Median house price
—
No data available
QLD · Cairns Council
Clifton Beach, 4879
Est. population · Jun 2025
3,455
Growth (1 yr)
+1.7%
Growth (5 yr)
+7.6%
Median age
48
Median income
$1,480/wk
Employment rate
56.5%
Languages at home
11%non-English
Most common: German, Italian, Spanish
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Green suburb
- National parks
- High desirability
- Café precinct
Suburb profile
Clifton Beach is a coastal mid-sized suburb a long way from Brisbane, where beach life and a quieter rhythm set the tone. Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. The suburb has a clear multicultural mix alongside longer-term local households.
Local shops, markets and community spots keep everyday life grounded in the town itself. Green space punches above what many coastal suburbs offer, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb. Everyday errands are walkable, and buses keep the wider city within easy reach.
Housing is expensive relative to much of the state. The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.
The overall desirability read is around average, pulled by softer schools and education compared with similar coastal suburbs, though safety remain brighter spots.
At a glance
Clifton Beach snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$620/wk
Population (ERP)
3,455
+1.7% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
17.1%
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
#22
among Coastal & beach · Mature
Safety
18th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
69th
percentile in QLD
Advantage (IRSAD)
7/10
national SEIFA decile
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
- 53.4/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 27% of Queensland's suburbs
- National rank
- 1745th in Australia
- State rank
- 398th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #22 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #53 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 69%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- All types (Mar 2026)
- $620
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
3,455(June 2025)
+1.7% annual · +7.6% over 5 years · 69th percentile in QLD
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.7%
- 5-year growth
- +7.6%
- Change in 1 year
- +57
- Change in 5 years
- +245
- Growth rank in QLD
- 69th 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 (~3,750), extrapolated at +1.5% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 3,192
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $1,480
- Dwelling vacancy
- 17.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 263 of 1,540
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,820
- Employment rate
- 56.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 851 / 52 / 274
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)
- 90
- Against the person
- 14
- Against property
- 57
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 26
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 228 residents
- State safety percentile
- 17.5th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +6.6%
Most common offence types
- Drug Offences52
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)89
- Unlawful Entry184
- Unlawful Use Of Motor Vehicle68
- Assault69
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
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- Mayfield Early EducationEvergreen Streetkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · current · Updated
Amenities
79 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
3 restaurants · 2 cafes · 1 supermarkets · 1 pharmacies · 1 fast food · 1 bakeries · 4 playgrounds · 1 swimming pools
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Highly walkable for everyday errands
- Great for outdoor family life — 11 parks mapped in suburb, 4 playgrounds nearby
- Reasonable bus and transport access — 12 public transport stops
- Walkability proxy
- 72/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0.63
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 2.19
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 3.45
Food & drink(7)
- Brumby's BakeriesBakery
- Cafe
- Chill Beach CafeCafe
- Fish HouseFast food
- Star of SiamRestaurant
- Taste of ItalyRestaurant
- The Big ChillRestaurant
14 Clifton Road
Shopping(4)
- Clifton ButcheryButcher
- Convenience store
- ColesSupermarket
Community(1)
- Mayfield Early EducationKindergarten
2 Evergreen Street, Clifton Beach
Health & services(2)
- Clifton Beach Medical & SurgicalMedical clinic
12 Captain Cook Highway, Clifton Beach
- Clifton Beach PharmacyPharmacy
Sport & outdoors(17)
- Cairns Regional CouncilPark
- Deadman’s Gully ParkPark
- Deadmans Gully Environmental ReservePark
- Evergreen ParkPark
- Park (6)
- Picnic area
- Deadmans Gully PlaygroundPlayground
- Playground (3)
- Sports field
- Swimming pool
Transport(12)
12 bus stops
Other(26)
- LiquorlandAlcohol
- ANZATM
- RediATMATM
- WestpacATM
- Commonwealth BankBank
- Bbq (2)
- Bench
- AgincourtHotel
- Argrosy On The BeachHotel
- Opal MineJewelry
- Clifton Village Shopping CentreMall
55 Endeavour Road, Clifton Beach
- Mall
- Deadmans Gully Environmental ReserveNature Reserve
- Deadman’s Gully Car ParkParking
- Parking (5)
- Parking Entrance
- Parking Space (2)
- Marano's FuelPetrol station
- MobilPetrol station
- Post Box
- Clifton Beach Post OfficePost office
- Public toilets
- Shelter (5)
- TelstraTelephone
- Evergreen Park Mountain Bike trackTrack
- Waste Basket (2)
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
4 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Deadman’s Gully ParkPark
- Deadmans Gully Environmental ReserveNature reserve
- Evergreen ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 17
- Parks (OSM)
- 11
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
- Hospitals & GP clinics in suburb
- 2
- Nearest hospital
- Cairns North Community Health Facility (17.5 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
- Emergency department in suburb
- Not in suburb
- Clifton Beach Medical & SurgicalCaptain Cook HighwayDoctor
- Clifton Beach PharmacyPharmacy
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)
- 72
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 20.8
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 7.7 km away).
Coalition 49.3%Labor 50.7%
5.4 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +8.3 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- Clifton BeachLabor 48.9% · Coalition 51.1% TPP (2025)1.0 km away
- Kewarra BeachLabor 51.8% · Coalition 48.2% TPP (2025)3.1 km away
- Palm CoveLabor 50.0% · Coalition 50.0% TPP (2025)3.1 km away
- Trinity BeachLabor 57.9% · Coalition 42.1% TPP (2025)3.8 km away
- Trinity ParkLabor 56.9% · Coalition 43.1% TPP (2025)5.6 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)
- 7/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
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.