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LEARN MORE ABOUT .idMore Cairns residents worked in health care and social assistance than any other industry in 2021.
Cairns's industry statistics identify the industry sectors in which the residents work (which may be within the residing area or elsewhere). This will be influenced by the skill base and socio-economic status of the residents as well as the industries and employment opportunities present in the region.
When viewed in conjunction with Residents Place of Work data and Method of Travel to Work, industry sector statistics provide insights into the relationship between the economic and residential role of the area.
Q:
Derived from the two Census questions:
'What best describes the business of your employer?' and 'What are the main goods produced or main services provided by your employers business?'
| Industry sector of employment | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns - Employed persons (Usual residence) | 2021 | 2011 | Change | ||||
| Industry sector | Number | % | Regional QLD % | Number | % | Regional QLD % | 2011 to 2021 |
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 1,262 | 1.6 | 4.3 | 817 | 1.2 | 4.6 | +445 |
| Mining | 1,368 | 1.7 | 3.5 | 998 | 1.4 | 3.9 | +370 |
| Manufacturing | 2,877 | 3.6 | 5.4 | 3,496 | 5.0 | 7.6 | -619 |
| Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services | 863 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 791 | 1.1 | 1.2 | +72 |
| Construction | 6,903 | 8.7 | 9.6 | 6,091 | 8.8 | 9.7 | +812 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,660 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2,154 | 3.1 | 3.2 | -494 |
| Retail Trade | 7,706 | 9.7 | 9.6 | 8,204 | 11.8 | 11.3 | -498 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 7,908 | 9.9 | 8.0 | 6,661 | 9.6 | 7.9 | +1,247 |
| Transport, Postal and Warehousing | 4,487 | 5.6 | 4.1 | 4,705 | 6.8 | 4.8 | -218 |
| Information Media and Telecommunications | 454 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 540 | 0.8 | 1.1 | -86 |
| Financial and Insurance Services | 1,038 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 1,058 | 1.5 | 2.0 | -20 |
| Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services | 1,351 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1,478 | 2.1 | 1.9 | -127 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 3,745 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 3,451 | 5.0 | 4.7 | +294 |
| Administrative and Support Services | 2,888 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 2,559 | 3.7 | 3.1 | +329 |
| Public Administration and Safety | 5,852 | 7.3 | 5.6 | 5,774 | 8.3 | 6.0 | +78 |
| Education and Training | 7,056 | 8.9 | 8.7 | 5,549 | 8.0 | 7.7 | +1,507 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 14,389 | 18.1 | 15.4 | 8,847 | 12.8 | 11.4 | +5,542 |
| Arts and Recreation Services | 1,249 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1,345 | 1.9 | 1.5 | -96 |
| Other Services | 3,622 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 2,932 | 4.2 | 4.0 | +690 |
| Inadequately described or not stated | 2,981 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 1,805 | 2.6 | 2.5 | +1,176 |
| Total employed persons aged 15+ | 79,659 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 69,255 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +10,404 |
Dominant groups
An analysis of the jobs held by the resident population in Cairns in 2021 shows the three most popular industry sectors were:
- Health Care and Social Assistance (14,389 people or 18.1%)
- Accommodation and Food Services (7,908 people or 9.9%)
- Retail Trade (7,706 people or 9.7%)
In combination, these three industries employed 30,003 people in total or 37.7% of the total employed resident population.
In comparison, Regional QLD employed 15.4% in Health Care and Social Assistance; 8.0% in Accommodation and Food Services; and 9.6% in Retail Trade.
The major differences between the jobs held by the population of Cairns and Regional QLD were:
- A larger percentage of persons employed in health care and social assistance (18.1% compared to 15.4%)
- A larger percentage of persons employed in accommodation and food services (9.9% compared to 8.0%)
- A smaller percentage of persons employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing (1.6% compared to 4.3%)
- A smaller percentage of persons employed in manufacturing (3.6% compared to 5.4%)
Emerging groups
The number of employed people in Cairns increased by 10,404 between 2011 and 2021.
The largest changes in the jobs held by the resident population between 2011 and 2021 in Cairns were for those employed in:
- Health Care and Social Assistance (+5,542 persons)
- Education and Training (+1,507 persons)
- Accommodation and Food Services (+1,247 persons)
- Construction (+812 persons)
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