Cairns City vs East Trinity

Cairns City is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 47 in East Trinity. In Cairns City, about half of households rent, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. In East Trinity, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. On these figures, Cairns City tends to suit renters, young adults, and people living alone.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

East Trinity

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (92% vs 2%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (56% vs 24%)
  • carries lower crime risk (87/100 vs 99/100)
  • But Cairns City has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

East Trinity

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 25%)
  • has cheaper rent ($280/wk vs $413/wk)
  • But Cairns City has a bigger rental market to choose from (51% vs 24%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Cairns City is more walkable (78/100 vs 0/100)
  • East Trinity has a shorter drive in (1165 min vs 1172 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cairns City

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (78/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (98% vs 8%)
  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • But East Trinity carries lower crime risk (87/100 vs 99/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Cairns City

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (32.1% vs 12.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Cairns City and East Trinity drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Cairns City East Trinity
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Cairns City East Trinity
Walkability 78 / 0
Cairns City — Walkability: 78/100 East Trinity — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 1 / 13
Cairns City — Safety: 1/100 East Trinity — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 100 / 27
Cairns City — Low fire risk: 100/100 East Trinity — Low fire risk: 27/100

Demographics

Cairns City has more residents (3,616 vs 238); Cairns City rents higher ($413/wk vs $280/wk).

Cairns City East Trinity
Population 3,616
+93% vs other
 238
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +32.1% +12.3%
Median age 44 47
Median household income $84,604/yr $97,500/yr
+15% vs other
Median weekly rent $413/wk
+32% vs other
 $280/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cairns City East Trinity
0-4 2.0% / 4.6%
Cairns City — 0-4: 2.0% East Trinity — 0-4: 4.6%
5-14 3.2% / 8.4%
Cairns City — 5-14: 3.2% East Trinity — 5-14: 8.4%
15-19 2.5% / 8.0%
Cairns City — 15-19: 2.5% East Trinity — 15-19: 8.0%
20-24 7.2% / 6.7%
Cairns City — 20-24: 7.2% East Trinity — 20-24: 6.7%
25-34 24.1% / 7.6%
Cairns City — 25-34: 24.1% East Trinity — 25-34: 7.6%
35-44 11.4% / 12.6%
Cairns City — 35-44: 11.4% East Trinity — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 14.2% / 18.5%
Cairns City — 45-54: 14.2% East Trinity — 45-54: 18.5%
55-64 14.6% / 17.2%
Cairns City — 55-64: 14.6% East Trinity — 55-64: 17.2%
65-74 12.9% / 12.6%
Cairns City — 65-74: 12.9% East Trinity — 65-74: 12.6%
75-84 6.0% / 3.8%
Cairns City — 75-84: 6.0% East Trinity — 75-84: 3.8%
85+ 1.5% / 1.7%
Cairns City — 85+: 1.5% East Trinity — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cairns City 62.4% lone person
Cairns City — Lone Person: 62.4% Cairns City — Couple Families: 16.6% Cairns City — One Parent Families: 7.2% Cairns City — Group Household: 12.4% Cairns City — Other Families: 1.5%
East Trinity 30.9% lone person
East Trinity — Lone Person: 30.9% East Trinity — Couple Families: 41.8% East Trinity — One Parent Families: 14.5% East Trinity — Group Household: 5.5% East Trinity — Other Families: 7.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cairns City 50.7% renting
Cairns City — Owned Outright: 31.6% Cairns City — Mortgage: 17.7% Cairns City — Renting: 50.7%
East Trinity 23.7% renting
East Trinity — Owned Outright: 32.9% East Trinity — Mortgage: 43.4% East Trinity — Renting: 23.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Cairns City East Trinity
Certificate III & IV 9.1% / 19.3%
Cairns City — Certificate III & IV: 9.1% East Trinity — Certificate III & IV: 19.3%
Bachelor Degree 12.6% / 9.7%
Cairns City — Bachelor Degree: 12.6% East Trinity — Bachelor Degree: 9.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.3% / 6.7%
Cairns City — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3% East Trinity — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7%
Postgraduate Degree 4.2% / 6.7%
Cairns City — Postgraduate Degree: 4.2% East Trinity — Postgraduate Degree: 6.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 2.5%
Cairns City — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% East Trinity — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Cairns City East Trinity
New Zealand 2.3% / 4.6%
Cairns City — New Zealand: 2.3% East Trinity — New Zealand: 4.6%
England 4.1% / —
Cairns City — England: 4.1% East Trinity — England: not among its largest
China 1.0% / 1.7%
Cairns City — China: 1.0% East Trinity — China: 1.7%
Ireland — / 1.7%
Cairns City — Ireland: not among its largest East Trinity — Ireland: 1.7%
India 1.6% / —
Cairns City — India: 1.6% East Trinity — India: not among its largest
France 1.1% / —
Cairns City — France: 1.1% East Trinity — France: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cairns City 91.8% flats / apartments
Cairns City — Flats / Apartments: 91.8% Cairns City — Houses: 2.4% Cairns City — Townhouses: 5.8%
East Trinity 8.3% flats / apartments
East Trinity — Flats / Apartments: 8.3% East Trinity — Houses: 91.7% East Trinity — Townhouses: 0.0%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Cairns City East Trinity
Median house price —
same for both
Median unit price $640,000 —
Median land price —
same for both

