QLD · Cairns Council
Smithfield, 4878
Current weather
19°CMainly clear
82% humidity · 9.9 km/h wind · 23.6° / 15.9° today · 0.2 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
- Cycling
- Dog friendly
- National parks
Suburb profile
Smithfield anchors everyday life in Cairns, a regional mid-sized suburb with its own identity and rhythm. Distance from the capital is noticeable, but the trade-off is space, calm and a community that knows its neighbours. Leafy streets and shaded corners make the suburb feel greener and more established than many nearby.
Working households and growing families are the backbone of local life, with plenty of young families in the mix. Neighbourhood food and coffee spots add warmth to the local routine. Green space is a real strength, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb.
Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
On the desirability index, the suburb rates excellent overall, led by parks and green space and housing affordability, while safety and local dining and lifestyle amenities sit closer to the middle of the pack for similar regional towns.
Population
- Population
- 6,664
- Median age
- 34
- Median household income / week
- $1,840
- Dwelling vacancy
- 5.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 134 of 2,446
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,755
- Employment rate
- 63.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 180 / 62 / 138
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 · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- All types (Mar 2026)
- $685
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) · Period: Mar 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Jul 2026)
- 285
- Against the person
- 44
- Against property
- 168
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 42.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 151 residents
- State safety percentile
- 56.8th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
- -5.6%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Assault59
- Drug Offences63
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)156
- Traffic And Related Offences67
- Unlawful Entry108
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Period: Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Jul 2026; Jan 2026 to Jul 2026 · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 2
- Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
- 1,014.5
- Newman Catholic CollegeSecondary
- Tropical North Learning Academy - Smithfield State High SchoolSecondary
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 · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Amenities
108 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- BWSAlcohol
- ArcadexAmusement Arcade
- JCUSA barBar
- Evolution BeatyBeauty salon
- The Wax RoomBeauty salon
- Bench (8)
- Bicycle
- Bicycle Parking (2)
- JCUBicycle Parking
- JCU bookshopBooks
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
7 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Hockey Avenue ReservePark
- Information ParkPark
- Kennedy ParkPark
- Oakville Parade ParkPark
- Rainy Mountain ParkPark
- Tom Dooley ParkPark
- Yumbabulla Green PlaygroundPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 13
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Alive Pharmacy Smithfieldpharmacy
- Cairns Innovative Physiotherapyphysiotherapist
- Cairns_Family_Therapycairns_family_therapy
- Life Chiropracticalternative
- North Qld X-Ray Servicesdoctor
- North Queensland Podiatrypodiatrist
- QLD X-rayclinic
- Queensland X-Rayradiology
- Smithfield Care Clinicdoctor
- Smithfield Central DoctorsMount Milman Drivedoctor
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 7/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Childcare
3 childcare services from OpenStreetMap
- Marlin Coast Day Carechildcare
- Milestones Early Learningkindergarten
- kindergartenkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
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 · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 27
- Parks (OSM)
- 15
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 features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 75.7/100 — Excellent
- State standing
- Top 2% of Queensland's suburbs
- National rank
- 56th in Australia
- State rank
- 18th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #1 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #2 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 77%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- 7-Elevenamenitiesfuel
- Arcadexamenitiesamusement_arcade
- Australia Postamenitiespost_box
- Avanti Carwashamenities10 Maisel Closecar_wash
- BPamenitiesfuel
- BWSamenitiesalcohol
- Battery Storeamenitiescar_parts
- Beachside Veterinary Hospitalamenitiesveterinary
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
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.