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Queensland · Postcode 4873
Cow Bay postcode and suburb data
Queensland · Phone area code 07 · 1473 km from Brisbane
Suburb snapshot
Cow Bay at a glance vs QLD
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against QLD
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Where Cow Bay ranks: household income sits in the bottom 10% of QLD suburbs; SEIFA decile 2 places it in the bottom 20% of Australia for socio-economic advantage.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
Cow Bay vs the QLD average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Cow Bay | QLD avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $752 -QLD | $1,770 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $200 -QLD | $380 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $867 -QLD | $1,774 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 52 | 44.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 2/10 -QLD | 4.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 13.4% +QLD | 6.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the QLD average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
Cow Bay is a remote community in Queensland, with postcode 4873. It lies roughly 1473 km from Brisbane, classified by the ABS as remote Australia. The area is administered by Douglas.
According to the 2021 Census, Cow Bay has a population of 220 with a median age of 52. The median weekly household income is $752, below the QLD average. The unemployment rate is 13.4%, higher than the QLD average. The Indigenous population is 6 (2.7% of residents).
Housing in Cow Bay includes a median weekly rent of $200, median monthly mortgage repayment of $867, with 100 total dwellings. Housing costs in the area sit below the QLD average. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 90.3% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Cow Bay scores in decile 2 out of 10, which is well below the national average.
Cow Bay is part of the Port Douglas - Daintree statistical area in Queensland.
Cow Bay details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 4873 |
| State | Queensland (QLD) |
| Phone Area Code | 07 |
| Population (2021) | 220 |
| Median Age | 52 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $752/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $478/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $200 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $867 |
| Average Household Size | 1.7 persons |
| Area | 25.6 km² |
| Population Density | 9/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 100 |
| Australian Citizens | 80.0% |
| Indigenous Population | 6 (2.7%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 13.4% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 2/10 (well below average) |
| Latitude | -16.2319196 |
| Longitude | 145.4562545 |
| Distance from Brisbane | 1473 km |
| Region (SA4) | Cairns |
| Area (SA3) | Port Douglas - Daintree |
| Local Government | Douglas |
| Federal Electorate | Leichhardt |
| State Electorate | Cook |
| Time Zone | AEST (UTC+10), Australia/Brisbane (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 14 (6.4%) |
| 15–24 years | 13 (5.9%) |
| 25–44 years | 43 (19.5%) |
| 45–64 years | 107 (48.6%) |
| 65+ years | 41 (18.6%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Arthritis | 24 (10.9%) |
| Diabetes | 7 (3.2%) |
| Heart Disease | 6 (2.7%) |
| Asthma | 5 (2.3%) |
| Lung Condition | 5 (2.3%) |
| Cancer | 4 (1.8%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 3 (3.2%) |
| 1 vehicle | 50 (52.6%) |
| 2 vehicles | 34 (35.8%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 8 (8.4%) |
Suburbs Near Cow Bay
Same Postcode (4873)
More Cow Bay Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.