Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Smithfield

Smithfield mixes education, retail and suburban living on the northern Cairns coastal plain, with rainforest-clad hills behind it. The James Cook University campus gives parts of the suburb a student-focused atmosphere, while a busy shopping and service strip along the main road supplies everyday needs. Residential streets include established timber and brick homes under mature trees, newer housing and some apartments closer to the retail precinct. For people who want easy access to shops, cafes and outdoor recreation, and good road links to Cairns, the northern beaches and nearby rainforest attractions, Smithfield has a clear practical appeal.

The community numbers 6,664 people, with a median age of 34 and a typical household income of $1,840 a week (about $96,000 a year). It is a suburb of families, with couple families with and without children making up just over eight in ten families. Owner-occupiers account for 67.0% of homes and renters 33.0%, so owners outnumber renters by roughly two to one. Local investment and planning are active, centred on a council-backed Smithfield Leisure Precinct that links the library, Marlin Coast Recreation Centre and Marlin Coast Bicentennial Pool to new recreation spaces, alongside transport upgrades and facility refurbishments. Whether that mix suits you depends on what you want from a suburb.

At a median house price of $850,000, buying a house in Smithfield works out to about 8.9 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census. Rents are also a sizeable share of that income: a house renting for $730 a week would take about 39.7% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, and a unit at $595 a week would take about 32.3%.

On these figures, buying sits well above local incomes recorded at the last Census, while renting would take a sizeable share of a typical household's income. Whether that feels expensive depends on your own circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Over the past 12 months, property values in Smithfield rose strongly: median house values climbed 15.1% and median unit values climbed 17.2%. Those value changes point to capital growth over the year, with units slightly outpacing houses.

Rental growth was more modest. House rents rose a solid 5.0% while unit rents edged up 1.7%, so rental income increased more for houses than for units this year. For someone weighing Smithfield up as an investment, which of those outcomes matters most will depend on your goals and circumstances.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.