Real Estate
9 March, 2025
Leading property performer
CAIRNS has cemented itself as one of regional Queensland’s standout property markets, recording impressive growth of $66,146 (11.4 per cent) over the past year.
Ray White chief economist Nerida Conisbee said with a current median price of $647,156, the market continued to show strong momentum, demonstrated by the consistent monthly growth of $3764 as of January 2025.
“This performance places Cairns firmly among Queensland’s top regional growth areas, outpacing many other regional centres,” she said.
“The strong performance can be attributed to Cairns’ unique combination of lifestyle appeal, tourism strength and relative affordability compared to metropolitan areas.
“As remote work options remain prevalent post-pandemic, Cairns has capitalised on its tropical climate and natural beauty to attract sea-changers and investors looking for growth potential outside major cities.
“With continued infrastructure investment and limited housing supply in the region, Cairns appears well-positioned to maintain its growth trajectory in the coming months.”
Cairns was fifth in the state behind Townsville, Central Queensland, Mackay/Isaac/Whitsunday and the Gold Coast.
Cairns – $647,156, monthly growth of $3764, yearly growth $66,146
Townsville – $511,758, monthly growth of $3691, yearly growth $75,907
Central Queensland – $488,237, monthly growth of $3541, yearly growth $69,464
Mackay/Isaac/Whitsunday – $534,291, monthly growth of $3067, yearly growth $69,403
Gold Coast – $1,205,579, monthly growth of $10,307, yearly growth $66,529.
Queensland’s property kept powering ahead over the December 2024 quarter, according to the latest median sales results released by the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ).
Over the quarter, the median sale price for houses across Queensland rose 5.9 per cent to $810,000 – a quarterly uplift not seen since early 2022 in the post-pandemic surge.
Cairns was $657,000 for the December quarter, up 4.37 per cent, and 8.47 per cent for the year. Units were stable at $375,000 for the quarter but 14.7 per cent up for the year.
