City · Queensland · 2025-26

Cairns crime rate and crime map

Cairns recorded 2,655 violent offences per 100,000 residents in 2025-26, 93% above the Queensland rate and 2.1 times the national rate. Up 87% on five years earlier.

The figures cover the Cairns Regional Council area, about 179,334 residents.

Under two-thirds of the national rate
Below the national rate
Up to 1.5 times
1.5 to 2.5 times
Over 2.5 times the national rate
No published figure

Council areas shaded by violent crime rate against the national rate, 2025-26. Select a council for its full figures and Crime Score.

Cairns against QLD and Australia

Violent 2,655 per 100k

Cairns2,655QLD1,378Australia1,280

Property 8,411 per 100k

Cairns8,411QLD4,929Australia3,779

Break-ins 1,971 per 100k

Cairns1,971QLD686Australia487

Recorded offences per 100,000 residents, 2025-26. Australia: every council area with published figures.

Violent crime over ten years

CairnsQueensland

Cairns violent crime rate from 2016-17 to 2025-26: 990 to 2,655 per 100,000. Violent offences per 100,000 residents.

Street-level crime map of Cairns

Queensland Police recorded 1,848 offences in 615 street blocks of Cairns from 2 October to 31 October 2026. The most common were theft (421), drugs (313) and assault (290). Each offence is placed in a street block of roughly 30 to 60 homes, not at an address; sexual and traffic offences are not included.

See every street block in Cairns on the map (source: Queensland Police Service, CC BY).

Council area

Per 100,000 residents, 2025-26, highest violent crime rate first. Score: Crime Score, 0 lowest to 100 highest recorded crime.
Council	Violent	Property	Break-ins	Score
Cairns	2,655	8,411	1,971	82

Questions about crime in Cairns

What is the crime rate in Cairns?

Cairns recorded 2,655 violent offences per 100,000 residents in 2025-26, 93% above the Queensland rate and 2.1 times the national rate. Property crime was 8,411 per 100,000. The figures cover the Cairns Regional Council area.

Is crime going up in Cairns?

Cairns's recorded violent crime rate went from 1,419 per 100,000 in 2020-21 to 2,655 in 2025-26 (+87%). Changes in reporting and police recording affect these trends as well as offending.

Where do these figures come from?

Offence counts from Queensland's official police or crime statistics agency, by council area, standardised to national offence categories, with ABS population. Figures describe recorded offences, not personal risk.

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