All cities & LGAs

Property Investment in Cairns (QLD) · Data as of Sept 2026

Property Investment in Cairns, QLD

Far North Queensland’s tropical aviation, tourism and regional centre. · Population ~192,503 · 101 suburbs across 2 council areas scored monthly

Cairns Average R-Score 73 / 100 — top suburb in Cairns scores 100/100

Market conditions here are running warmer than most

Most of the demand and supply indicators we track are sitting above the national midpoint this month.

Unlock the Top 10 & Bottom 5 suburbs + best streets in Cairns ↓

Figures reflect Ripehouse Advisory’s monthly 27-indicator suburb bake (Sept 2026). General information only — not personal financial advice.

Cairns top suburb R-Score100

Highest-scoring suburb out of 101 in Cairns

Cairns suburb average73

Across 76 scored suburbs in 2 LGAs

Suburb medians in Cairns range from $55,000 to $2,800,000.

3-year population movement: +4.5%. Tracked infrastructure pipeline: $3.3B. Key employment sectors: Accommodation and Food Services (19%), Retail Trade (11%), Health Care and Social Assistance (8%), Education and Training (5%).

Typical suburb median price$780,000

Across 101 suburbs in Greater Cairns (Sept 2026).

Gross rental yield & rent4.6%

Median asking rent ~$720/wk · Vacancy 2.7%.

Top suburb R-Score in Cairns100/100

Highest-scoring suburb out of 101 in Cairns. See the top suburbs ↓

Search suburbs & streets in Cairns

Drill Down Into Any Cairns Suburb or Street

Type a suburb or postcode in Cairns (or anywhere in Australia) to open its Suburb R-Score report or inspect individual streets.

Click inside the search box to browse Cairns suburbs or drill down to individual streets.

Council Areas (LGAs) in Cairns

Compare all 2 Council Areas (LGAs) in Greater Cairns

Click any council area (LGA) below to view its dedicated LGA investment research page, suburb leaderboard, and street scores.

LGA · QLDR-Score avg 79/100

Property Investment in Cairns

65 suburbs (top 100/100)Median $791,000Yield 4.6%
LGA · QLDR-Score avg 61/100

Property Investment in Douglas

36 suburbs (top 92/100)Median $730,000Yield 5.1%
The full Cairns investor scorecard

What are you researching in Cairns?

Pick one to tailor the Cairns suburb & street rankings — then enter your email once to unlock every city, council, suburb and street report on the site.

Unlock the Best Suburbs & Streets in Cairns (101 suburbs scored)

See which suburbs and streets in Cairns score highest on the 27-indicator Ripehouse R-Score and Street Score — plus the underperforming pockets to avoid. Free, instant, and unlocks every suburb and street across Australia.

  • Top 10 & Bottom 5 suburbs in Cairns ranked by R-Score
  • 4-pillar score breakdown & 3-year price, rent and DOM charts
  • Top 12 highest-scoring streets in Cairns (block-level Street Score)
  • Side-by-side comparison of all 2 Cairns council areas (LGAs)

We use your details to unlock the city scorecard and send market research updates. See our Privacy Policy.

All 101 Suburbs in Cairns

Suburbs in Cairns — Drill Down to Suburb & Best Streets

Select any suburb to view its R-Score and market fundamentals, or click Streets to compare every street in that suburb.

Cairns Property Investment FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions: Investing in Cairns, QLD

Key facts and figures from the Sept 2026 Ripehouse Advisory research bake for Cairns.

Is Cairns a good place to invest in property in 2026?

As of Sept 2026, Greater Cairns (QLD) records an average Ripehouse R-Score of 73/100 across 101 suburbs and 2 council areas, with top-scoring suburbs reaching 100/100. Across Cairns, the typical suburb median price sits around $780,000, median rent is $720/wk, gross rental yield is 4.6%, and vacancy averages 2.7%.

What are the highest-scoring suburbs for property investment in Cairns?

Based on Ripehouse Advisory’s monthly 27-indicator R-Score model (Sept 2026), the highest-scoring suburbs in Cairns right now include Aeroglen (R-Score 100/100, median $768,000), Babinda (R-Score 99/100, median $510,000), Deeral (R-Score 98/100, median $500,000), Fishery Falls (R-Score 97/100, median $650,000), Packers Camp (R-Score 97/100, median $1,110,000). Within each suburb, street-level performance varies significantly depending on owner-occupier ratio, public housing concentration, and block-level rental yield.

What is the rental yield and vacancy rate in Cairns, QLD?

Across Cairns’s 101 suburbs, the median gross rental yield is 4.6%, median weekly asking rent is $720/wk, and the median vacancy rate is 2.7%. Higher-yielding suburbs in Cairns currently include Shannonvale (9.7%), Packers Camp (8.6%), Mossman (7.9%).

Which Local Government Areas (LGAs) make up Greater Cairns?

Greater Cairns comprises 2 Local Government Areas (Cairns, Douglas), covering an estimated population of 192,503 residents. You can drill down into each council area on this page to compare suburb R-Scores and street rankings.

How do I find the best streets in Cairns suburbs?

Every G-NAF street in Cairns is scored on the Ripehouse Street Score (0–100) using ABS SA1 census owner-occupier ratios (>65%), public housing concentration (≤5%), and block-level rent and yield relative to its suburb. Select any suburb in Cairns below to inspect its top-scoring and lowest-scoring streets.