Development activity

Cairns City East Trinity
New dwellings approved 767
across Cairns
same for both
Approvals change year on year -81%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Cairns City East Trinity
Houses —
same for both
Units 5.9%
$675/wk on $594K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Cairns City East Trinity
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 58% of QLD Higher than 72% of QLD
Schools Higher than 71% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 95% of QLD Higher than 48% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 75% of QLD Higher than 26% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of QLD Higher than 30% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 87% of QLD —

Liveability

Cairns City is more walkable (78 vs 0).

Cairns City East Trinity
Grade B —
Score 53/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

East Trinity carries more bushfire risk (73 vs 0); Cairns City carries more crime risk (99 vs 87).

Cairns City East Trinity
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
73/100
Crime High
99/100
 High
87/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
74/100
 High
88/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 10
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Cairns City East Trinity
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Cairns City

  • St Monica's College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • Mastery Schools Australia - Cairns Campus Independent · Combined
  • Mungalla Silver Lining School - Carins Temporary Facility Independent · Secondary

Schools in East Trinity

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Cairns City East Trinity
Supermarkets 5 0
Cafes & restaurants 108 0
Parks & reserves 5 4
Childcare 1 0
GPs 5 0
Pharmacies 7 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 12 0
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 0 15

Mobility

Cairns City East Trinity
Walkability score 78/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 1699.1 km 1698.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1172 min 1165 min
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 4870
 0.2%
postcode 4871
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 45
postcode 4870
 51
postcode 4871

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Cairns City East Trinity
Car (driver) 41.6% / 65.2%
Cairns City — Car (driver): 41.6% East Trinity — Car (driver): 65.2%
Worked from Home 17.4% / 26.1%
Cairns City — Worked from Home: 17.4% East Trinity — Worked from Home: 26.1%
Walked Only 29.3% / —
Cairns City — Walked Only: 29.3% East Trinity — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 6.0% / 8.7%
Cairns City — Car (passenger): 6.0% East Trinity — Car (passenger): 8.7%
Bicycle 4.0% / —
Cairns City — Bicycle: 4.0% East Trinity — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.2%).

Setting

Cairns City East Trinity
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 440 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 53 m 2.7 km

NBN connectivity

Cairns City East Trinity
Connectivity score 92/100 22/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 78%
4,557 premises
 0%
70 premises

Climate

Cairns City East Trinity
Annual rainfall 2,121 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 18.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Cairns City East Trinity
PM2.5 5.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 18.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Cairns City East Trinity
Average residential rate $1,354/yr
same for both
Council Cairns
same for both

Federal electorate

Cairns City East Trinity
Division Leichhardt Kennedy
Member Matt Smith Bob Katter
Party Australian Labor Party Katter's Australian Party (KAP)

First Home Owner Grant

Cairns City East Trinity
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cairns City

Apartments Cafe Culture Coastal Multicultural Nightlife Parks

East Trinity

Coastal Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cairns City

Cairns City vs Cairns North Cairns City vs Parramatta Park Cairns City vs Portsmith Cairns City vs Coral Sea

Other comparisons with East Trinity

East Trinity vs Yarrabah East Trinity vs Portsmith East Trinity vs Green Hill East Trinity vs Wrights Creek East Trinity vs Packers Camp East Trinity vs Coral Sea
Full data on Cairns City Full data on East Trinity
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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