Cairns's most educated suburbs

Freshwater tops the ranking, where 47.2% of residents aged 15 and over hold a bachelor degree or higher (598 people). Edge Hill and Whitfield follow. These 15 suburbs came from a field of 30 eligible Cairns suburbs.

Each Cairns suburb is ranked by the share of its residents aged 15 and over who hold a bachelor degree or higher in the 2021 Census — that count divided by all residents aged 15+. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents are included, and percentile ranks are computed within Cairns's pool, so the list reflects concentration relative to other metro suburbs.

The Census non-school-qualification levels at bachelor and above: a bachelor degree, a graduate diploma or graduate certificate, and a postgraduate degree. It's measured against residents aged 15 and over — the group the Census asks about qualifications — so children aren't counted in the base and the share isn't diluted.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census question on non-school qualifications. Nothing is estimated or inferred about any individual, and this is a factual demographic snapshot rather than a judgement about any suburb.

The figures are from the 2021 Census, the most recent available until results from the August 2026 Census are released in 2027. The top 15 is recomputed whenever we refresh the census data.