Cairns City vs Portsmith

Portsmith is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 44 in Cairns City. In both, most households are people living alone. In Cairns City, about half of households rent and the large majority of homes are flats or apartments. In Portsmith, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. On these figures, Cairns City tends to suit renters, while Portsmith suits share households.

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

Cairns City

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (24% vs 12%)
  • But Portsmith has more separate houses rather than flats (57% vs 2%)

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

First-home buyers

Cairns City

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (25% vs 54%)

Weighs unit prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Cairns City

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (25% vs 37%)
  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (51% vs 40%)
  • But Portsmith has cheaper rent ($280/wk vs $413/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Cairns City

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (78/100 vs 6/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cairns City

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (78/100 vs 6/100)
  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (98% vs 43%)

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 20.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Cairns City and Portsmith 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 Portsmith
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 Portsmith
Walkability 78 / 6
Cairns City — Walkability: 78/100 Portsmith — Walkability: 6/100
Safety 1 / 1
Cairns City — Safety: 1/100 Portsmith — Safety: 1/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Cairns City — Low fire risk: 100/100 Portsmith — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Cairns City has more residents (3,616 vs 314); Cairns City has higher household incomes ($84,604 vs $38,948).

Cairns City Portsmith
Population 3,616
+91% vs other
 314
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +32.1% +20.8%
Median age 44 35
Median household income $84,604/yr
+54% vs other
 $38,948/yr
Median weekly rent $413/wk
+32% vs other
 $280/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cairns City Portsmith
0-4 2.0% / 2.9%
Cairns City — 0-4: 2.0% Portsmith — 0-4: 2.9%
5-14 3.2% / 9.6%
Cairns City — 5-14: 3.2% Portsmith — 5-14: 9.6%
15-19 2.5% / 8.9%
Cairns City — 15-19: 2.5% Portsmith — 15-19: 8.9%
20-24 7.2% / 16.6%
Cairns City — 20-24: 7.2% Portsmith — 20-24: 16.6%
25-34 24.1% / 14.3%
Cairns City — 25-34: 24.1% Portsmith — 25-34: 14.3%
35-44 11.4% / 9.9%
Cairns City — 35-44: 11.4% Portsmith — 35-44: 9.9%
45-54 14.2% / 15.6%
Cairns City — 45-54: 14.2% Portsmith — 45-54: 15.6%
55-64 14.6% / 12.7%
Cairns City — 55-64: 14.6% Portsmith — 55-64: 12.7%
65-74 12.9% / 8.6%
Cairns City — 65-74: 12.9% Portsmith — 65-74: 8.6%
75-84 6.0% / 4.1%
Cairns City — 75-84: 6.0% Portsmith — 75-84: 4.1%
85+ 1.5% / 1.6%
Cairns City — 85+: 1.5% Portsmith — 85+: 1.6%

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 — Group Household: 12.4% Cairns City — Couple Families: 16.6% Cairns City — One Parent Families: 7.2% Cairns City — Other Families: 1.5%
Portsmith 69.2% lone person
Portsmith — Lone Person: 69.2% Portsmith — Group Household: 19.2% Portsmith — Couple Families: 11.5% Portsmith — One Parent Families: 0.0% Portsmith — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Group Household Couple Families One Parent Families 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%
Portsmith 40.0% renting
Portsmith — Owned Outright: 51.4% Portsmith — Mortgage: 8.6% Portsmith — Renting: 40.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cairns City Portsmith
Certificate III & IV 9.1% / 8.9%
Cairns City — Certificate III & IV: 9.1% Portsmith — Certificate III & IV: 8.9%
Bachelor Degree 12.6% / 4.1%
Cairns City — Bachelor Degree: 12.6% Portsmith — Bachelor Degree: 4.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.3% / 4.1%
Cairns City — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3% Portsmith — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.1%
Postgraduate Degree 4.2% / 1.6%
Cairns City — Postgraduate Degree: 4.2% Portsmith — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / —
Cairns City — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Portsmith — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (12.6%).

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 Portsmith
England 4.1% / 2.2%
Cairns City — England: 4.1% Portsmith — England: 2.2%
New Zealand 2.3% / 1.0%
Cairns City — New Zealand: 2.3% Portsmith — New Zealand: 1.0%
China 1.0% / 1.9%
Cairns City — China: 1.0% Portsmith — China: 1.9%
Philippines 0.9% / 1.9%
Cairns City — Philippines: 0.9% Portsmith — Philippines: 1.9%
Scotland 0.8% / 1.0%
Cairns City — Scotland: 0.8% Portsmith — Scotland: 1.0%
India 1.6% / —
Cairns City — India: 1.6% Portsmith — India: not among its largest
France 1.1% / —
Cairns City — France: 1.1% Portsmith — France: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.1%).

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%
Portsmith 42.9% flats / apartments
Portsmith — Flats / Apartments: 42.9% Portsmith — Houses: 57.1% Portsmith — Townhouses: 0.0%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Cairns City Portsmith
Median house price —
same for both
Median unit price $640,000 $690,000
Median land price —
same for both

Development activity

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

Ranking within QLD

Cairns City Portsmith
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 58% of QLD Higher than 4% of QLD
Schools Higher than 71% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 95% of QLD Higher than 69% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 75% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of QLD Higher than 98% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 87% of QLD —

Liveability

Cairns City is more walkable (78 vs 6).

Cairns City Portsmith
Grade B —
Score 53/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Cairns City Portsmith
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
99/100
same for both
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
74/100
 Moderate
48/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 10
within 5 km
 9
within 5 km

Schools

Cairns City Portsmith
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 Portsmith

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

Amenities in the suburb

Cairns City Portsmith
Supermarkets 5 0
Cafes & restaurants 108 2
Parks & reserves 5 0
Childcare 1 0
GPs 5 0
Pharmacies 7 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 12 0
Fuel stations 1 3
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

Cairns City Portsmith
Walkability score 78/100 6/100
Distance to Brisbane 1699.1 km 1697.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 1172 min 1169 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 31/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 158.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 2.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 28 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 4870
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 45
postcode 4870
same for both

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 Portsmith
Car (driver) 41.6% / 42.4%
Cairns City — Car (driver): 41.6% Portsmith — Car (driver): 42.4%
Walked Only 29.3% / 33.3%
Cairns City — Walked Only: 29.3% Portsmith — Walked Only: 33.3%
Worked from Home 17.4% / 12.1%
Cairns City — Worked from Home: 17.4% Portsmith — Worked from Home: 12.1%
Car (passenger) 6.0% / 12.1%
Cairns City — Car (passenger): 6.0% Portsmith — Car (passenger): 12.1%
Bicycle 4.0% / —
Cairns City — Bicycle: 4.0% Portsmith — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (42.4%).

Setting

Cairns City Portsmith
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 -5 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 53 m 1.2 km

NBN connectivity

Cairns City Portsmith
Connectivity score 92/100 97/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 78%
4,557 premises
 93%
956 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Cairns City Portsmith
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

Portsmith

Coastal Multicultural Rural Students

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Portsmith

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Full data on Cairns City Full data on Portsmith
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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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