South Mackay
Few coastal Queensland suburbs combine a $387,000 median house price with a median age of 39, a year below the national figure, but South Mackay does. The affordability is real: household income sits at the 45.8th percentile nationally, yet the mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.5% and rent-to-income of 19.6% both stay below stress thresholds because home values are low rather than incomes high. The catch shows up in the SEIFA scores, where the IEO ranks in decile 1 and IRSAD in decile 2, among the most disadvantaged nationally. With detached houses at 73.4% of stock and only 16.1% of residents born overseas, this is a settled, anglo-leaning working town rather than a growth corridor.
Population
6,918
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,477/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Median House
$387K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $387,000 median, South Mackay sits well below capital-city prices, and the cost stays manageable because monthly mortgage repayments of roughly $1,500 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 23.5%, under the 30% stress line. Stock is overwhelmingly detached, with separate houses at 73.4% versus only 2.1% apartments, so buyers are choosing standalone homes rather than units. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 49.2% and four-plus-bedroom homes add 21.2%, suiting families needing space. Owner-occupiers split between 27.9% owned outright and 33.0% carrying a mortgage, while 39.1% rent, a higher rental share than most family suburbs. Affordability has improved over the decade, with the price-to-income measure easing from 38.6 in 2011 to 32.3 in 2021.
For Buyers
At a $387,000 median, South Mackay sits well below capital-city prices, and the cost stays manageable because monthly mortgage repayments of roughly $1,500 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 23.5%, under the 30% stress line. Stock is overwhelmingly detached, with separate houses at 73.4% versus only 2.1% apartments, so buyers are choosing standalone homes rather than units. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 49.2% and four-plus-bedroom homes add 21.2%, suiting families needing space. Owner-occupiers split between 27.9% owned outright and 33.0% carrying a mortgage, while 39.1% rent, a higher rental share than most family suburbs. Affordability has improved over the decade, with the price-to-income measure easing from 38.6 in 2011 to 32.3 in 2021.
For Investors
Renters make up 39.1% of households, a deeper tenant pool than most detached-house suburbs, but the numbers warrant caution. Weekly rent of $290 against a $387,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.9%, healthier than capital-city yields, yet the vacancy rate of 8.7% is high and points to soft tenant demand rather than scarcity. Rents have moved backwards, with rent growth of -3.6% signalling a loosening market. Development is thin, with only 6 applications lodged in the past 12 months, so supply is stable but population support is weak: net internal migration runs at -64 a year and is only partly offset by +66 overseas arrivals. Capital growth prospects are limited by the 10-year population change of -1.1%.
Development Activity
Total DAs
8
Last 12 Months
8
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 South Mackay iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Mackay State High School
7-12 · 1254 students
Demographics
South Mackay skews older and more settled than the country overall. The median age of 39 is a year above the national median, and the share of residents born overseas, at 16.1%, runs 5.5 points below national, marking this as an anglo-leaning community. English ancestry leads decisively at 2,520 residents, followed by Irish (777) and Scottish (678), a clear Anglo-Celtic profile. University qualifications reach only 17.6%, fully 12.5 points below the national rate, consistent with a trades and services workforce rather than a knowledge economy. Christianity is the dominant religion at 3,726 adherents. Average household size of 2.3 sits 0.2 below national, and residential turnover of 25.9% over five years is moderate, indicating most households stay put.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
73.4%
Houses
24.5%
Townhouse
2.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure here is unusually split for a detached suburb: 27.9% own outright, 33.0% hold a mortgage, and 39.1% rent, a renter share above what the 73.4% separate-house stock would suggest. Apartments are almost absent at 2.1%, with semi-detached homes filling 24.5% of the gap. Bedroom mix is family-oriented, three-bedroom homes at 49.2% and four-plus at 21.2%, while one-bedroom and studio dwellings are marginal at 5.3%. The $387,000 median against household income of $1,477 a week gives a price-to-income ratio around 5, low by Australian standards. The IER ranks in decile 2 nationally, reflecting modest household wealth, but housing stress stays absent because both mortgage (23.5%) and rent (19.6%) ratios sit below the 30% threshold.
