Airlie Beach vs Cairns City, QLD suburb comparison
Which suburb suits you better?
Side-by-side comparison of 16 categories from official government and open data.
| Category | Airlie Beach | Cairns City |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 49.7/100 | 55.1/100 |
| Housing (desirability) | 25.8/100 | 10.6/100 |
| Crime rate | 78.5 / 1k | 130.5 / 1k |
| Schools & preschools | — | 3 |
| Parks & reserves | 1 | 5 |
| Walkability | 88.0/100 | 95.5/100 |
| Nearby amenities | 223 | 799 |
| Planning activity | 1 | — |
| Population | 1,312 | 3,616 |
| SEIFA (IRSAD decile) | 6/10 | 8/10 |
Quick verdicts
- Best for retireesAirlie Beach
- Best for familiesCairns City
- Best for beach lifestyleCairns City
- Best for investmentAirlie Beach
- Best for best valueAirlie Beach
- Best for best schoolsCairns City
Comparison summary
Airlie Beach and Cairns City offer different strengths across official suburb data. Cairns City leads on more comparison categories overall. Overall score favours Cairns City; Housing (desirability) favours Airlie Beach; Crime rate favours Airlie Beach. Quick verdicts: Retirees → Airlie Beach, Families → Cairns City, Beach lifestyle → Cairns City, Investment → Airlie Beach.