Mckail
McKail's defining signal is a mortgage-oriented housing profile paired with a younger-than-national age structure: 3,970 residents have a median age of 34, six years below the national comparison. Across 9.88 sq km, density is 402.0 people per sq km, while household income sits at the 56.8th percentile. Near Orana and Yakamia, the suburb is 98.2% separate houses, with 54.8% containing four or more bedrooms. Mortgage commitments average $1,622 monthly, while mortgage costs equal 22.8% of household income versus rent at 21.3%. The mix points to family households and established owners, with an aging trajectory worth watching.
Population
3,970
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,641/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
McKail suits buyers seeking detached family space rather than apartment stock. Separate houses account for 98.2% of dwellings, far higher than the 0.2% apartment share, and 54.8% of homes have four or more bedrooms compared with 39.9% with three. That mix can support growing households because larger floorplans dominate the local supply. A suburb median house price is not available, so buyers should test asking prices against the $1,622 monthly mortgage figure and their own deposit. Mortgage costs equal 22.8% of household income versus rent-to-income at 21.3%, while 48.3% of households are paying a mortgage. Compared with a rental-led market, this points to a stronger owner-occupier base, but buyers should allow for car costs because 87.2% drive to work.
For Buyers
McKail suits buyers seeking detached family space rather than apartment stock. Separate houses account for 98.2% of dwellings, far higher than the 0.2% apartment share, and 54.8% of homes have four or more bedrooms compared with 39.9% with three. That mix can support growing households because larger floorplans dominate the local supply. A suburb median house price is not available, so buyers should test asking prices against the $1,622 monthly mortgage figure and their own deposit. Mortgage costs equal 22.8% of household income versus rent-to-income at 21.3%, while 48.3% of households are paying a mortgage. Compared with a rental-led market, this points to a stronger owner-occupier base, but buyers should allow for car costs because 87.2% drive to work.
For Investors
McKail's rental case rests on tenant demand from detached, family-sized stock rather than apartment turnover. Rent is $350 a week, 25.3% of occupied dwellings are rented, and vacancy is 8.5%, a figure that is higher than a tightly supplied market would usually be, so vacancy should be checked street by street. Development count is 0 over the past 12 months, limiting near-term new supply, while the forecast migration driver is Balanced. Annual growth is 1.61%, which is positive compared with a flat baseline, but the 28.3% rent growth signal needs to be weighed against an Aging trajectory. With 98.2% separate houses and 54.8% four-plus-bedroom homes, properties may appeal to families, yet the 8.5% vacancy rate argues for conservative holding assumptions.
Demographics
McKail is younger than the national comparison but less university-qualified: median age is 34, six years below national, while university attainment is 15.4%, 14.7 percentage points below national. Overseas-born residents account for 18.6%, 3 points below the national comparison. English ancestry is recorded for 1,810 people, followed by Scottish at 347, Irish at 274 and Filipino at 190. No religion is the largest reported affiliation at 2,017, ahead of Christianity at 1,638. Average household size is 2.8, 0.3 above national, and couples with children make up 46.3% of families versus 36.7% couples without children. The 76.5% who stayed at the same address is higher than the 23.5% turnover rate, supporting a settled profile even as the age trajectory trends older.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.2%
Houses
1.6%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
McKail's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached and sized for families. Separate houses represent 98.2% of dwellings, higher than the 0.2% apartment share and the 1.6% semi-detached share. In bedroom mix, 54.8% have four or more bedrooms and 39.9% have three. Tenure is split between mortgagors at 48.3%, outright owners at 25.6% and renters at 25.3%, so mortgage households are more common than renters. Weekly rent is $350 and rent-to-income is 21.3%, while mortgage-to-income is 22.8%. A reliable suburb-level median house price and price-to-income ratio are not available, making direct price comparison less reliable than comparing tenure, dwelling type and carrying costs. Compared with apartment-oriented markets, McKail's 0.2% apartment share points to lower-density, car-dependent housing.
