Fastest growing Cairns suburbs (2016-2021)
Cairns City grew fastest in percentage terms, at +32%. Smithfield added the most residents, 1,360. Both figures are the change between the 2016-2021 Censuses, the most recent per-suburb measurement available. These 30 suburbs came from a field of 33 eligible Cairns suburbs.
This ranking shows which Cairns suburbs grew fastest between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses — once by percent change, and once by the sheer number of residents added, because those two questions have very different answers.
Percent growth and headcount growth are both real and they rarely agree. A suburb going from 100 residents to 5,000 has grown 4,900%, and a suburb going from 35,000 to 56,000 has grown 63% — but the second one added four times as many people. The first list finds the greenfield estates, the second finds the established corridors absorbing most of the actual growth. Both are ranked within Cairns's own pool. Note the period: the 2021 Census is the most recent per-suburb population count available in Australia, so this measures the five years to 2021 rather than the present day. Growth corridors tend to persist, but a suburb that has since filled up will still appear here.
Cairns suburbs that grew fastest, 2016-2021
Ranked on percent population change between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses. Percent growth favours suburbs starting from a small base, so greenfield estates built on former farmland dominate the top.
Cairns City
QLD 4870 · 3,616 residents879 residents added · +32% · 3,616 residents in 2021
Smithfield
QLD 4878 · 6,664 residents1,360 residents added · +26% · 6,664 residents in 2021
Trinity Beach
QLD 4879 · 6,594 residents1,105 residents added · +20% · 6,594 residents in 2021
Palm Cove
QLD 4879 · 2,450 residents391 residents added · +19% · 2,450 residents in 2021
Trinity Park
QLD 4879 · 3,536 residents430 residents added · +14% · 3,536 residents in 2021
Caravonica
QLD 4878 · 2,183 residents193 residents added · +10% · 2,183 residents in 2021
Bungalow
QLD 4870 · 2,358 residents199 residents added · +9% · 2,358 residents in 2021
Redlynch
QLD 4870 · 10,571 residents843 residents added · +9% · 10,571 residents in 2021
Kewarra Beach
QLD 4879 · 6,133 residents480 residents added · +8% · 6,133 residents in 2021
Woree
QLD 4868 · 5,127 residents306 residents added · +6% · 5,127 residents in 2021
Edmonton
QLD 4869 · 11,409 residents655 residents added · +6% · 11,409 residents in 2021
Kanimbla
QLD 4870 · 2,827 residents156 residents added · +6% · 2,827 residents in 2021
Freshwater
QLD 4870 · 2,142 residents118 residents added · +6% · 2,142 residents in 2021
Stratford
QLD 4870 · 1,198 residents59 residents added · +5% · 1,198 residents in 2021
Mount Sheridan
QLD 4868 · 8,678 residents406 residents added · +5% · 8,678 residents in 2021
Ranked from 33 qualifying suburbs.
Cairns suburbs that added the most residents, 2016-2021
Ranked on the NUMBER of residents added between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses rather than the percentage, which surfaces the established growth corridors instead of small suburbs multiplying from near zero.
Smithfield
QLD 4878 · 6,664 residents1,360 residents added · +26% · 6,664 residents in 2021
Trinity Beach
QLD 4879 · 6,594 residents1,105 residents added · +20% · 6,594 residents in 2021
Cairns City
QLD 4870 · 3,616 residents879 residents added · +32% · 3,616 residents in 2021
Redlynch
QLD 4870 · 10,571 residents843 residents added · +9% · 10,571 residents in 2021
Edmonton
QLD 4869 · 11,409 residents655 residents added · +6% · 11,409 residents in 2021
Kewarra Beach
QLD 4879 · 6,133 residents480 residents added · +8% · 6,133 residents in 2021
Trinity Park
QLD 4879 · 3,536 residents430 residents added · +14% · 3,536 residents in 2021
Mount Sheridan
QLD 4868 · 8,678 residents406 residents added · +5% · 8,678 residents in 2021
Palm Cove
QLD 4879 · 2,450 residents391 residents added · +19% · 2,450 residents in 2021
Bentley Park
QLD 4869 · 8,360 residents342 residents added · +4% · 8,360 residents in 2021
Woree
QLD 4868 · 5,127 residents306 residents added · +6% · 5,127 residents in 2021
Bungalow
QLD 4870 · 2,358 residents199 residents added · +9% · 2,358 residents in 2021
Caravonica
QLD 4878 · 2,183 residents193 residents added · +10% · 2,183 residents in 2021
White Rock
QLD 4868 · 4,918 residents187 residents added · +4% · 4,918 residents in 2021
Brinsmead
QLD 4870 · 5,537 residents174 residents added · +3% · 5,537 residents in 2021
Ranked from 33 qualifying suburbs.
100% population growth, ranked within Cairns's candidate pool — once by percent change and once by residents added, because those two questions have different answers. Nothing else is blended in: a suburb that grew is not thereby better or worse to live in. The figures are the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, the most recent per-suburb population counts published in Australia, so this measures the five years to 2021 rather than today. Suburbs missing either count are excluded rather than ranked as no-growth. See how we calculate for the full methodology.
Common questions about this ranking
What are the fastest growing Cairns suburbs (2016-2021)?
Cairns City grew fastest in percentage terms, at +32%. Smithfield added the most residents, 1,360. Both figures are the change between the 2016-2021 Censuses, the most recent per-suburb measurement available. These 30 suburbs came from a field of 33 eligible Cairns suburbs.
What period does this cover?
The 2016-2021 Censuses. The 2021 Census is the most recent per-suburb population count published in Australia, so this measures the five years to 2021 rather than the present day. Growth corridors tend to persist, but a suburb that has since filled up will still appear here, and one that took off after 2021 will not.
Why are there two different lists?
Because percent growth and headcount growth rarely agree, and both are real. A suburb going from 100 residents to 5,000 grew 4,900%; one going from 35,000 to 56,000 grew 63% but added four times as many people. The percent list finds greenfield estates built on former farmland; the headcount list finds the established corridors absorbing most of the actual growth. Presenting only one would hide half the answer.
Does fast growth make a suburb a good place to live?
This ranking does not say so, and deliberately blends nothing else in. Rapid growth can mean new housing, new schools and rising demand, or it can mean construction, strained roads and services that have not caught up — often both at once in the same suburb. Check the walkability, transport, schools and risk figures on each suburb's own page.
Which suburbs are eligible?
Suburbs in Cairns with at least 500 residents and a population figure in both Censuses. A suburb missing either count is left out rather than ranked as no-growth, and the top 15 are shown in each list.
Same list in other cities
- Fastest growing Sydney suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Melbourne suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Brisbane suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Perth suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Adelaide suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Hobart suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Darwin suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Canberra suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Newcastle suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Central Coast suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Sunshine Coast suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Gold Coast suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Wollongong suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Geelong suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Townsville suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Toowoomba suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Busselton suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Ballarat suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Albany suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Ballina suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Geraldton suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Warragul suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Bundaberg suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Launceston suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Bendigo suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Rockhampton suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Mackay suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Albury – Wodonga suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Camden Haven suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Burnie suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Wagga Wagga suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Coffs Harbour suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Alice Springs suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Mount Isa suburbs (2016-2021)
Related
Rankings last computed 28 September 2026. Recomputed after each ACARA schools data refresh.
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