North Mackay
Statistical Area - sa2

North Mackay is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

North Mackay's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 6,418. This figure indicates a rise of 135 individuals, representing a 2.1% increase from the 2021 Census total of 6,283 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,414 in June 2024 and an additional 16 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 663 persons per square kilometer, suggesting ample space per person and potential for further development. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth, contributing approximately 76.6% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted. These state projections, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, do not provide age category splits. Therefore, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Looking ahead, demographic trends indicate a population increase just below Australia's regional areas median by 2041. The area is projected to expand by 432 persons by this year, reflecting a total increase of 6.7% over the 17-year period based on the latest population numbers.

Residential development activity is lower than average in North Mackay according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

North Mackay granted approximately 9 residential approvals per year. ABS data shows 47 approvals over the past five financial years (FY21 to FY25), with 4 already in FY26. Average new residents per home built was 6.6 over these years, indicating supply lagging demand and potential pricing pressures. New homes' average construction cost is $451,000, below regional norms.

Commercial approvals totaled $2.0 million in FY26, reflecting the area's residential focus. Compared to Rest of Qld, North Mackay has 59.0% less construction per person, suggesting stronger demand and values for established properties. New development consists of equal parts detached houses (50%) and attached dwellings (50%), differing from current patterns (76% houses). This compact living skew attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers, potentially due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. The area has an estimated 712 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate a gain of 428 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and price growth.

Population forecasts indicate North Mackay will gain 428 residents through to 2041. Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

North Mackay has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 37thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that could affect this region. Notable projects include Mackay Port Access Stage 1, The Dunes Harbour Beach development, the Bruce Highway to Mackay Slade Point Road improvement project Stage 1, and the expansion of Mackay Base Hospital. Below is a list of those projects deemed most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Employment performance in North Mackay exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

North Mackay's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent.

The unemployment rate was 3.3% in June 2025, below Rest of Qld's 3.9%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.1%. As of June 2025, 3,285 residents were employed, with a workforce participation rate matching Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key employment areas are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and mining.

Mining employs 2.5 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing is at 0.7%, below Rest of Qld's 4.5%. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 3.1% while labour force decreased by 0.3%, reducing unemployment by 3.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment rise by 1.8%, labour force grow by 2.0%, and unemployment increase by 0.2%. Statewide in Queensland as of Sep-25, employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to North Mackay's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.0%% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows North Mackay had a median income among taxpayers of $54,462. The average income level was $68,097. Both figures are higher than national averages of $50,780 and $64,844 respectively for Rest of Qld. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest median income would be approximately $60,840 and average income around $76,071 as of March 2025. Census data indicates personal income ranks at the 46th percentile ($785 weekly), while household income is at the 26th percentile. Distribution data shows that 30.3% of individuals earn between $1,500 - 2,999 annually (1,944 individuals). This aligns with broader regional trends where 31.7% fall within the same earnings band. Housing affordability is a significant issue, with only 83.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 26th percentile.

North Mackay is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

North Mackay's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 75.9% houses and 24.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 85.1% houses and 14.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Mackay was at 28.9%, similar to Non-Metro Qld's level. Other dwellings were either mortgaged (31.6%) or rented (39.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,452, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $300, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $340. Nationally, North Mackay's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

North Mackay features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 61.9 percent of all households, including 21.4 percent couples with children, 25.3 percent couples without children, and 13.4 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 38.1 percent, with lone person households at 34.2 percent and group households making up 4.0 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.6.

North Mackay faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 15.4%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 11.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 41.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 8.1% and certificates at 33.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary, 8.5% in secondary, and 3.2% in tertiary education. North Mackay has a robust network of 6 schools educating approximately 3,499 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 968) offering balanced educational opportunities. The area functions as an education hub with 54.5 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 17.1, attracting students from surrounding communities.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Transport analysis indicates 25 operational public transport stops in North Mackay, offering a combination of bus services. These stops are served by five distinct routes, facilitating 346 weekly passenger trips collectively. The accessibility of transport is deemed good, with residents generally situated 252 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 49 trips daily across all routes, translating to roughly 13 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in North Mackay is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows significant health challenges in North Mackay, with high prevalence of common conditions across all age groups. Private health cover is quite prevalent at approximately 53% (~3,427 people), compared to 57.0% in Rest of Qld.

The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (9.6%) and mental health problems (9.2%). Around 63.0% claim no medical ailments, lower than the 69.7% in Rest of Qld. North Mackay has 19.8% residents aged 65+ (1,272 people), higher than Rest of Qld's 16.2%. Senior health outcomes face some challenges, largely mirroring the general population's health profile.

North Mackay ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

North Mackay's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 86.6% of its population being citizens, 86.7% born in Australia, and 93.0% speaking English only at home. The dominant religion in North Mackay is Christianity, which accounts for 55.9% of the population, compared to 56.8% across the rest of Queensland. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (29.8%), Australian (26.2%), and Scottish (8.5%).

Notably, Maltese representation is higher in North Mackay at 1.8%, compared to 2.4% regionally, while German is at 4.6% (vs 4.7%) and Australian Aboriginal is at 4.4% (vs 3.6%).

North Mackay's population is slightly older than the national pattern

North Mackay's median age is 40, close to Rest of Qld's figure of 41 but slightly exceeding the national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 16.9%, higher than Rest of Qld's percentage, while the 5-14 cohort stands at 9.2%. Post the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group rose from 14.4% to 16.9%, whereas the 5-14 group fell from 11.4% to 9.2%. The 45-54 group also decreased from 12.2% to 10.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in North Mackay's age profile. Leading this shift, the 25-34 group is set to grow by 27%, reaching 1,376 people from 1,083. Meanwhile, population declines are forecast for the 5-14 and 55-64 cohorts.