Smithfield, QLD 4878
Good to know:
Smithfield, QLD 4878 is a growing suburb located in the northern part of Cairns, approximately 15 kilometres from the Cairns CBD. Known for its lush, tropical landscape, it serves as a gateway to several natural attractions, including the Barron Gorge National Park and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Smithfield is home to James Cook University’s Cairns campus, making it a vibrant area with a mix of students and families. The Smithfield Shopping Centre provides a range of retail options, while the suburb offers various recreational facilities, including parks and sporting clubs, contributing to a balanced lifestyle.
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Smithfield QLD 4878 houses: the local property market shows a mix of tight active listings and elevated months-of-supply, with a typical house price of $931,815, median weekly rent of $646 and a gross yield of 3.61%. This Smithfield QLD 4878 property investment snapshot points to solid socio-economic fundamentals (IRSAD 1032) and reasonable rental returns above the 3% floor, but affordability is weak (38 years to own) and inventory sits near the high-supply threshold — a combination that matters for strategy and timing.
Property market outlook
Smithfield houses are trading at a typical price of $931,815 with median rent at $646pw and a yield of 3.61% — enough to meet conservative yield criteria but not high by regional standards. Key supply/demand signals are mixed: Stock on Market (SoM%) is low at 0.31% (tight active listings), yet Inventory is 5.99 months (classified unfavourable/high supply). That divergence suggests low transaction volumes and thin liquidity rather than a flood of new listings; properties can sit off-market or trade infrequently, creating occasional price stickiness. Days on Market of 29 days signals relatively strong buyer activity when stock is offered; Vacancy at 1.08% is neutral—rental demand is steady but not overheated. IRSAD at 1032 is opportune, supporting longer-term capital growth potential for house prices in Smithfield. Affordability is a clear constraint: 38 years to own is well above the 30-year threshold and will cap local entry demand and slow owner-occupier turnover over time. Building approvals (BA Ratio 0.63%) and the low Units/Houses ratio (8%) imply the suburb remains house-dominant with limited near-term new supply, a point favouring established house owners.
Pros
- Strong socio-economic profile: IRSAD 1032 (opportune) supports long-run capital growth for house buyers.
- Yield acceptable: 3.61% gross yield is above the common 3% minimum, providing reasonable rental income for an owner-occupied market.
- Low active stock (SoM% 0.31%) indicates tight on-market supply when properties are listed — helps limit downward price pressure.
- Fast days on market (29 days) demonstrates effective market clearance when stock is available.
- Units are a small share of dwellings (UH 8% opportune) — less competition from apartment stock for house investors seeking scarcity in the detached market.
- Data confidence: high confidence in the underlying data reduces execution risk for buyers’ agents and investors.
Cons
- High Inventory (5.99 months): this is an unfavourable signal for short-term price momentum and implies the market can be slow to clear if sales activity weakens.
- Poor affordability (38 years): elevated years-to-own constrains local owner-occupier demand and can slow capital gains or push buyers to other locations.
- Moderate renter share (Renter/Owner 32% neutral): rental demand exists but is not dominant; investor-exit strategies relying on a deep rental pool are more limited than in high-renter markets.
- Yield is modest, not high — investors seeking strong cashflow may find returns marginal after costs.
- Market liquidity appears thin (contrasting low SoM% with high months of supply), making tactical buying or rapid disposition more difficult.
Investment strategies
- Long-term capital growth focus: Target quality detached houses in strong pockets within Smithfield where IRSAD and amenity indicators are highest. Tight on-market supply and favourable socio-economic indicators support a buy-and-hold approach over a multi-year horizon.
- Selective yield management: With yields around 3.6%, prioritise properties with short-term rental upside (renovation, reconfiguration) or dual-income options to lift net cashflow rather than relying on headline yield alone.
- Off-market and buyers-agent sourcing: Given thin liquidity and low visible SoM%, use off-market channels and proactive sourcing to access the best stock and avoid bidding wars on the limited advertised listings.
- Mitigate affordability risk: Price-to-income pressure suggests avoiding highly leveraged short-term plays. Instead, favour properties with capital growth indicators (proximity to schools, amenity, low future supply) and hold longer.
- Monitor inventory and sales velocity: If months-of-supply starts to fall from current 5.99 months while DOM remains low, that will be a favourable turning point — consider stepping up acquisition at that time.
- Development/land-lot caution: Building approvals are neutral; don’t assume significant new supply will emerge fast. However, pockets with development potential (subdivision, dual-occupancy) can lift returns if approvals and demand align.
Is Smithfield QLD 4878 a good suburb to invest in?
