Moving to Cairns North QLD 4870
What the official numbers say about living in Cairns North — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $340 a week, against a median household income of $1,402 a week.
Who you'll be living with
Cairns North grew 20% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (4,444 → 5,334 people).
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, India, New Zealand; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Punjabi, Japanese.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Cairns North sits around the national average (decile 4 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (66% of workers), while 14% work from home.
Nearest train station: Cairns, 2.2 km south-east.
Nearest bus interchange: Cairns City bus station, 2 km south-east.
Nearest ferry wharf: Reef Fleet Terminal, 2.5 km south-east.
Nearest airport: Cairns Airport, 3.6 km north.
The Brisbane CBD is roughly 1391 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 17 schools · 137 cafes & restaurants · 9 supermarkets · 37 parks — see them all on the Cairns North profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Cairns State High School 1 km · Mother of Good Counsel School 1.1 km · Saint Monicas College 1.5 km · Trinity Bay State High School 1.8 km · Parramatta State School 1.8 km · Cairns School of Distance Education 1.9 km · Edge Hill State School 2 km · Saint Josephs School 2.1 km
Groceries: The Healthy Hub 200 m · X-press Supermarket 1.1 km · Good Foods 1.9 km · Coles 2 km · Friendly Grocer 2.2 km · Woolworths 2.3 km · Peries IGA 2.3 km · Wellbeing Korea 2.3 km
Parks and reserves: Les Davie Park 100 m · Apex Park 450 m · Peace Park 550 m · John Egan Park 650 m · Mandrusia Park 900 m · Teatree Park 1000 m · Jess Mitchell Park 1.3 km · Minnie St 1.3 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Cairns North, most often seen first: Common Myna · Masked Lapwing · Willie Wagtail · Magpie-lark · Peaceful Dove · Rainbow Lorikeet.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Cairns North, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns North here | 5,334 | — | 4/10 | 27% |
| Parramatta Park | 3,621 | — | 2/10 | 17% |
| Manunda | 5,191 | — | 1/10 | 24% |
| Cairns City | 3,616 | — | 8/10 | 6% |
| Edge Hill | 4,088 | — | 7/10 | 37% |
| Westcourt | 3,841 | — | 1/10 | 6% |
| Manoora | 6,175 | — | 1/10 | 19% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Cairns — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Leichhardt — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 4870 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Cairns North profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $340 a week.
The population grew 20% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 4,444 people to 5,334. It sits about 1391 km from the Brisbane CBD in a straight line, and Cairns station is roughly 2.2 km away. Local government is Cairns council, and the federal seat is Leichhardt.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Cairns North vs Parramatta Park · Cairns North vs Manunda.
Nearby guides: Parramatta Park · Manunda · Cairns City · Edge Hill · Westcourt · Manoora.
Keep an eye on Cairns North
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