Macgregor
Almost six in ten residents of Macgregor were born overseas, 38.3 points above the national figure, and that single fact shapes the suburb. Chinese ancestry leads at 2,085 people and Mandarin (682 speakers) and Cantonese (213) are the dominant non-English languages, well ahead of any other group. University qualifications reach 50.5%, which is 20.4 points above national, yet the median household income sits in only the 61.6th percentile and the suburb scores decile 3 on both IRSD and IER. The median age of 34 is six years below national, and at a $542,000 median house price this remains an affordable, family-oriented pocket of southern Brisbane.
Population
5,980
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,752/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
15
Median House
$542K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $542,000 median, Macgregor buys far more house than inner Brisbane, and the stock is built for families: 85.7% are separate houses and only 11.1% are apartments. Larger homes dominate, with 4-plus bedroom dwellings at 52.9% and three-bedroom at 34.7%, while two-bedroom homes make up just 10.7%. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,950 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which is why the area suits owner-occupiers rather than stretched first buyers. Outright owners (38.8%) outnumber mortgage holders (24.6%), a sign of long-settled households, many of them migrant families who bought early and held on. The detached, four-bedroom profile means buyers chasing a smaller unit will find limited choice.
For Buyers
At a $542,000 median, Macgregor buys far more house than inner Brisbane, and the stock is built for families: 85.7% are separate houses and only 11.1% are apartments. Larger homes dominate, with 4-plus bedroom dwellings at 52.9% and three-bedroom at 34.7%, while two-bedroom homes make up just 10.7%. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,950 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which is why the area suits owner-occupiers rather than stretched first buyers. Outright owners (38.8%) outnumber mortgage holders (24.6%), a sign of long-settled households, many of them migrant families who bought early and held on. The detached, four-bedroom profile means buyers chasing a smaller unit will find limited choice.
For Investors
A renter share of 36.6% and weekly rent of $430 give investors a steady tenant base, and against the $542,000 median that rent implies a gross yield near 4.1%, far healthier than premium Sydney or inner-Brisbane suburbs. Rent grew 10.3% over the period, and net overseas migration of 337 a year is the primary demand driver, replenishing tenants as student and migrant households cycle through. The cautions are real: vacancy sits at 8.0%, higher than a tight market, and net internal migration runs at minus 201 a year, so local outflow offsets some of the overseas inflow. Development is light at 12 applications in 12 months, mostly single-dwelling and design-and-siting referrals rather than new supply, which limits future stock competition and supports existing landlords.
Development Activity
Total DAs
41
Last 12 Months
15
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+36.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Macgregor iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
MacGregor State School
Prep-6 · 1212 students
MacGregor State High School
7-12 · 1297 students
Demographics
Macgregor is young and overseas-born: the median age of 34 runs 6.0 years below national, and 59.9% of residents were born overseas, 38.3 points above national. Chinese ancestry dominates at 2,085 people, ahead of English (1,044) and Indian (295), and the leading non-English languages are Mandarin (682 speakers), Cantonese (213) and Korean (91). University qualifications reach 50.5%, which is 20.4 points above national, reflecting a study-driven migrant intake. Average household size is 3.0, half a person above national, because couples-with-children families (1,525) outnumber couples without (1,207), and multi-generational migrant households are common. Buddhism (493) and Hinduism (258) sit behind Christianity (2,126), a religious mix that tracks the East and South Asian ancestry base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.7%
Houses
3.1%
Townhouse
11.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is balanced toward owners: 38.8% own outright, 24.6% carry a mortgage and 36.6% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to established, debt-free households rather than recent churn. The stock is overwhelmingly detached, with separate houses at 85.7% and apartments only 11.1%, and it skews large, as 4-plus bedroom homes reach 52.9% against just 10.7% two-bedroom. The median house price of $542,000 keeps the area affordable for greater Brisbane, and affordability has improved markedly, with the price-to-income measure easing from 92.4% in 2011 to 67.8% in 2021. Both stress gauges stay healthy, mortgage-to-income at 25.7% and rent-to-income at 24.5%, each below the 30% threshold, which explains why family buyers can still enter without overcommitting.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$430
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$634
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.0%
Unoccupied
166
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.5%
Couples, no children
4,235
