Good to know
Good to Know
- Cairns' foreign-born population (22.3%) is notably higher than regional Queensland (18.4%), reflecting its role as a major tourist and migration hub.
- English-speaking countries (UK, NZ) dominate Cairns' overseas-born population, though Papua New Guinea represents a significant non-English speaking origin.
- The city has experienced consistent population growth of approximately 1.54% annually (2023–2024).
Total Population
- Year
- 2024
- Figure
- 178104
- Source Type
- Estimated Resident Population (ABS)
Foreign Born Year
2021
Top Nationalities
England
- Percentage Of Total Population
- 3.9
- Rank
- 1
New Zealand
- Percentage Of Total Population
- 2.8
- Rank
- 2
Papua New Guinea
- Percentage Of Total Population
- 1.4
- Rank
- 3
Japan
- Percentage Of Total Population
- 1.1
- Rank
- 4
Philippines
- Percentage Of Total Population
- 0.8
- Rank
- 5
Foreign Born Percentage
22.3
Business And Tech Presence
- Note
- Data not located in available sources
Top Languages Other Than English
Top Languages Other Than English
- Korean
- Japanese
- Mandarin
- Italian
- German
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this local demographics research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Cairns
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.