Selective yes — for house investors with a long investment horizon and a preference for capital growth over immediate high cashflow. House prices in Smithfield benefit from an opportune IRSAD and limited visible stock, and yields are adequate for conservative portfolios. However, the suburb’s poor affordability (38 years) and elevated months-of-supply reduce its appeal for short-term appreciation and for investors who need high cash-on-cash returns. Buyers’ agents should shortlist Smithfield houses for clients seeking stable, location-driven growth, but insist on rigorous micro-level comparison with neighbouring suburbs and a focus on properties that can improve rental income or offer downside protection in low-liquidity conditions.
About HtAG Analytics Data
Base metrics used in this suburb snapshot include: Typical Price, Median Rent, Sales, Rentals, Δ Change (periodic price/rent change), Yield (gross rental yield), Capital Growth (CG + low/high bands), Total RoI (Yield + CG), Rent Increase (projected annual rent growth), Volatility Index (MAPE-based forecast error), Confidence (data accuracy), and Relative Composite Score™. There are additional metrics available on HTAG dashboards (for example Days on Market, Stock on Market, Inventory months, Building Approvals, Hold Period, IRSAD, Renter/Owner ratio, Units/Houses ratio, Vacancy Rate, Buy & Rent Search Index, Auction Clearance Rates, School Rank, and non-residential approvals per capita).
HtAG’s methodology is designed to capture both current conditions and historical trends to enable relative market comparisons at the suburb and point-of-purchase level. Applied to Smithfield QLD 4878, our metrics emphasise local market structure (supply depth, transaction activity, socio-economic profile) rather than only broad public aggregates — this is the practical difference compared with providers that primarily surface public datasets for high-level trend reporting. Although some metric names are similar across services, HTAG’s curation and measurement nuances aim to reflect the conditions most relevant to buyers’ agents and investors assessing specific suburbs.
Finally, the summary above is a snapshot of current value metrics for Smithfield QLD 4878 and does not replace trend analysis; metric trajectories (for example falling Inventory or rising Vacancy) can materially change the investment case. Some metrics carry more weight than others depending on investor goals and timeframes. Different investors will therefore arrive at different suburb selections based on budgets, borrowing capacity, risk appetite and intended hold or refinance timelines. HTAG excels at shortlisting markets by matching these individual criteria rather than offering one-size-fits-all recommendations.
Updated: 1 May 2026
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Quick Area Stats
Dwellings
Population
EDI
Bushfire Risk Index
Flood Risk Index
Education & Infrastructure
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School Rank
Infra. Spend
Market Trends
Essential metrics effectively streamline the process of identifying markets that match your financial situation and investment objectives. Typical Price, Indicative Yield and Total ROI provide a swift means to shortlist areas that resonate with what you’re seeking and can afford. These metrics also serve as valuable general trend indicators, allowing you to visualise transaction volumes and dynamics of change.
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The Growth Rate Cycle (GRC) is a metric used to analyse the year-on-year change in property values, providing insights into the growth cycle of a particular area. It uses the “typical price” metric to gauge property values more accurately than median prices, and includes both actual and projected data for the current year.
Fundamental metrics play a vital role in providing a comprehensive analysis of the socio-economic environment within a specific suburb or region. Additionally, the Return on Investment (ROI) and Volatility Index are crucial metrics that aid in evaluating the prospective profitability and the level of risk or stability in the market.
Socio-economics
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IRSAD
Renter to Owner
Units to Houses
Projections
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Projected Annual ROI
Volatility Index
Quick Area Stats
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Annual Sales Volume
Annual Rentals Volume
Stock on Market
Building Approvals
Inventory
Hold Period
Supply metrics are crucial in gauging both the existing volumes of real estate listed for sale and the properties anticipated to enter the market soon. A diminished supply could signal opportunities for price appreciation, particularly when there’s corresponding buyer demand to buoy the market. The Stock on Market and Inventory level metrics (current values) are presented as a 3-month rolling average of monthly data shown in the charts. This means the last 3 months of data are averaged. The BA Ratio represents the proportion of building approvals over the latest 12 months relative to the total dwellings in the area.
Days on Market
Search Index
Vacancy Rate
Clearance Rate
Demand metrics underscore the level of interest that potential property buyers or tenants have in a specific suburb or locality. When demand outstrips the available supply, or if the supply fails to meet the intensity of buyer/renter interest, there’s a potential for prices to climb, underscoring the pivotal relationship between demand dynamics and property value trends. The Days on Market and Clearance Rate metrics (current values) are presented as a 3-month rolling average of monthly data shown in the charts. This means the last 3 months of data are averaged.
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The total adult population (15 years or older) of Smithfield 4878 QLD is 5,356, with a median age of 34. Of those, 40.98% are married, 11.76% are divorced or separated, 43.58% are single and 3.73% are widowed.
The average household size is 2.6 people per dwelling, and the median household monthly income is estimated to be $8,476. The median monthly mortgage repayment for households in this suburb is $1,755 which is 20.71% of their earnings.
Source: ABS Census Data (2021)