Port Macquarie
Port Macquarie reads less like a coastal holiday town and more like a regional hospital city that happens to have beaches. Healthcare alone employs 27.6% of the workforce (3,820 people), nearly double the national share, anchored by the Base Hospital and the Charles Sturt rural medical school. Median age sits at 48, eight years above the national figure, and population has grown 40.9% in a decade with net internal migration averaging 742 people a year. House prices at $780,000 are well below comparable Sydney metro suburbs but rents have climbed 60.4% in ten years, far outpacing real income growth of 26.2%. The result is a paradox: an affordable-looking town that ranks in the bottom 30% nationally on income (SEIFA IRSAD decile 3) yet flags mortgage stress at 31.5% of household income.
Population
47,693
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,282/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
448
Median House
$780K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At a median of $780,000, Port Macquarie costs roughly a third of a comparable Sydney North Shore house and undercuts Newcastle by around 20%, but household income at $1,282/week sits in the 29.7th percentile nationally, so the affordability headline is misleading. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.5% trips the formal stress threshold, higher than Coffs Harbour and well above the 30% rule. Stock skews family-sized: 41.5% three-bedroom and 30.6% four-plus, with 66.2% separate houses versus only 15.3% apartments, meaning first-home buyers chasing units have a thin pool. The 41.3% outright ownership rate, almost double the national average, reflects the retiree migration pattern more than buyer accessibility.
For Buyers
At a median of $780,000, Port Macquarie costs roughly a third of a comparable Sydney North Shore house and undercuts Newcastle by around 20%, but household income at $1,282/week sits in the 29.7th percentile nationally, so the affordability headline is misleading. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.5% trips the formal stress threshold, higher than Coffs Harbour and well above the 30% rule. Stock skews family-sized: 41.5% three-bedroom and 30.6% four-plus, with 66.2% separate houses versus only 15.3% apartments, meaning first-home buyers chasing units have a thin pool. The 41.3% outright ownership rate, almost double the national average, reflects the retiree migration pattern more than buyer accessibility.
For Investors
The investor case here is structural rather than speculative. Renters make up 32.8% of households, rent has grown 60.4% over a decade against just 26.2% real income growth, and net internal migration of 742 people a year keeps demand topped up. Median rent of $380/week on an $780k median yields a gross 2.5%, lower than Forster or Taree but with deeper tenant demand from healthcare and education workers, who together fill 41.2% of jobs. Vacancy rate of 9.2% looks high versus the NSW state average near 1.5%, but this almost certainly reflects holiday-let inventory rather than long-term emptiness. The 404 development applications lodged in the past 12 months signal active supply, so investors should price in competition from new stock rather than assuming scarcity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2,570
Last 12 Months
448
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+9.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Port Macquarie iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Columba Anglican School
K-12 · 1221 students
St Peter's Primary School
K-6 · 534 students
MacKillop College Port Macquarie
7-12 · 1107 students
Tacking Point Public School
K-6 · 594 students
The Nature School
K-9 · 171 students
Demographics
The age skew is the headline number: median 48, a full 8 years above national, with 35.8% of families being couples without children compared to a national share closer to 28%. Yet the senior-share has only crept up 0.6 points and the young-share has slipped 0.7, so this is a stable retirement-and-services town, not a rapidly aging one like Forster. Ancestry is 88% Anglo-Celtic by primary identification (English, Irish, Scottish dominate), and only 15.1% were born overseas, 6.5 percentage points below the national share and a stark contrast to Sydney metro suburbs where the figure routinely exceeds 40%. University attainment of 28.0% sits 2.1 points below national, modest given the local hospital and Charles Sturt presence.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
66.2%
Houses
18.0%
Townhouse
15.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing tells a two-track story. Outright ownership at 41.3% is roughly double the national rate, a retiree signature, while only 25.9% carry a mortgage versus a national figure near 35%. The remaining 32.8% rent, higher than typical regional towns. House prices crept from $779,250 in 2024 to $790,000 in 2025, a flat 1.4% annual change that lags Sydney metro and most coastal NSW peers, suggesting the post-pandemic sea-change premium has fully unwound. The price-to-income ratio of around 11.7x household income is severe for a regional town, comparable to Newcastle and well above Tamworth or Dubbo, which is why mortgage stress flags despite the modest absolute price tag.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,751
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$679
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.2%
Unoccupied
1,986
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.5% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.8%
Couples, no children
35,177
Total families
Economy & Employment
This is a healthcare-and-services monoculture by regional standards: Healthcare 27.6%, Education 13.6%, Construction 9.2%, Retail 7.3%, and Public Admin 6.4%, with the top two industries combining for 41.2% of jobs versus a national share closer to 24%. Professionals (4,715) and Community/Personal Service workers (3,132) lead the occupation mix, reflecting the hospital and aged-care footprint. Unemployment sits at 5.2%, modestly above the national rate near 4%, while participation at 49.3% is depressed by the retiree base. SEIFA tells a sharper story: IRSAD decile 3 and IER decile 3 place Port Macquarie in the bottom 30% nationally on advantage and economic resources, despite its visible coastal-prosperity image, because pension-heavy households drag the income measures.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
11,094
Unemployed
367
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.4%
Part-time
37.4%
Participation
49.3%
Employed
18,810
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.0%
Postgraduate
6.3%
Born Overseas
15.1%
Dwellings
19,661
Transport to Work
Ten schools cluster the suburb, led by St Columba Anglican School (ICSEA 1116, 1,221 enrolments), MacKillop College (1068), and Tacking Point Public (1054), all above the national ICSEA median of 1000. Families get a credible spread across Independent, Catholic, and Government sectors that is uncommon outside metro Sydney. Transport is car-centric to an extreme: 88.0% drive to work and just 0.6% take public transport, far lower than the NSW state average and reflecting the absence of rail and limited bus frequency. Volunteering rate of 17.1% sits above the national average near 14%, household turnover of 24.7% is moderate (75.3% stayed), and the town's healthcare backbone delivers medical access that smaller mid-north-coast towns like Forster or Kempsey can't match.
