Macleay Island
At a median age of 62, Macleay Island residents are 22 years older than the national median, making this one of Queensland's most pronounced retirement-oriented communities. Household incomes sit at the 3.5th percentile nationally, yet outright home ownership reaches 53.3%, well above national norms, because most residents paid off their properties long ago rather than carrying new debt. The island draws retirees seeking affordability: the median house price is estimated at $296,000, a fraction of southeast Queensland averages. A vacancy rate of 18.1% and labour force participation of just 27.2% both follow logically from the overwhelmingly retired population.
Population
3,193
Median Age
62.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$755/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$296K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $296,000 median house price puts Macleay Island among the most affordable detached-house markets in Queensland, and 99.7% of dwellings are separate houses on the island, giving buyers very consistent stock to compare. Monthly mortgage repayments average $900, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5% sits below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 53.3% far outnumber mortgage holders at 23.9%, meaning most sellers have no urgency driven by debt. Three-bedroom homes make up 44.4% of dwellings and two-bedroom homes 38.1%, so the dominant purchase is a modest standalone house. The trade-off is island access via ferry, which limits daily commuting and shapes the market toward owner-occupiers rather than workers.
For Buyers
The $296,000 median house price puts Macleay Island among the most affordable detached-house markets in Queensland, and 99.7% of dwellings are separate houses on the island, giving buyers very consistent stock to compare. Monthly mortgage repayments average $900, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5% sits below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 53.3% far outnumber mortgage holders at 23.9%, meaning most sellers have no urgency driven by debt. Three-bedroom homes make up 44.4% of dwellings and two-bedroom homes 38.1%, so the dominant purchase is a modest standalone house. The trade-off is island access via ferry, which limits daily commuting and shapes the market toward owner-occupiers rather than workers.
For Investors
A vacancy rate of 18.1% is the dominant risk factor for investors, running significantly higher than typical southeast Queensland markets and reflecting the retired demographic's low renter demand. Weekly rent of $260 against a $296,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.6%, above average compared to coastal Queensland properties, but the thin tenant pool limits absorption of additional rental supply. Renting households represent only 22.9% of occupied dwellings. Development activity recorded zero applications in the past 12 months, consistent with a settled, low-growth community. The affordable entry price and outright-ownership majority suggest price stability rather than capital growth, making cash-flow yield the primary investment consideration.
Schools in Macleay Island iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
MacLeay Island State School
Prep-6 · 156 students
Demographics
The median age of 62 sits 22 years above the national median, placing Macleay Island firmly at the older end of the national age spectrum. Only 27.2% of residents participate in the labour force, compared to the national average near 65%, because the majority are retired. Overseas-born residents account for 26.6%, which is 5 points above the national figure. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, with English (1,453 residents), Irish (455) and Scottish (415) the top three. University qualifications reach only 17%, which is 13.1 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with the pre-university-expansion generation that dominates the population. Average household size of 1.9 is 0.6 below national, reflecting the couples-without-children majority: 55.9% of families are couples with no dependent children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.7%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure on Macleay Island tilts heavily toward outright ownership: 53.3% own without a mortgage, 23.9% carry a mortgage and 22.9% rent. This ownership profile, where outright owners outnumber renters more than 2 to 1, reflects a population that accumulated property over decades rather than recent buyers entering on leverage. All but 0.3% of dwellings are separate houses, the most homogeneous housing stock of any profile in this dataset. Three-bedroom homes at 44.4% and two-bedroom homes at 38.1% cover the bulk of supply, with larger four-plus bedroom homes at just 10.1%. The vacancy rate of 18.1% is high, but most vacancies are likely holiday or investment properties rather than structural oversupply in the owner-occupier segment, given that 72.7% of residents lived at the same address five years earlier.
Mortgage / mo
$900
Rent / wk
$260
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$450
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
18.1%
Unoccupied
344
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.4% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
55.9%
Couples, no children
1,970
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 20.1% of employed residents (104 workers), which follows naturally from a median age of 62 generating high care-service demand, followed by Construction at 14.3% (74 workers) and Education at 8.5% (44 workers). The unemployment rate of 16.8% sounds alarming but is largely a function of definition: with only 27.2% of the population in the labour force and 1,809 residents classified as not in the labour force, most non-workers are retired rather than jobless. By occupation, Professionals (134) are the largest group, followed by Community and Personal service workers (111) and Labourers (88). Family income at $945 per week sits far below national levels, consistent with retirement incomes replacing wage income for the majority of households. Volunteering rate of 16.6% reflects community engagement among the retired cohort.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
45.2%
Part-time
38.0%
Participation
27.2%
Employed
666
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.0%
Postgraduate
3.9%
Born Overseas
26.6%
Dwellings
1,562
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extreme at 79.9% driving to work, while public transport use is near zero at 1.7%, which reflects the island's ferry-only connection to the mainland. Walking and cycling account for 8% of trips, above the national average, consistent with a small island where distances are short. The 18.1% vacancy rate and 8% walk-and-cycle share together suggest a laid-back, low-traffic environment suited to the retired lifestyle. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families with school-age children rely on mainland institutions, a practical constraint that reinforces the retiree orientation. About 14.4% of residents (419 people) need daily assistance, a rate higher than most suburbs and a direct consequence of the aging population. Rent-to-income at 34.4% triggers a rent stress flag, pointing to financial pressure on the 22.9% of households that do rent.
Drive
79.9%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
8.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Macleay Island compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Macleay Island a good suburb to live in?
Macleay Island suits retirees and those seeking affordable island living. The median house price is $296,000, and 53.3% of residents own outright, indicating a settled, long-term community. Key trade-offs are ferry-only mainland access, no schools within the suburb, and a vacancy rate of 18.1% that reflects low local economic activity.
What is the median house price in Macleay Island?
The median house price is estimated at $296,000, making it one of the most affordable detached-house markets in southeast Queensland. Weekly rent averages $260 and monthly mortgage repayments average $900, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5%, below the standard 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Macleay Island?
No schools are recorded within the Macleay Island suburb boundary in this dataset. Families with school-age children rely on schools accessible via ferry on the mainland. The suburb's population skews heavily retired, with a median age of 62, so school-age children represent a small share of residents.
Is Macleay Island safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Macleay Island in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb has a median age of 62 and 72.7% of residents have lived at the same address for at least 5 years, suggesting a stable, long-established community with low transient activity.
Is Macleay Island good for property investment?
The $296,000 median and $260 weekly rent imply a gross yield around 4.6%, above average compared to coastal Queensland. However, a vacancy rate of 18.1% is high and the tenant pool is thin, with only 22.9% of households renting. Zero development applications in 12 months and a stable, aging population suggest limited capital growth but potential for yield income.
How is Macleay Island's population changing?
Macleay Island shows minimal population change. With 72.7% of residents remaining at the same address for at least 5 years, turnover is low. The median age of 62 is 22 years above national, and the retired demographic means natural attrition will likely exceed new arrivals unless affordability continues to attract mainland downsizers.
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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