Macgregor
Macgregor combines a population of 5,980 with a density of 2,215.8 people per sq km, making it a compact south Brisbane suburb with a strong family and migrant profile. The median age is 34, six years below the national figure, while 59.9% of residents were born overseas, 38.3 percentage points above the national share. Household income sits at the 61.6th percentile, and 50.5% of residents have university qualifications. Compared with the denser shopping and apartment pockets around nearby Sunnybank and Upper Mount Gravatt, Macgregor has a more detached-home setting, with 85.7% of dwellings being separate houses.
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
24
Macgregor suits buyers seeking larger detached homes close to established south Brisbane services, although a current median house price is not stated. The housing mix is heavily family-oriented: 85.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 52.9% have four or more bedrooms, and only 11.1% are apartments. A $1,950 monthly mortgage figure compares with weekly rent of $430, while mortgage costs represent 25.7% of household income, slightly higher than the 24.5% rent-to-income share. Affordability improved from 42.8% in 2011 to 39.6% in 2021, but buyers should compare recent sales by bedroom count and dwelling condition because Macgregor's housing stock varies more than a simple suburb-wide figure suggests.
For Buyers
Macgregor suits buyers seeking larger detached homes close to established south Brisbane services, although a current median house price is not stated. The housing mix is heavily family-oriented: 85.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 52.9% have four or more bedrooms, and only 11.1% are apartments. A $1,950 monthly mortgage figure compares with weekly rent of $430, while mortgage costs represent 25.7% of household income, slightly higher than the 24.5% rent-to-income share. Affordability improved from 42.8% in 2011 to 39.6% in 2021, but buyers should compare recent sales by bedroom count and dwelling condition because Macgregor's housing stock varies more than a simple suburb-wide figure suggests.
For Investors
Macgregor provides a sizeable rental market, with 36.2% of households renting compared with 24.3% paying a mortgage. Weekly rent is $430 and the vacancy rate is 8.0%, giving tenants more choice than in a tightly held market, so property presentation and precise location matter. Development activity reached 21 lodgements over 12 months, indicating ongoing small-scale housing and design work rather than a single large project. Rent growth of 16.0% supports recent income momentum, while overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver. These factors can sustain tenant demand because new arrivals and mobile households often support leasing activity, but the relatively high vacancy rate warrants conservative rental assumptions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
52
Last 12 Months
24
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+118.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Macgregor
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
MacGregor State High School
MacGregor State School
Demographics
Macgregor has a distinctly migrant-majority profile: 59.9% of residents were born overseas, 38.3 percentage points above the national share, and 50.5% hold university qualifications, 20.4 points higher than nationally. Chinese ancestry is the largest listed group at 2,085 people, compared with 1,044 reporting English ancestry, while Indian ancestry accounts for 295 people. Mandarin is spoken by 682 residents, followed by Canton at 213 and Korean at 91. Average household size is 3.0 people, 0.5 above the national figure, which helps explain the suburb's strong four-bedroom housing share. Compared with nearby Sunnybank, Macgregor retains a more family-household orientation, while 65.3% of residents stayed at the same address over the relevant period.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.7%
Houses
3.1%
Townhouse
11.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Macgregor's housing is primarily detached and family-sized, with separate houses accounting for 85.7% of dwellings, apartments 11.1%, and semi-detached homes 3.1%. Four or more bedrooms make up 52.9% of the stock, compared with 34.7% for three-bedroom homes. Tenure is mixed: 38.4% own outright, 24.3% have a mortgage, and 36.2% rent. The 24.5% rent-to-income ratio is slightly below the 25.7% mortgage-to-income ratio, so neither tenure group is clearly more exposed on these measures. Compared with the denser apartment pockets around Sunnybank and Upper Mount Gravatt, Macgregor's detached-home concentration is a defining advantage for families, although it can also limit lower-cost entry options when house prices rise.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $430.
