Powered by .id (informed decisions) for Cairns Regional Council
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LEARN MORE ABOUT .idThe Census usual resident population of Cairns in 2021 was 166,943, living in 72,624 dwellings with an average household size of 2.43.
There are a number of different ways of measuring the population of an area, all of which give an insight into the size of the place and its rate of growth over different time periods. The Census counts people where they are on the night of the Census (Enumerated population) and also by where they usually live (Usual residence). Both these populations are useful and form the basis for a range of characteristics collected in the Census.
However, the most accurate count of the total population is Estimated Resident Population, which factors in an estimate of those missed in the Census and those who were overseas on Census night. It is usually higher than either Census count, and is also updated annually after the Census, providing preliminary estimates for up to 5 years.
This page provides the three population counts for Cairns at the last Census, with comparisons to previous Census years for the Census counts only. The current estimate for Cairns at the most recent year available is shown at the top of the page. This figure is a preliminary estimate only and is subject to review after the next Census data are released. Please use with caution.
Also included are a range of sub-population groups and key statistics from the Census (Usual resident) population, such as citizens, employed persons and Indigenous population.
These figures all provide the context for the size of the population and growth rate within Cairns and should be looked at in conjunction with other basic demographic information, such as Age Structure, Dwelling Type and Household Size.
The data on this page are sourced from a variety of different tables and designed to give a range of population and dwelling numbers for the area.
| Population | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns - Total persons | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||
| Population | Number | % | Regional QLD % | Number | % | Regional QLD % | 2016 to 2021 |
| Estimated Resident Population | 169,250 | -- | -- | 161,573 | -- | -- | +7,677 |
| Enumerated Population | 171,857 | -- | -- | 166,728 | -- | -- | +5,129 |
| Usual Resident Population | 166,943 | -- | -- | 156,901 | -- | -- | +10,042 |
| Selected subpopulation categories | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns - Total people (Usual residence) | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||
| Population group | Number | % | Regional QLD % | Number | % | Regional QLD % | 2016 to 2021 |
| Males | 82,335 | 49.3 | 49.3 | 77,390 | 49.3 | 49.5 | +4,945 |
| Females | 84,600 | 50.7 | 50.7 | 79,508 | 50.7 | 50.5 | +5,092 |
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population | 16,155 | 9.7 | 6.1 | 14,096 | 9.0 | 5.4 | +2,059 |
| Australian citizens | 137,862 | 82.6 | 84.9 | 127,064 | 81.0 | 84.1 | +10,798 |
| Eligible voters (citizens aged 18+) | 103,876 | 62.2 | 65.2 | 93,633 | 59.7 | 63.5 | +10,243 |
| Population over 15 | 135,099 | 80.9 | 81.7 | 124,782 | 79.5 | 80.7 | +10,317 |
| Employed Population | 79,647 | 94.3 | 94.8 | 72,404 | 92.3 | 92.2 | +7,243 |
| Overseas visitors (enumerated) | 392 | -- | -- | 10,241 | -- | -- | -9,849 |
| Dwellings | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns - Households (Enumerated) | 2021 | 2016 | Change | ||||
| Dwellings | Number | % | Regional QLD % | Number | % | Regional QLD % | 2016 to 2021 |
| Total dwellings | 72,624 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 69,048 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +3,576 |
| Occupied private dwellings | 65,917 | 90.8 | 88.9 | 62,267 | 90.2 | 87.9 | +3,650 |
| Population in non-private dwellings | 11,407 | -- | -- | 13,811 | -- | -- | -2,404 |
| Average household size (persons per dwelling) | 2.43 | -- | 2.44 | 2.46 | -- | 2.46 | -0.02 |
*Note that this is an estimate based on ERP at the SA1 level. It is subject to review after the next Census data release and may not match .id's population forecasts.
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