Slade Point
With a median age of 40 sitting at the national average yet a SEIFA education and occupation decile of just 1, Slade Point presents an unusual profile among Mackay's coastal suburbs. The 3,450 residents are overwhelmingly owner-occupiers: 31.5% own outright and 36.8% hold mortgages, well below renter norms. University qualifications reach 16.2%, which is 13.9 percentage points below national. The suburb is on a slow decline, with population falling 10.5% over the past decade, and medium forecasts project a further contraction to around 3,502 by 2031.
Population
3,450
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,533/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$396K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price is $396,000, placing Slade Point in the affordable tier for coastal QLD. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 22.9%, below the 30% stress threshold. Detached houses dominate at 90.2% of stock, so buyers get genuine land rather than strata. Three-bedroom homes account for 54.9% of dwellings and 4-plus bedrooms 27.4%, indicating a family buyer base. Outright owners at 31.5% are nearly on par with renters at 31.6%, pointing to a settled, longer-term ownership base rather than a churn market.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price is $396,000, placing Slade Point in the affordable tier for coastal QLD. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 22.9%, below the 30% stress threshold. Detached houses dominate at 90.2% of stock, so buyers get genuine land rather than strata. Three-bedroom homes account for 54.9% of dwellings and 4-plus bedrooms 27.4%, indicating a family buyer base. Outright owners at 31.5% are nearly on par with renters at 31.6%, pointing to a settled, longer-term ownership base rather than a churn market.
For Investors
Weekly rent of $300 against a $396,000 median implies a gross yield around 3.9%, above typical metro coastal figures. However, the 9.3% vacancy rate signals meaningful oversupply that will constrain rent growth. Migration is thin, averaging a net 20 internal and 7 overseas arrivals per year. Development is minimal at 2 applications in 12 months, so new supply is not the driver of vacancies. The 10-year population decline of 10.5% and a forecast contraction to around 3,502 by 2031 are the key risk signals; rental demand is tied closely to the Mackay mining sector, which employs 11.1% of local workers.
Development Activity
Total DAs
3
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Slade Point iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Slade Point State School
Prep-6 · 204 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national average, though the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 6.4 points over the decade while the young adult share fell 1.9 points. Overseas-born residents at 11.6% are 10.0 percentage points below national, reflecting an Anglo-leaning population led by English (1,313), Scottish (391) and Irish (371) ancestries. University qualifications at 16.2% are 13.9 points below national, consistent with the SEIFA IEO decile 1 score. Average household size is 2.5, and couples with children (903 families) outnumber couples without children (755), giving Slade Point a family-oriented character.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.2%
Houses
1.9%
Townhouse
7.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure divides into three near-equal bands: 31.5% own outright, 36.8% hold mortgages, and 31.6% rent. The stock is 90.2% separate houses, well above the national average, meaning apartment-market dynamics barely apply here. Three-bedroom homes are 54.9% of dwellings and 4-plus bedrooms 27.4%, confirming family-scale accommodation. The estimated median price of $396,000 produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.9% and a rent-to-income ratio of 19.6%, both below stress thresholds, making the suburb accessible for working-income households compared to capital city benchmarks.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$781
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.3%
Unoccupied
132
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.7%
Couples, no children
2,630
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 19.4% of local workers (182 people), followed by Construction at 11.3% (106), Mining at 11.1% (104) and Education at 11.0% (103). The Mining share reflects proximity to Mackay's coal hinterland. By occupation, Professionals lead with 213 workers, followed by Labourers (208) and Community/Personal workers (197). The unemployment rate is 6.1%, above the national average, and participation sits at 57.1%. SEIFA decile scores of 2 on both IRSD and IRSAD place the suburb in the bottom 20% nationally, indicating real economic vulnerability relative to the state.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
1,953
Unemployed
85
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.5%
Part-time
28.4%
Participation
57.1%
Employed
1,473
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.2%
Postgraduate
2.9%
Born Overseas
11.6%
Dwellings
1,287
Transport to Work
Car dependency is extreme: 88.9% drive to work and only 1.8% use public transport, well below national averages. No schools are recorded inside the Slade Point boundary, so families depend on nearby Mackay schools. Crime data is not available for this suburb. The IRSAD decile 2 score places it in the bottom quintile nationally for socioeconomic advantage. On the positive side, housing costs remain manageable with mortgage-to-income at 22.9% and rent-to-income at 19.6%, both below the 30% stress level, and the $300 weekly rent is accessible for renters compared to QLD coastal medians.
Drive
88.9%
Public Transport
1.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.19%/yr
(-7 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has declined 10.5% over the past decade, and the annual trend projects a further loss of around 7 people per year (minus 0.19%). Medium forecasts show contraction from roughly 3,669 in 2025 to about 3,502 by 2031. Migration partially offsets this with a net 27 arrivals per year combined, but not enough to reverse the decline. The gentrification score is 0 with no signals. Affordability improved from 46.0% in 2011 to 38.4% in 2021, though real income growth was negative at minus 5.8%, suggesting prices eased rather than incomes rose.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+7
Net Internal / yr
+20
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Slade Point compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Slade Point a good suburb to live in?
Slade Point suits buyers and families seeking affordable, detached housing. The median house price is $396,000 and mortgage-to-income sits at 22.9%, below stress levels. The downside is a SEIFA IRSAD decile of 2, placing it in the bottom 20% nationally for socioeconomic advantage, plus high car dependency at 88.9% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Slade Point?
The estimated median house price is $396,000 based on 2025 data. Weekly rent averages $300, implying a gross yield of around 3.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Slade Point?
No schools are recorded within the Slade Point boundary in the current dataset. Families rely on schools in the broader Mackay area. The local university qualification rate is 16.2%, which is 13.9 percentage points below the national average.
Is Slade Point safe?
Crime statistics specific to Slade Point are not available in this dataset. As a broader indicator, the suburb scores decile 2 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, placing it in the bottom 20% nationally. The 6.1% unemployment rate, above national average, is also a relevant context indicator.
Is Slade Point good for property investment?
The gross rental yield is around 3.9% on a $396,000 median with $300 weekly rent, above many metro coastal benchmarks. However, the 9.3% vacancy rate signals oversupply, and the 10-year population decline of 10.5% with forecasts projecting further contraction to 3,502 by 2031 point to limited capital growth prospects.
How is Slade Point's population changing?
Population has fallen 10.5% over the past decade. The current trend projects a loss of about 7 residents per year (minus 0.19% annually), with medium forecasts putting the population at around 3,502 by 2031, down from 3,669 in 2025. Net migration adds roughly 27 people annually but does not fully offset the structural decline.
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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