$690
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $690 · units $620
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
40.0%
Couples with children
40.2%
Couples, no children
17.2%
Single parent
1,476
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Macgregor's largest listed industry at 17.5%, or 345 workers, followed by hospitality at 11.1% and 218 workers, professional and technical services at 10.8% and 213, education at 9.5% and 188, and retail at 8.8% and 174. The occupational mix includes 679 professionals, 391 labourers, 372 trades workers, and 363 community or personal service workers, showing both skilled and practical employment bases. The labour force numbers 3,097 people, with an 8.4% unemployment rate and 59.8% participation rate. Household income is $1,752 weekly, at the 61.6th percentile, above the midpoint but below affluent upper-quartile areas. SEIFA results are uneven: IEO reaches decile 7, while IRSD is decile 3, indicating educational advantages alongside pockets of socioeconomic disadvantage.
Unemployment
8.4%
Labour Force
3,097
Unemployed
261
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.2%
Part-time
37.5%
Participation
59.8%
Employed
2,836
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
50.5%
Postgraduate
15.8%
Born Overseas
59.9%
Dwellings
1,905
Transport to Work
Macgregor is compact at 2.7 sq km and 2,215.8 people per sq km, but daily travel remains car-oriented: 62.5% drive to work compared with 11.2% using public transport, while 15.7% work from home. Two nearby government schools provide a state primary and state high school pathway, though families should check exact enrolment zones because catchments can differ across nearby streets. Compared with a transit-first suburb, the transport pattern favours households with cars, while the compact setting can reduce trip distances for local errands. Socioeconomic conditions are mixed: IRSAD is decile 6 and IEO decile 7, both above the midpoint, but IRSD is decile 3, below the midpoint. That contrast suggests livability varies between household groups and micro-locations.
Drive
62.5%
Public Transport
11.2%
Walk / Cycle
3.9%
Work from Home
15.7%
Population Forecast
+1.65%/yr
(+115 people/yr)
EstablishedMacgregor's established-area growth trend is 1.65% annually, above a zero-growth baseline, and overseas migration is the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is forecast at 28.0% over 10 years, supporting continued demand without implying a specific future suburb headcount. The shift trajectory is labelled Aging, with the senior share increasing by 3.8 percentage points and the working-age share falling by 3.2 points. At the same time, rent growth has reached 16.0% and real income growth is 1.9%, which can support housing demand if affordability remains manageable. Gentrification is not currently established, with a score of 8 and a stage of Not gentrifying, so growth is more likely to reflect migration and normal infill than rapid tenure change.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+53
Net Internal / yr
-154
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +24% since 2011, Net internal outflow -154/yr
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 households wanting detached homes, multicultural amenities and school access. Its median age is 34, density is 2,215.8 people per sq km, and 85.7% of dwellings are separate houses.
What is the median house price in Macgregor?
A current median house price is not stated. Buyers can frame the market through weekly rent of $430, a monthly mortgage figure of $1,950, and a housing mix that is 85.7% separate houses.
What schools are in Macgregor?
Macgregor has 2 government schools: a state primary school and a state high school. Check catchments against the exact address because enrolment zones can change access between nearby streets.
Is Macgregor safe?
A suburb-specific crime rate is not stated, so buyers should inspect recent Queensland Police information and visit at different times. The area has 2,215.8 people per sq km and 62.5% drive to work.
Is Macgregor good for property investment?
Macgregor can suit investors seeking tenant depth: 36.2% rent, weekly rent is $430, vacancy is 8.0%, and development activity reached 21 lodgements in 12 months. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver.
How is Macgregor's population changing?
The wider area is on an Aging trajectory, while population change is forecast at 28.0% over 10 years. Annual growth is 1.65%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver.
What languages are spoken in Macgregor?
Mandarin is the leading listed non-English language with 682 speakers, followed by Canton at 213 and Korean at 91. Overseas-born residents account for 59.9%, well above the national share.
What development is occurring in Macgregor?
Development activity totals 21 lodgements over 12 months, including small design and siting referrals for 1 dwelling each in the latest examples. Check approvals for timing and final scope.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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