Median house price
—
No data available
QLD · Cassowary Coast Council
El Arish, 4855
Est. population · Jun 2025
348
Growth (1 yr)
+0.6%
Growth (5 yr)
+2.0%
Median age
47
Median income
$1,148/wk
Employment rate
49.6%
Languages at home
5.5%non-English
Most common: Italian
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Education hub
- High desirability
Suburb profile
In Cassowary Coast Council, El Arish keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. The area suits established families and long-term locals, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name.
There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play. A car helps for most daily errands, with fewer amenities clustered within an easy walk. Purchase and rent costs sit on the more affordable side of the local range.
Reported crime has been falling recently. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
Versus similar regional towns, the suburb reads below average on desirability, chiefly because local dining and lifestyle amenities, plus community and employment trail behind. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
El Arish snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
348
+0.6% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
12.9%
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
#147
among Country & regional · Mature
Safety
1st
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
30th
percentile in QLD
Advantage (IRSAD)
2/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
14th
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
- 38.6/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4029th in Australia
- State rank
- 864th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #147 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #426 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 66%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
348(June 2025)
+0.6% annual · +2.0% over 5 years · 30th percentile in QLD
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +0.6%
- 5-year growth
- +2.0%
- Change in 1 year
- +2
- Change in 5 years
- +7
- Growth rank in QLD
- 30th 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 (~350), extrapolated at +0.5% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 337
- Median age
- 47
- Median household income / week
- $1,148
- Dwelling vacancy
- 12.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 20 of 155
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,170
- Employment rate
- 49.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 116 / 0 / 0 (+ 7 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)
- 3
- Against the person
- 1
- Against property
- 1
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 8.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 337 residents
- State safety percentile
- 1.2th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
- -18.9%
Most common offence types
- Traffic And Related Offences8
- Assault4
- Drug Offences7
- Other Property Damage1
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)2
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
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 918
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 14th
School list
- El Arish State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 918 · 14th percentile · LBOTE 13% · 32 students · Top SEA quarter 3% · 0.8 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
13 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 pubs · 1 playgrounds · 1 petrol stations
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Great for outdoor family life — 1 parks mapped in suburb, 1 playgrounds nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 2/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 2.97
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 2.97
Food & drink(1)
- El Arish TavernPub
Community(1)
- El Arish State SchoolSchool
Sport & outdoors(3)
- El Arish Country ClubGolf course
- Ron Pud Targent ParkPark
- Playground
Other(8)
- Artwork
- El Arish Rest AreaCamp Site
- Diggers Creek Motel and Van ParkCaravan Site
- Diggers Creek Motel and Van ParkMotel
- El ArishParking
- PumaPetrol station
Bruce Highway
- Public toilets
- TelstraTelephone
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
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Ron Pud Targent ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 7
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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
- Tully Hospital (16.5 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)
- 8
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 23.0
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° / 23°
- Rainfall
- 883 mm · ~90 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 29° / 21°
- Rainfall
- 553 mm · ~69 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 25° / 15°
- Rainfall
- 124 mm · ~16 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 29° / 20°
- Rainfall
- 196 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
Roadworks & transport
1 active roadworks / incidents
- North of El ArishBruce Highway09 Jul 2026 – 01 Oct 2026
Data sources & freshness
- Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · current · Updated
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
- Kennedy
- Member of Parliament
- Bob KATTER (Katter's Australian Party (KAP))
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 123,696
- Turnout (2025)
- 83.8%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +0.8 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 59.3%Labor 40.7%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 17.3 km away).
Coalition 55.8%Labor 44.2%
3.5 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +4.7 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- El ArishLabor 44.3% · Coalition 55.7% TPP (2025)0.6 km away
- SilkwoodLabor 30.3% · Coalition 69.7% TPP (2025)7.4 km away
- Kurrimine BeachLabor 33.5% · Coalition 66.5% TPP (2025)10.8 km away
- Mission BeachLabor 51.6% · Coalition 48.4% TPP (2025)13.0 km away
- South Mission BeachLabor 51.1% · Coalition 48.9% TPP (2025)14.6 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)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
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
More in Cassowary Coast Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.