Median house price
—
No data available
QLD · Cairns Council
Brinsmead, 4870
Est. population · Jun 2025
5,736
Growth (1 yr)
+0.2%
Growth (5 yr)
+2.0%
Median age
39
Median income
$2,190/wk
Employment rate
69.5%
Languages at home
11.9%non-English
Most common: Japanese, Italian, Mandarin
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
- Education hub
- National parks
Suburb profile
Brinsmead sits in Cairns Council as a regional mid-sized suburb that feels self-contained and a long way from big-city bustle. Day-to-day life leans on nearby towns and local hubs rather than the metro area. Families and commuters make up much of the community, with plenty of young families in the mix.
Sport and recreation are easy to access, with local venues supporting active weekends and after-work routines. Parks and open space are a real strength relative to many regional towns, easy for walks, sport and weekend downtime. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here, with buses covering longer trips across the wider area.
Property sits in a premium price band and is harder to enter for many buyers. Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.
The overall desirability read is around average, pulled by softer safety compared with similar regional towns, though community and employment, plus schools and education remain brighter spots. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Brinsmead snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$735/wk
Population (ERP)
5,736
+0.2% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
4.6%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#41
among Country & regional · Established
Safety
94th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
24th
percentile in QLD
Advantage (IRSAD)
8/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
65th
percentile among schools with ICSEA
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 54.3/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 25% of Queensland's suburbs
- National rank
- 1633rd in Australia
- State rank
- 373rd in QLD
- Peer rank
- #41 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #104 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 66%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- All types (Mar 2026)
- $735
Median weekly rent from Queensland RTA rental bond data. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- RTA bond statistics — Residential Tenancies Authority (Queensland) · Mar 2026 · Updated · Quarterly releases
Population
Estimated resident population
5,736(June 2025)
+0.2% annual · +2.0% over 5 years · 24th percentile in QLD
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +0.2%
- 5-year growth
- +2.0%
- Change in 1 year
- +9
- Change in 5 years
- +111
- Growth rank in QLD
- 24th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~5,850), extrapolated at +0.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 5,537
- Median age
- 39
- Median household income / week
- $2,190
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 92 of 1,990
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Employment rate
- 69.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 1,843 / 0 / 0 (+ 54 other)
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Aug 2026)
- 837
- Against the person
- 218
- Against property
- 381
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 145.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 25 residents
- State safety percentile
- 94.1th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +0.4%
Most common offence types
- Assault1421
- Drug Offences1831
- Good Order Offences1465
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)2862
- Unlawful Entry1021
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Aug 2026; Jan 2026 to Aug 2026 · Updated · Calendar-year aggregates
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 3
- Median school ICSEA (3 schools)
- 1,041
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 65th
School list
- Freshwater Christian CollegeCombined · Independent · ICSEA 1041 · 65th percentile · LBOTE 19% · 562 students · Top SEA quarter 21% · 1.0 km awayView on My School →
- St Andrew's Catholic College Redlynch ValleyCombined · Catholic · ICSEA 1067 · 75th percentile · LBOTE 14% · 1,373 students · Top SEA quarter 29% · 1.9 km awayView on My School →
- Whitfield State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 974 · 35th percentile · LBOTE 32% · 774 students · Top SEA quarter 14% · 2.0 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Amenities
72 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 fast food · 5 playgrounds · 1 dog parks · 22 swimming pools · 1 petrol stations
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Great for outdoor family life — 9 parks mapped in suburb, 5 playgrounds nearby
- Strong local sport and recreation — 29 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 7/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0.18
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 1.63
Food & drink(1)
- Pizza CapersFast food
Unit 2 101 Brinsmead Road
Community(1)
- Freshwater Christian CollegeSchool
369 Brinsmead Road
Sport & outdoors(39)
- Dog park
- Brinsmead Park ReservePark
- Chapel Close ParkPark
- Chesterfield Close ParkPark
- Glenoma ParkPark
- Goomboora ParkPark
- Loridan Drive ReservePark
- Matheson Drive ParkPark
- Ryan ParkPark
- Samuel Christensen ParkPark
- Picnic area
- Playground (5)
- Sports field
- Swimming pool (22)
Transport(3)
3 bus stops
Other(10)
- Bbq
- Pacific Toyota Service Centre BrinsmeadCar repair
101 Brinsmead Road
- The Salvation ArmyCharity
- Parking (12)
- MobilPetrol station
- Picnic Table (4)
- Post Box
- Public toilets
- Shelter (5)
- Track
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Parks & reserves
9 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Brinsmead Park ReservePark
- Chapel Close ParkPark
- Chesterfield Close ParkPark
- Glenoma ParkPark
- Goomboora ParkPark
- Loridan Drive ReservePark
- Matheson Drive ParkPark
- Ryan ParkPark
- Samuel Christensen ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 18
- Parks (OSM)
- 9
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Cairns North Community Health Facility (4.3 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 142
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 24.8
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 31° / 25°
- Rainfall
- 1,038 mm · ~90 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 29° / 24°
- Rainfall
- 925 mm · ~92 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 25° / 20°
- Rainfall
- 164 mm · ~20 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 28° / 22°
- Rainfall
- 188 mm · ~24 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Leichhardt
- Member of Parliament
- Matt SMITH (Australian Labor Party)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 122,757
- Turnout (2025)
- 83.0%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +9.5 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 43.9%Labor 56.1%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 4.0 km away).
Coalition 43.8%Labor 56.2%
0.2 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +9.2 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- BrinsmeadLabor 56.1% · Coalition 43.9% TPP (2025)0.2 km away
- WhitfieldLabor 59.4% · Coalition 40.6% TPP (2025)2.1 km away
- FreshwaterLabor 59.3% · Coalition 40.7% TPP (2025)2.2 km away
- RedlynchLabor 57.1% · Coalition 42.9% TPP (2025)2.3 km away
- KamerungaLabor 56.1% · Coalition 43.9% TPP (2025)2.8 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 8/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
Compare with
Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
More in Cairns Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.