Mortgage / mo
$1,622
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$350
Census 2021
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$786
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
125
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.3%
Couples with children
36.7%
Couples, no children
16.1%
Single parent
1,075
Total families
Economy & Employment
McKail's employment base is led by healthcare, at 21.0% and 251 workers, followed by construction at 10.5% and 125, education at 10.0% and 120, retail at 9.5% and 114, and public administration at 8.3% and 99. This mix links local jobs to care, building, schooling, services and government, while occupations are concentrated in Community/Personal roles at 332, Trades at 331 and Labourers at 293. The labour force totals 2,008, participation is 66.7% and unemployment is 3.9%, with 1,138 full-time and 668 part-time workers. Household income is $1,641 weekly, at the 56.8th percentile and above the midpoint, but IEO sits in decile 1, below IER decile 5, IRSD decile 3 and IRSAD decile 2. That gap suggests education and occupation disadvantage is more pronounced than the income position alone.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
2,008
Unemployed
79
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.0%
Part-time
34.6%
Participation
66.7%
Employed
1,929
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.4%
Postgraduate
1.9%
Born Overseas
18.6%
Dwellings
1,354
Transport to Work
McKail is practical for car-based households, with 87.2% driving to work compared with 1.0% using public transport, 0.7% walking or cycling and 3.3% working from home. That pattern matters because a 9.88 sq km suburb at 402.0 people per sq km is spread at a suburban scale rather than concentrated around a high-use transit core. Families should check Albany-area school options and enrolment zones against the exact address, since school access can cross suburb boundaries. Social conditions are mixed: IRSAD is in decile 2 and IRSD in decile 3, below IER decile 5, while IEO is decile 1. With 4.7% needing assistance and 17.7% volunteering, practical support networks may matter more than the relatively young median age of 34. Crime conditions should be checked at street level before purchase or renting.
Drive
87.2%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
0.7%
Work from Home
3.3%
Population Forecast
+1.61%/yr
(+201 people/yr)
EstablishedMcKail's forward pattern is steady rather than explosive: the annual trend is 1.61%, positive compared with a flat baseline, and the primary migration driver is Balanced. Population change across the wider area runs at 20.1% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.4 percentage points and the young share down 2.6 points. Gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 33, so change is emerging rather than mature. Rent growth of 28.3% and real income growth of 13.1% show stronger housing-cost movement than earnings movement, even though affordability is labelled Improving from 45.9 in 2011 to 42.3 in 2021. Compared with a high-growth expansion area, McKail's established profile suggests gradual change shaped by household aging and balanced migration.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+43
Net Internal / yr
+66
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +29% since 2011, Net internal migration +66/yr, Accelerating: 9% → 18%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mckail compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is McKail a good suburb to live in?
McKail can suit households wanting detached space and a family-oriented layout. The median age is 34, 54.8% of homes have four or more bedrooms, and 87.2% drive to work. Compared with a denser, transit-led suburb, it is more car dependent, while mortgage-to-income is 22.8% and rent-to-income is 21.3%.
What is the median house price in McKail?
A reliable suburb-level median house price is not available, so avoid treating a guessed figure as a market benchmark. McKail is 98.2% separate houses, with 54.8% containing four or more bedrooms; those shares are higher than the 0.2% apartment share. Compare current comparable sales and asking prices by dwelling type.
What schools are in McKail?
School choices should be checked by exact address across the Albany area, because enrolment zones can cross suburb boundaries. McKail has a strongly family-sized housing profile, with 46.3% couples with children and 54.8% of homes containing four or more bedrooms. Car use is 87.2%, higher than public transport at 1.0%, so travel time matters.
Is McKail safe?
No suburb-level crime rate is available to quote reliably. McKail covers 9.88 sq km and has 3,970 residents, so compare recent incidents around the specific street rather than relying on a suburb-wide impression. Check lighting, routes, surrounding activity and current police information before deciding; density is 402.0 people per sq km.
Is McKail good for property investment?
McKail may suit a cautious investor seeking detached family rental stock. Weekly rent is $350, renting accounts for 25.3%, and vacancy is 8.5%, which is higher than a tightly supplied market and warrants conservative assumptions. Development count is 0 over 12 months, while annual growth is 1.61% and migration is Balanced. Compare yield with maintenance and car-dependent tenant demand.
How is McKail's population changing?
McKail has 3,970 residents today. The wider-area trend is 1.61% annually and population change over 10 years is 20.1%, higher than a no-growth baseline. The shift trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.4 points and the young share down 2.6; gentrification is Early signs at score 33. Balanced migration points to gradual change rather than a sharp expansion.
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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