Drive
88.0%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
4.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.36%/yr
(+566 people/yr)
EstablishedForecast growth of 2.36% annually, or about 566 persons a year, runs well above the national rate near 1.4% and would push population from 23,991 in 2025 to 26,981 by 2031 on the medium trajectory. The driver is unambiguous: net internal migration of 742 a year against only 81 from overseas, a near 9-to-1 ratio that is the inverse of Sydney's mix. Gentrification scores 58 (Active stage), higher than most mid-north-coast peers, with population up 55% since 2011 and the rate accelerating from 14% to 36% in successive periods. Affordability has held roughly stable (57.8 in 2011, 59.8 in 2021), but real income growth of 26.2% has been overrun by rent growth of 60.4%, tightening the squeeze on younger working households unless the 404-DA pipeline adds supply.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+81
Net Internal / yr
+742
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +55% since 2011, Net internal migration +742/yr, Accelerating: 14% → 36%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Port Macquarie compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Port Macquarie a good suburb to live in?
It depends on life stage. Retirees and healthcare workers do well: 41.3% own outright, 10 schools, and a major regional hospital anchor 27.6% of local jobs. Younger working families face a tougher math, with the price-to-income ratio above 11x and mortgage stress flagged at 31.5% of income, well above the 30% threshold.
What is the median house price in Port Macquarie?
The median house price is $780,000 as of 2025, up from $779,250 in 2024, a flat 1.4% annual change. That is well below comparable Sydney suburbs but the price-to-income ratio of around 11.7x lands close to Newcastle and tougher than Tamworth or Dubbo.
What schools are in Port Macquarie?
10 schools serve the area across all sectors. Top ICSEA performers are St Columba Anglican School (1116, 1,221 students), St Peter's Primary (1075), and MacKillop College (1068, 1,107 students). Government, Catholic, and Independent options are all available, broader than most regional NSW towns of similar size.
Is Port Macquarie safe?
Detailed BOCSAR crime statistics by suburb are not currently captured in this profile, but mid-north-coast NSW broadly tracks below Sydney's CBD and inner-west crime rates. Volunteering rate of 17.1% and a low household turnover of 24.7% indicate a stable, settled community rather than transient stress.
Is Port Macquarie good for property investment?
Mixed. Renters make up 32.8% of households and rent has grown 60.4% over a decade, but gross yield on a $380/week rent and $780,000 median is only 2.5%, lower than Forster or Taree. Active gentrification (score 58) and 404 DAs in 12 months add growth signal but also supply competition.
How is Port Macquarie's population changing?
Population has grown 40.9% in a decade and is forecast to add 566 people a year (2.36% annually), reaching 26,981 by 2031 on the medium trajectory. The driver is internal migration at 742 a year against only 81 from overseas, a 9-to-1 ratio that is the inverse of Sydney's intake.
What industries dominate Port Macquarie's economy?
Healthcare leads with 27.6% of jobs (3,820 workers), nearly double the national share, anchored by the Base Hospital. Education adds 13.6%, Construction 9.2%, and the top two sectors combine for 41.2% of employment compared to a national figure near 24%. The town is a healthcare-services monoculture by regional standards.
Is there development activity in Port Macquarie?
Yes, 404 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, a high number for a regional town. Activity spans dwelling additions, business premises alterations, and complying development certificates, indicating an active 2.36% annual population growth pipeline rather than a stagnant market.
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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