Overall score
Cairns City
52.4/100
Cooktown
28.2/100
Cairns City vs Cooktown, QLD Suburb Comparison
Cairns City for retirees and families.
See which suburb leads on livability, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
Head to head
Visual comparison
Cairns CityCooktown
Crime rate
Cairns City
236.8 / 1k
Cooktown
160.8 / 1k
Nearby amenities
Cairns City
810
Cooktown
36
Population
Cairns City
3,616
Cooktown
2,746
Metric leadCairns City 9Cooktown 2across 11 compared metrics
Livability profile
Desirability pillars scored 0–100 vs comparable suburbs
Quick verdicts
Clearer edge on lifestyle fit (score gap ≥ 3)
- Best for retireesCairns City
- Best for familiesCairns City
- Best for beach lifestyleCairns City
- Best for best valueCairns City
- Best for best schoolsCairns City
Audience fit
Who each suburb suits — composite scores out of 100
All metrics
Side-by-side scores for every compared metric.
Full comparison table
Exact figures for every metric — winner highlighted in bold.
| Category | Cairns City | Cooktown |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 52.4/100 | 28.2/100 |
| Housing (desirability) | 10.9/100 | 42.9/100 |
| Crime rate | 236.8 / 1k | 160.8 / 1k |
| Schools & preschools | 6 | 3 |
| Weather (desirability) | 11.8/100 | 10.5/100 |
| Parks & reserves | 5 | 3 |
| Walkability | 94.0/100 | 0.0/100 |
| Nearby amenities | 810 | 36 |
| Green cover | 5.3% | 0.7% |
| Population | 3,616 | 2,746 |
| SEIFA (IRSAD decile) | 8/10 | 2/10 |
Comparison summary
Put side by side, Cairns City is a beachside mid-sized suburb where the coast sets the tone, and Cooktown is a regional mid-sized suburb that feels self-contained without feeling remote. Where Cairns City is shaped by the coast, Cooktown offers a more landlocked suburban rhythm.
Cairns City tends to lead on schools and education options, parks and reserves, and walkability, while Cooktown stands out for housing affordability and a quieter safety profile. On housing, Cairns City sits in a gently premium band, compared with a affordable feel in Cooktown.
Choose Cairns City if you are weighing retirees, families, people chasing a beach lifestyle, value-focused buyers, and households prioritising schools; lean toward Cooktown for investors.
Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.