Coral Sea vs Cairns North

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 North, most households rent. On these figures, Coral Sea tends to suit people living alone, while Cairns North suits renters.

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 North

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (14% vs 0%)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)
  • But Coral Sea carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 97/100)

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 $340/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 24%)
  • But Cairns North has a bigger rental market to choose from (65% vs 43%)

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 1174 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1135.9 km vs 1700.9 km)
  • But Cairns North is more walkable (82/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Coral Sea carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 97/100)
  • Cairns North is more walkable (82/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Cairns North

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (2.8% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Coral Sea and Cairns North 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 North
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 North
Walkability 0 / 82
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 Cairns North — Walkability: 82/100
Safety 49 / 3
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 Cairns North — Safety: 3/100
Low fire risk 64 / 100
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 Cairns North — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Cairns North has more residents (5,334 vs 78); Cairns North rents higher ($340/wk vs $130/wk).

Coral Sea Cairns North
Population 78 5,334
+6738% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% +2.8%
Median age 36 37
Median household income $71,448/yr $72,904/yr
+2% vs other
Median weekly rent $130/wk $340/wk
+162% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea Cairns North
0-4 — / 3.9%
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest Cairns North — 0-4: 3.9%
5-14 6.4% / 7.6%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% Cairns North — 5-14: 7.6%
15-19 — / 4.0%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest Cairns North — 15-19: 4.0%
20-24 — / 8.5%
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest Cairns North — 20-24: 8.5%
25-34 37.2% / 21.9%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% Cairns North — 25-34: 21.9%
35-44 21.8% / 16.2%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% Cairns North — 35-44: 16.2%
45-54 16.7% / 13.1%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% Cairns North — 45-54: 13.1%
55-64 17.9% / 12.2%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% Cairns North — 55-64: 12.2%
65-74 — / 8.6%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest Cairns North — 65-74: 8.6%
75-84 — / 3.1%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest Cairns North — 75-84: 3.1%
85+ — / 0.9%
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest Cairns North — 85+: 0.9%

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 — One Parent Families: 0.0% Coral Sea — Group Household: 0.0% Coral Sea — Other Families: 0.0%
Cairns North 57.7% lone person
Cairns North — Lone Person: 57.7% Cairns North — Couple Families: 15.8% Cairns North — One Parent Families: 13.1% Cairns North — Group Household: 11.6% Cairns North — Other Families: 1.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household 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 North 65.3% renting
Cairns North — Owned Outright: 16.5% Cairns North — Mortgage: 18.3% Cairns North — Renting: 65.3%
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 North
New Zealand 10.3% / 2.9%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% Cairns North — New Zealand: 2.9%
China 6.4% / 1.4%
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% Cairns North — China: 1.4%
England — / 3.7%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest Cairns North — England: 3.7%
India — / 3.6%
Coral Sea — India: not among its largest Cairns North — India: 3.6%
Philippines — / 1.8%
Coral Sea — Philippines: not among its largest Cairns North — Philippines: 1.8%

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

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea Cairns North
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 16.2%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% Cairns North — Bachelor Degree: 16.2%
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 11.8%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% Cairns North — Certificate III & IV: 11.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 9.2%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Cairns North — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 5.6%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% Cairns North — Postgraduate Degree: 5.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 2.3%
Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Cairns North — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

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 — Houses: 0.0% Coral Sea — Townhouses: 0.0%
Cairns North 81.4% flats / apartments
Cairns North — Flats / Apartments: 81.4% Cairns North — Houses: 14.2% Cairns North — Townhouses: 4.4%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Coral Sea Cairns North
Median house price — $750,000
Median unit price — $432,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 26 days
from 17 sales

Development activity

Coral Sea Cairns North
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 North
Houses — 3.6%
$650/wk on $949K
Units — 6.4%
$575/wk on $470K

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea Cairns North
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 42% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 96% 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 94% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 26% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 93% of QLD

Liveability

Cairns North is more walkable (82 vs 0).

Coral Sea Cairns North
Grade — C
Score — 39/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Coral Sea carries more bushfire risk (36 vs 0); Cairns North carries more crime risk (97 vs 51).

Coral Sea Cairns North
Bushfire Low
36/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 High
97/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 Low
35/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 10
within 5 km

Schools

Coral Sea Cairns North
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0 2
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 North

  • Cairns State High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Mother of Good Counsel School Catholic · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Coral Sea Cairns North
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 2 14
Parks & reserves 10 8
Childcare 0 3
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 1
Hospitals 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 4
Beaches 3 0

Mobility

Cairns North sits further from the CBD (1700.9 km vs 1135.9 km).

Coral Sea Cairns North
Walkability score 0/100 82/100
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km 1700.9 km
+50% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 1174 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 North
Walked Only 83.7% / 13.1%
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% Cairns North — Walked Only: 13.1%
Car (driver) 7.0% / 58.4%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% Cairns North — Car (driver): 58.4%
Worked from Home 9.3% / 13.9%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% Cairns North — Worked from Home: 13.9%
Car (passenger) — / 7.7%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest Cairns North — Car (passenger): 7.7%
Bicycle — / 4.0%
Coral Sea — Bicycle: not among its largest Cairns North — Bicycle: 4.0%

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

Setting

Coral Sea Cairns North
Elevation 499 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km 203 m

NBN connectivity

Coral Sea Cairns North
Connectivity score 15/100 87/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
102 premises
 62%
3,866 premises

Climate

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Coral Sea Cairns North
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 North

Affordable Apartments Coastal Multicultural 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 North

Cairns North vs Manunda Cairns North vs Whitfield Cairns North vs Edge Hill Cairns North vs Parramatta Park Cairns North vs Cairns City Cairns North vs Aeroglen
Full data on Coral Sea Full data on Cairns North
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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