Population
Need for assistance
About this topic
Need for assistance measures people who report needing help with self-care, body movement, or communication because of a disability, a long-term health condition, or older age. It is a high-needs indicator rather than a general measure of disability.
This topic is useful for planning accessible facilities, care services, respite, and support for carers. The measure is based on self-report in the Census, so it should be interpreted with care and read alongside unpaid care and other disability-related indicators.
Interpretation notes
- The measure is self-reported and records need for help with core activities, so it is not a complete measure of disability prevalence.
- It applies to all persons and is strongest as an indicator of higher support need when read with unpaid care and ageing data.
Key insight
In 2021, 65-74 year olds was the most common age group among residents who needed assistance with core activities in Cairns City, accounting for 6.9% (32 people). This share was lower than Cairns (R) (10%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 65-74 year olds, which increased by 32 people and 6.9 percentage points.
Section overview
Need for assistance with core activities by age
Cairns City - Persons (Usual residence)
This table summarises need for assistance for Cairns City in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Cairns (R) and change since 2016.
Need for assistance with core activities by age snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Cairns City, with comparison markers for Cairns (R).
Bars reflect 2021 counts; benchmark rates remain in the metrics.
0-4
2021 count
0
2021 rate
0.0%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
0
0.0%
0.0pp
5-14
2021 count
0
2021 rate
0.0%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
0
0.0%
0.0pp
15-19
2021 count
4
2021 rate
4.4%
Change from 2016
+4.4pp
4
4.4%
+4.4pp
20-24
2021 count
0
2021 rate
0.0%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
0
0.0%
0.0pp
25-34
2021 count
6
2021 rate
0.7%
Change from 2016
+0.7pp
6
0.7%
+0.7pp
35-44
2021 count
7
2021 rate
1.7%
Change from 2016
+1.7pp
7
1.7%
+1.7pp
45-54
2021 count
11
2021 rate
2.1%
Change from 2016
+2.1pp
11
2.1%
+2.1pp
55-64
2021 count
18
2021 rate
3.4%
Change from 2016
+3.4pp
18
3.4%
+3.4pp
65-74
2021 count
32
2021 rate
6.9%
Change from 2016
+6.9pp
32
6.9%
+6.9pp
75-84
2021 count
13
2021 rate
6.0%
Change from 2016
+6.0pp
13
6.0%
+6.0pp
85+
2021 count
21
2021 rate
38.9%
Change from 2016
-61.1pp
21
38.9%
-61.1pp
Chart view
Need for assistance with core activities by age change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
0-4
0
0.0pp
5-14
0
0.0pp
15-19
+4
+4.4pp
20-24
0
0.0pp
25-34
+6
+0.7pp
35-44
+7
+1.7pp
45-54
+11
+2.1pp
55-64
+18
+3.4pp
65-74
+32
+6.9pp
75-84
+13
+6.0pp
85+
+18
-61.1pp
Data table
Need for assistance for Cairns City. Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Cairns (R).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Cairns (R)% | Count | % | Cairns (R)% | Count | pp | |
| 0-4 | 0 | 0.0% | 1.4% | 0 | 0.0% | 0.9% | 0 | 0.0pp |
| 5-14 | 0 | 0.0% | 4.1% | 0 | 0.0% | 3.1% | 0 | 0.0pp |
| 15-19 | 4 | 4.4% | 3.2% | 0 | 0.0% | 2.4% | +4 | +4.4pp |
| 20-24 | 0 | 0.0% | 2.6% | 0 | 0.0% | 1.8% | 0 | 0.0pp |
| 25-34 | 6 | 0.7% | 1.8% | 0 | 0.0% | 1.7% | +6 | +0.7pp |
| 35-44 | 7 | 1.7% | 2.3% | 0 | 0.0% | 2.1% | +7 | +1.7pp |
| 45-54 | 11 | 2.1% | 3.4% | 0 | 0.0% | 3.3% | +11 | +2.1pp |
| 55-64 | 18 | 3.4% | 5.4% | 0 | 0.0% | 5.4% | +18 | +3.4pp |
| 65-74 | 32 | 6.9% | 10.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 8.9% | +32 | +6.9pp |
| 75-84 | 13 | 6.0% | 22.2% | 0 | 0.0% | 21.1% | +13 | +6.0pp |
| 85+ | 21 | 38.9% | 49.9% | 3 | 100.0% | 46.4% | +18 | -61.1pp |
| Total | 104 | 2.9% | 5.4% | 8 | 12.3% | 4.4% | +96 | -9.4pp |