Moving to Palm Cove QLD 4879
What the official numbers say about living in Palm Cove — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $365 a week, against a median household income of $1,527 a week.
About 68% of homes are owner-occupied and 31% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Palm Cove grew 48% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (1,658 → 2,450 people).
Around 70% of households are families, averaging 2.1 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, Germany; most spoken languages besides English: German, French, Thai.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Palm Cove scores a little above the national average (decile 7 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (68% of workers), while 23% work from home.
Nearest train station: Kuranda, 8.6 km south.
Nearest bus interchange: James Cook University Bus Station, 8.4 km south.
Nearest airport: Cairns Airport, 17.1 km south-east.
The Brisbane CBD is roughly 1412 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 1 school · 30 cafes & restaurants · 1 supermarket · 5 parks · 3 beaches — see them all on the Palm Cove profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Trinity Anglican School 5 km
Groceries: Coles 2 km
Parks and reserves: Tom McDonald Park 150 m · Goldfinch Park 850 m · Argentea Park 1.4 km · Deadmans Gully Environmental Reserve 1.9 km · Deadman’s Gully Park 2.1 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Palm Cove, most often seen first: Common Myna · Rainbow Lorikeet · Torresian Imperial-pigeon · White-breasted Woodswallow · Rainbow Bee-eater · Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Palm Cove, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Cove here | 2,450 | — | 7/10 | 51% |
| Clifton Beach | 3,192 | — | 7/10 | 65% |
| Kewarra Beach | 6,133 | — | 7/10 | 29% |
| Trinity Beach | 6,594 | — | 7/10 | 40% |
| Trinity Park | 3,536 | — | 7/10 | 36% |
| Yorkeys Knob | 2,794 | — | 3/10 | 32% |
| Smithfield | 6,664 | — | 7/10 | 48% |
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 4879 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Palm Cove profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $365 a week, and about 31% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 48% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 1,658 people to 2,450. It sits about 1412 km from the Brisbane CBD in a straight line, and Kuranda station is roughly 8.6 km away. Local government is Cairns council, and the federal seat is Leichhardt.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Palm Cove vs Clifton Beach · Palm Cove vs Kewarra Beach.
Nearby guides: Clifton Beach · Kewarra Beach · Trinity Beach · Trinity Park · Yorkeys Knob · Smithfield.
Keep an eye on Palm Cove
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