Overall score
Cairns City
52.4/100
Edge Hill
52.3/100
Cairns City for retirees and beach lifestyle; Edge Hill for investment and value.
See which suburb leads on livability, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
Head to head
Overall score
Cairns City
52.4/100
Edge Hill
52.3/100
Crime rate
Cairns City
236.8 / 1k
Edge Hill
236.9 / 1k
Nearby amenities
Cairns City
810
Edge Hill
159
Population
Cairns City
3,616
Edge Hill
4,088
Desirability pillars scored 0–100 vs comparable suburbs
Clearer edge on lifestyle fit (score gap ≥ 3)
Who each suburb suits — composite scores out of 100
Side-by-side scores for every compared metric.
Exact figures for every metric — winner highlighted in bold.
| Category | Cairns City | Edge Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 52.4/100 | 52.3/100 |
| Housing (desirability) | 10.9/100 | 62.2/100 |
| Crime rate | 236.8 / 1k | 236.9 / 1k |
| Schools & preschools | 6 | 3 |
| Weather (desirability) | 11.8/100 | 11.8/100 |
| Parks & reserves | 5 | 9 |
| Walkability | 94.0/100 | 67.0/100 |
| Nearby amenities | 810 | 159 |
| Green cover | 5.3% | 25.7% |
| Population | 3,616 | 4,088 |
| SEIFA (IRSAD decile) | 8/10 | 7/10 |
Cairns City is a beachside mid-sized suburb where the coast sets the tone, while Edge Hill is a regional mid-sized suburb with local services and a more relaxed pace. Cairns City leans into coastal living, while Edge Hill feels more inland and suburban in character.
Cairns City pulls ahead on schools and education options, walkability, and nearby cafés and amenities, whereas Edge Hill is the better pick for housing affordability, a quieter safety profile, and parks and reserves.
Choose Cairns City if you are weighing families, people chasing a beach lifestyle, and households prioritising schools; lean toward Edge Hill for retirees, investors, and value-focused buyers.
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.