Mortgage / mo
$1,500
Rent / wk
$290
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$791
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.7%
Unoccupied
268
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.9%
Couples, no children
4,955
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the single largest employer at 19.3% of workers (381 jobs), reflecting Mackay's role as a regional service hub, followed by Construction at 10.0% (197) and Mining at 9.4% (186), the latter tied to the Bowen Basin coal economy. Education (8.6%) and Manufacturing (7.5%) round out the top five. The occupation profile is broad and blue-collar weighted, with Professionals (444) only narrowly ahead of Labourers (431) and Machinery Operators and Drivers (401). Full-time employment runs at 67.2% and unemployment at 5.2%, but participation of 58.2% is modest. The SEIFA picture is the standout concern: IEO decile 1 and IRSAD decile 2 place South Mackay among the most disadvantaged areas nationally, driven by low education attainment despite stable mining-linked work.
Unemployment
10.4%
Labour Force
2,440
Unemployed
254
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.2%
Part-time
27.6%
Participation
58.2%
Employed
3,121
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.6%
Postgraduate
2.4%
Born Overseas
16.1%
Dwellings
2,809
Transport to Work
Daily life in South Mackay is car-dependent: 87.0% of commuters drive, while public transport carries just 1.5% and walking or cycling 4.1%, all well below big-city averages and typical of a regional town. Proximity to central Mackay gives residents access to the city's health, retail and education services, with Healthcare alone employing 19.3% of the local workforce. The trade-off is socioeconomic: the IRSAD ranks in decile 2 and IEO in decile 1 nationally, among the lowest tiers, signalling constrained services and opportunity relative to wealthier suburbs. On the positive side, housing costs are contained, with rent-to-income at 19.6% leaving more household budget free than in higher-priced markets, and a volunteering rate of 12.8% points to community engagement.
Drive
87.0%
Public Transport
1.5%
Walk / Cycle
4.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.51%/yr
(+21 people/yr)
EstablishedSouth Mackay is an aging, slow-growth town rather than an expanding one. The forecast trend is just 0.51% a year, about 21 additional residents annually, and the 10-year population change has actually been negative at -1.1%. Migration tells the story: net internal migration of -64 a year shows residents leaving for elsewhere, only partly replaced by +66 overseas arrivals, making overseas migration the sole growth driver. The age structure is shifting older, with the senior share up 3.1 points and the young share down 3.2 points over the decade. There are no gentrification signals, the score sits at 0, and real incomes have fallen 6.5% in real terms. Affordability improved from 38.6 to 32.3, but that reflects stagnant prices more than rising prosperity.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+66
Net Internal / yr
-64
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How South Mackay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Mackay a good suburb to live in?
It suits buyers prioritising affordability and space: the $387,000 median and 73.4% detached-house stock favour families, and rent-to-income of 19.6% keeps costs low. The trade-off is socioeconomic standing, with SEIFA IEO in decile 1 and IRSAD in decile 2 nationally, among the lowest tiers.
What is the median house price in South Mackay?
The median house price is about $387,000 (2025 estimate), well below capital-city levels. Weekly rent averages $290 and monthly mortgage repayments run near $1,500, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.5%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in South Mackay?
No schools are recorded within the South Mackay suburb boundary in this dataset, though education employs 8.6% of local workers (170 jobs) and nearby central Mackay offers government and non-government options a short drive away.
Is South Mackay safe?
Suburb-level crime statistics are not available in this dataset, so a direct safety rate cannot be quoted. As context, residential turnover of 25.9% over five years is moderate and 74.1% of residents stayed put, suggesting a settled rather than transient community.
Is South Mackay good for property investment?
Gross rental yield near 3.9% ($290/week on $387,000) beats capital-city yields, and renters form 39.1% of households. But the 8.7% vacancy rate is high, rents fell 3.6%, and the 10-year population change of -1.1% limits capital growth prospects.
How is South Mackay's population changing?
Growth is slow at 0.51% a year (about 21 people), and the 10-year change has been negative at -1.1%. The population is aging, with the senior share up 3.1 points and the young share down 3.2 points. Overseas migration (+66/year) is the only net driver, offsetting internal outflow of -64.
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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