Cairns
| Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people | 18,269 |
|---|---|
| Male | 8,914 |
| Female | 9,355 |
| Median age | 20 |
| Occupied private dwellings | 5,557 |
|---|---|
| Average people per household | 3.6 |
| Median weekly household income | 838 |
| Median monthly mortgage repayment | 1,083 |
| Median weekly rent | 140 |
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People
demographics | language diversity | employmentDemographics
| People | Cairns | % Cairns | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people | 18,269 | 9.1 | 455,031 | 2.3 |
| Aboriginal | 12,160 | 66.6 | 407,698 | 89.6 |
| Torres Strait Islander | 3,799 | 20.8 | 29,517 | 6.5 |
| Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander | 2,310 | 12.6 | 17,816 | 3.9 |
| Male | 8,914 | 48.8 | 224,079 | 49.2 |
| Female | 9,355 | 51.2 | 230,952 | 50.8 |
In the 2006 Census (held on 8th August 2006), there were 18,269 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people usually resident in Cairns, 48.8% were male and 51.2% were female.
| Age People | Cairns | % Cairns | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 years | 2,293 | 12.6 | 55,567 | 12.2 |
| 5-14 years | 4,707 | 25.8 | 115,542 | 25.4 |
| 15-24 years | 3,228 | 17.7 | 86,015 | 18.9 |
| 25-54 years | 6,567 | 35.9 | 160,588 | 35.3 |
| 55-64 years | 867 | 4.7 | 22,202 | 4.9 |
| 65 years and over | 607 | 3.3 | 15,113 | 3.3 |
| null | null | null | null | null |
| Median age | 20 | -- | 20 | -- |
In the 2006 Census, 38.3% of the population usually resident in Cairns were Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children aged 0-14 years, 8.1% were aged 55 years and over and the median age was 20 years.
Language diversity
| Australian Indigenous language, top responses | Cairns | % Cairns | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torres Strait Creole | 485 | 2.7 | 5,773 | 1.3 |
| Kuku Yalanji | 119 | 0.7 | 332 | 0.1 |
| Kalaw Kawaw Ya/Kalaw Lagaw Ya | 100 | 0.5 | 1,069 | 0.2 |
| Kriol | 62 | 0.3 | 3,871 | 0.9 |
| Guugu Yimidhirr | 49 | 0.3 | 757 | 0.2 |
| null | null | null | null | null |
| English only spoken at home | 15,301 | 83.8 | 372,012 | 81.8 |
In the 2006 Census, the most common responses for Indigenous language other than English spoken at home by people usually resident in Cairns were Torres Strait Creole 2.7%, Kuku Yalanji 0.7%, Kalaw Kawaw Ya/Kalaw Lagaw Ya 0.5%, Kriol 0.3% and Guugu Yimidhirr 0.3%. English was stated as the only language spoken at home by 83.8% resident in Cairns
Employment
| Employment People aged 15 years and over | Cairns | % Cairns | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed | 5,028 | 84.6 | 122,747 | 84.4 |
| Unemployed | 912 | 15.4 | 22,643 | 15.6 |
| Not in the labour force | 4,638 | -- | 121,360 | -- |
| Total labour force (includes employed and unemployed people) | 5,940 | -- | 145,390 | -- |
During the week prior to the 2006 Census, 5,940 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, aged 15 years and over in Cairns were in the labour force. Of these 84.6% were employed and 15.4% were unemployed. 4,638 were not in the labour force.
View labour force information| Education People aged 15 years and over | Cairns | % Cairns | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest year of school completed: | null | null | null | null |
| Year 10 or equivalent | 3,037 | 27.0 | 79,450 | 28.0 |
| Year 12 or equivalent | 2,808 | 24.9 | 55,100 | 19.4 |
| People aged 15-19 years in full-time education | 889 | 7.9 | 21,762 | 7.7 |
| People with a qualification | 4,042 | 35.9 | 101,457 | 35.7 |
In the 2006 Census, 27.0% of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, aged 15 years and over who were usually resident in Cairns had completed Year 10 or equivalent, and 24.9% had completed Year 12 or equivalent. 7.9% aged 15-19 years were in full-time education and 35.9% aged 15 years and over had a qualification.
Dwellings
dwelling structure | dwelling characteristicsDwelling structure
Dwellings include visitor only and other not-classifiable households unless otherwise stated
| Tenure Occupied private dwellings where at least one person was Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander | Cairns | % Cairns | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupied private dwellings | 5,557 | -- | 167,049 | -- |
| Owned outright | 466 | 8.4 | 18,375 | 11.0 |
| Owned with a mortgage (includes being purchased under rent/buy scheme) | 921 | 16.6 | 38,665 | 23.1 |
| Rented (includes rent-free) | 3,812 | 68.6 | 100,630 | 60.2 |
| Other tenure type | 34 | 0.6 | 1,177 | 0.7 |
| Tenure type not stated | 324 | 5.8 | 8,202 | 4.9 |
In the 2006 Census, there were 5,557 dwellings with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in Cairns. 8.4% of these dwellings were fully owned, 16.6% were being purchased and 68.6% were rented.
Dwelling characteristics
| Dwelling characteristics | Cairns | % Cairns | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median weekly individual income | 305 | -- | 278 | -- |
| Median weekly household income | 838 | -- | 791 | -- |
| Median weekly rent | 140 | -- | 140 | -- |
| Median monthly mortgage repayment | 1,083 | -- | 1,127 | -- |
| Average people per household | 3.6 | -- | 3.4 | -- |
| Average number of people per bedroom | 1.4 | -- | 1.3 | -- |
In the 2006 Census in Cairns, the median weekly individual income for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over was $305 and the median household income was $838. The median weekly rent was $140 and the median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083. The average household size was 3.6 and the average number of people per bedroom was 1.4.
The information contained in this QuickStat has been produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It contains data from the 2006 Census of Population & Housing held on 9 August 2006. Some values may have been adjusted to avoid release of confidential data. These adjustments may have a significant impact on the calculated percentages in QuickStats. For more information refer to Introduced Random Error. For further enquiries contact the ABS National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 | www.abs.gov.au/census