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Cairns Regional CouncilCommunity profile

Cairns City

Service age groups

In 2021, Cairns City had lower proportion of children (under 18) and a higher proportion of persons aged 60 or older than Cairns.

The Age Structure of Cairns City provides key insights into the level of demand for age based services and facilities such as child care. It is an indicator of Cairns City's residential role and function and how it is likely to change in the future.

Service age groups divide the population into age categories that reflect typical life-stages. They indicate the level of demand for services that target people at different stages in life and how that demand is changing.

To get a more complete picture Cairns City's Age Structure should be viewed in conjunction with Household Types and Dwelling Types.

Q:

Derived from the Census question:

'What is the person's date of birth or age?'

Age structure - Service age groups
Cairns City - Total persons (Usual residence)20212016Change
Service age group (years)Number%Cairns %Number%Cairns %2016 to 2021
Babies and pre-schoolers (0 to 4)712.05.5662.46.5+5
Primary schoolers (5 to 11)872.49.2582.19.9+29
Secondary schoolers (12 to 17)782.28.3652.48.1+13
Tertiary education and independence (18 to 24)3068.57.732511.98.0-19
Young workforce (25 to 34)87124.113.259721.913.6+274
Parents and homebuilders (35 to 49)64417.820.954920.121.9+95
Older workers and pre-retirees (50 to 59)54715.113.644216.213.6+105
Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69)52214.411.234212.510.4+180
Seniors (70 to 84)43412.08.82599.56.6+175
Elderly aged (85 and over)541.51.5240.91.3+30
Total3,614100.0100.02,727100.0100.0+887
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

Dominant groups

Analysis of the service age groups of Cairns City in 2021 compared to Cairns shows that there was a lower proportion of people in the younger age groups (0 to 17 years) and a higher proportion of people in the older age groups (60+ years).

Overall, 6.5% of the population was aged between 0 and 17, and 27.9% were aged 60 years and over, compared with 23.0% and 21.5% respectively for Cairns.

The major differences between the age structure of Cairns City and Cairns were:

  • A larger percentage of 'Young workforce' (24.1% compared to 13.2%)
  • A smaller percentage of 'Primary schoolers' (2.4% compared to 9.2%)
  • A smaller percentage of 'Secondary schoolers' (2.2% compared to 8.3%)
  • A smaller percentage of 'Babies and pre-schoolers' (2.0% compared to 5.5%)

Emerging groups

From 2016 to 2021, Cairns City's population increased by 887 people (32.5%). This represents an average annual population change of 5.79% per year over the period.

The largest changes in the age structure in this area between 2016 and 2021 were in the age groups:

  • Young workforce (25 to 34) (+274 people)
  • Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69) (+180 people)
  • Seniors (70 to 84) (+175 people)
  • Older workers and pre-retirees (50 to 59) (+105 people)

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