's College, Cairns State High School, St Augustine's College.
How walkable is Cairns City?
Cairns City has a Walk Score of 100 out of 100, very walkable. transit score 30, bike score 100.
What suburbs are near Cairns City?
Cairns City is close to Cairns Mc, Cairns Orchid Plaza, Cairns Dc, Cairns Central, Parramatta Park.
What is the population of Cairns City?
Cairns City has approximately 3,616 residents. The median age is 44.

Sources cited

Median, growth and rental data from state revenue offices and ABS. Census from ABS 2021. Climate from BoM. Hazard from Geoscience Australia. School data from ACARA. Crime from state police open data. Full methodology →

Always dated

Every figure on this page carries its source and as-of date in a tooltip. If a figure looks off to you, tell us and we’ll fix it within a week.

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