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment leans on Healthcare, which leads at 17.5% (345 workers), followed by Hospitality at 11.1% (218) and Professional/Tech at 10.8% (213), with Education at 9.5% and Retail at 8.8%. By occupation, Professionals (679) top the list ahead of Labourers (391) and Community/Personal workers (363), a split that mirrors the divide between qualified migrants and service-sector roles. Despite 50.5% university qualifications, the labour market reads soft: unemployment is 9.4% and participation only 53.6%, well below typical levels, with 1,834 residents not in the labour force. That gap shows up in the SEIFA scores, where the IEO education index sits at decile 7 but the IER economic-resources index drops to decile 3, because student and recent-arrival households earn little despite their credentials. Real incomes still grew 22.1% over the decade.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
3,782
Unemployed
165
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.7%
Part-time
32.9%
Participation
53.6%
Employed
2,515
Occupations
Top Industries
University
50.5%
Postgraduate
15.8%
Born Overseas
59.9%
Dwellings
1,905
Transport to Work
Macgregor leans on cars, with 74.2% driving to work and only 13.3% using public transport and 4.6% walking or cycling, a car reliance above the metro norm that fits its detached, low-density layout at 2,216 residents per km2. The suburb scores decile 6 on IRSAD and decile 3 on IRSD, the relative-disadvantage index, which places it below the Brisbane average and reflects the lower-income migrant and student households despite high education levels. Volunteering runs at 13.2% and 5.0% of residents (287 people) need daily assistance, a modest figure consistent with the young median age of 34. No schools sit inside the 2.7 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, though the area is well known for proximity to Griffith University's Nathan campus.
Drive
74.2%
Public Transport
13.3%
Walk / Cycle
4.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.76%/yr
(+51 people/yr)
EstablishedMacgregor is an established, slow-growth suburb: population rises about 0.76% a year, or roughly 51 people, and grew 7.2% over the past decade. The medium forecast lifts the count from 6,605 in 2026 to 6,860 by 2031, modest expansion rather than a boom. Overseas migration of 337 a year is the only positive driver and is partly cancelled by net internal outflow of 201, leaving thin natural growth. The COVID dip was shallow at minus 2.3% and has fully recovered, with the population now 9.1% above the low. Gentrification reads as early signs, scoring 24, supported by a 13% rise since 2011 and improving affordability from 92.4% to 67.8%, but the decile 3 IRSD base means the suburb has plenty of room before it shifts upmarket.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+337
Net Internal / yr
-201
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +13% since 2011, Net internal outflow -201/yr, Strong overseas inflow +337/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Macgregor compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Macgregor a good suburb to live in?
Macgregor suits family and migrant households, with 85.7% separate houses and a young median age of 34, six years below national. University qualifications reach 50.5%, 20.4 points above national, though it scores decile 3 on the IRSD disadvantage index. The $542,000 median keeps it affordable for greater Brisbane.
What is the median house price in Macgregor?
The median house price is $542,000, affordable by greater Brisbane standards. Weekly rent averages $430 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That rent implies a gross yield near 4.1%.
What schools are in Macgregor?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.7 km2 Macgregor boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base is highly educated, with university qualifications at 50.5%, which is 20.4 points above the national figure, and the area sits near Griffith University's Nathan campus.
Is Macgregor safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Macgregor in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, below the national midpoint, and 5.0% of its residents (287 people) need daily assistance, figures that suggest a lower-income but settled residential area.
Is Macgregor good for property investment?
Rent of $430 a week against a $542,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.1%, healthier than premium markets, and renters make up 36.6% of households. Net overseas migration of 337 a year supports demand, but vacancy at 8.0% and net internal outflow of 201 a year warrant caution on tenant turnover.
How is Macgregor's population changing?
Population grows about 0.76% a year, or roughly 51 people, and rose 7.2% over the past decade. The medium forecast lifts it from 6,605 in 2026 to 6,860 by 2031. Growth is driven by overseas migration of 337 a year, partly offset by net internal outflow of 201 a year.
What languages are spoken in Macgregor?
About 59.9% of residents were born overseas, 38.3 points above national. English aside, the most common languages are Mandarin (682 speakers), Cantonese (213), Korean (91) and Greek (51), reflecting a strong East Asian community led by Chinese ancestry at 2,085 people.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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