Coral Sea vs Cairns City

Coral Sea is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 44 in Cairns City. In both, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments and most households are people living alone. In Coral Sea, most households own their home. In Cairns City, about half of households rent. On these figures, Coral Sea tends to suit 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

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 5)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 99/100)
  • But Cairns City has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, and childcare.

Renters

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $413/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 25%)

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

Commuting to the city

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (780 min vs 1172 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1135.9 km vs 1699.1 km)
  • But Cairns City is more walkable (78/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cairns City

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (78/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • But Coral Sea carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 99/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Cairns City

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (32.1% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Coral Sea Cairns City
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.

Coral Sea Cairns City
Walkability 0 / 78
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 Cairns City — Walkability: 78/100
Safety 49 / 1
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 Cairns City — Safety: 1/100
Low fire risk 64 / 100
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 Cairns City — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Cairns City has more residents (3,616 vs 78); Cairns City rents higher ($413/wk vs $130/wk).

Coral Sea Cairns City
Population 78 3,616
+4536% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% +32.1%
Median age 36 44
Median household income $71,448/yr $84,604/yr
+18% vs other
Median weekly rent $130/wk $413/wk
+218% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea Cairns City
0-4 — / 2.0%
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest Cairns City — 0-4: 2.0%
5-14 6.4% / 3.2%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% Cairns City — 5-14: 3.2%
15-19 — / 2.5%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest Cairns City — 15-19: 2.5%
20-24 — / 7.2%
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest Cairns City — 20-24: 7.2%
25-34 37.2% / 24.1%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% Cairns City — 25-34: 24.1%
35-44 21.8% / 11.4%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% Cairns City — 35-44: 11.4%
45-54 16.7% / 14.2%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% Cairns City — 45-54: 14.2%
55-64 17.9% / 14.6%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% Cairns City — 55-64: 14.6%
65-74 — / 12.9%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest Cairns City — 65-74: 12.9%
75-84 — / 6.0%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest Cairns City — 75-84: 6.0%
85+ — / 1.5%
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest Cairns City — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (37.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea 100.0% lone person
Coral Sea — Lone Person: 100.0% Coral Sea — Couple Families: 0.0% Coral Sea — Group Household: 0.0% Coral Sea — One Parent Families: 0.0% Coral Sea — Other Families: 0.0%
Cairns City 62.4% lone person
Cairns City — Lone Person: 62.4% Cairns City — Couple Families: 16.6% Cairns City — Group Household: 12.4% Cairns City — One Parent Families: 7.2% Cairns City — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea 42.9% renting
Coral Sea — Owned Outright: 57.1% Coral Sea — Mortgage: 0.0% Coral Sea — Renting: 42.9%
Cairns City 50.7% renting
Cairns City — Owned Outright: 31.6% Cairns City — Mortgage: 17.7% Cairns City — Renting: 50.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Coral Sea Cairns City
New Zealand 10.3% / 2.3%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% Cairns City — New Zealand: 2.3%
China 6.4% / 1.0%
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% Cairns City — China: 1.0%
England — / 4.1%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest Cairns City — England: 4.1%
India — / 1.6%
Coral Sea — India: not among its largest Cairns City — India: 1.6%
France — / 1.1%
Coral Sea — France: not among its largest Cairns City — France: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.3%).

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea Cairns City
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 12.6%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% Cairns City — Bachelor Degree: 12.6%
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 9.1%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% Cairns City — Certificate III & IV: 9.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 7.3%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Cairns City — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 4.2%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% Cairns City — Postgraduate Degree: 4.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.6%
Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Cairns City — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea 100.0% flats / apartments
Coral Sea — Flats / Apartments: 100.0% Coral Sea — Townhouses: 0.0% Coral Sea — Houses: 0.0%
Cairns City 91.8% flats / apartments
Cairns City — Flats / Apartments: 91.8% Cairns City — Townhouses: 5.8% Cairns City — Houses: 2.4%
Flats / Apartments Townhouses Houses

Property market

Coral Sea Cairns City
Median house price —
same for both
Median unit price — $640,000
Median land price —
same for both

Development activity

Coral Sea Cairns City
New dwellings approved 190
across Whitsunday
 767
across Cairns
Approvals change year on year +70% -81%

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.

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

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea Cairns City
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 58% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 71% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 95% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 75% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of QLD Higher than 96% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 87% of QLD

Liveability

Cairns City is more walkable (78 vs 0).

Coral Sea Cairns City
Grade — B
Score — 53/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Coral Sea carries more bushfire risk (36 vs 0); Cairns City carries more crime risk (99 vs 51).

Coral Sea Cairns City
Bushfire Low
36/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 High
99/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 High
74/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 10
within 5 km

Schools

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

Schools in Coral Sea

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

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

Amenities in the suburb

Coral Sea Cairns City
Supermarkets 0 5
Cafes & restaurants 2 108
Parks & reserves 10 5
Childcare 0 1
GPs 0 5
Pharmacies 0 7
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 12
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 0 1
Beaches 3 0

Mobility

Cairns City sits further from the CBD (1699.1 km vs 1135.9 km).

Coral Sea Cairns City
Walkability score 0/100 78/100
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km 1699.1 km
+50% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 1172 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
 0.7%
postcode 4870
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
 45
postcode 4870

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.

Coral Sea Cairns City
Walked Only 83.7% / 29.3%
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% Cairns City — Walked Only: 29.3%
Car (driver) 7.0% / 41.6%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% Cairns City — Car (driver): 41.6%
Worked from Home 9.3% / 17.4%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% Cairns City — Worked from Home: 17.4%
Car (passenger) — / 6.0%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest Cairns City — Car (passenger): 6.0%
Bicycle — / 4.0%
Coral Sea — Bicycle: not among its largest Cairns City — Bicycle: 4.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.7%).

Setting

Coral Sea Cairns City
Elevation 499 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km 53 m

NBN connectivity

Coral Sea Cairns City
Connectivity score 15/100 92/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
102 premises
 78%
4,557 premises

Climate

Coral Sea Cairns City
Annual rainfall — 2,121 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 31.9°C
Winter min (Jul) — 18.1°C

Council rates

Coral Sea Cairns City
Average residential rate $1,412/yr $1,354/yr
Council Whitsunday Cairns

Federal electorate

Coral Sea Cairns City
Division Dawson Leichhardt
Member Andrew Willcox Matt Smith
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland Australian Labor Party

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Coral Sea

Coastal Rural

Cairns City

Apartments Cafe Culture Coastal Multicultural Nightlife Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Coral Sea

Coral Sea vs Bowen Coral Sea vs Bargara Coral Sea vs South Mackay Coral Sea vs Bushland Beach Coral Sea vs Trinity Beach Coral Sea vs Kewarra Beach

Other comparisons with Cairns City

Cairns City vs Cairns North Cairns City vs Parramatta Park Cairns City vs Portsmith Cairns City vs East Trinity
Full data on Coral Sea Full data on Cairns City
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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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