South Mackay
Statistical Area - sa2

South 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

South Mackay's population was approximately 7,192 as of August 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents an increase of 274 people from the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,918. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,190 in June 2024 and two validated new addresses since the census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,043 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages observed across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. South Mackay's growth rate of 4.0% since the census is within 2.6 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 6.6%, indicating strong growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings from the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Looking ahead with demographic trends, South Mackay's population is projected to decline by 380 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 25 to 34 age group, which is projected to increase by 233 people.

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

South Mackay experienced limited development activity between 2016-2020 with an average of one approval per year. This resulted in eight dwellings over the five-year period. Such low levels are typical of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity.

Individual projects can significantly impact annual growth due to the small number of approvals. South Mackay showed less construction activity than Rest of Qld during this period, and its development pattern was below national averages. All new constructions were detached houses, reflecting the rural character of the area where larger properties are typical. Developers constructed more detached housing than implied by existing patterns (73.0% at Census), indicating strong demand for family homes.

South Mackay had around zero people per dwelling approval, demonstrating its low-density nature. With stable or declining population forecasts, it may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

South Mackay has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

Ten projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Notable ones include Milton Precinct, Mackay Airport Expansion, Mackay Base Hospital Expansion, and Great Barrier Reef Arena Redevelopment.

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

Employment conditions in South Mackay demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

South Mackay has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar employment. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.8%.

The area saw an estimated employment growth of 1.3% over the past year. In June 2025, 3,765 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.2% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in South Mackay stands at 62.2%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Dominant employment sectors among South Mackay residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

The area specializes in mining employment with a share 2.3 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 0.8%, compared to Rest of Qld's 4.5%. Over the year to June 2025, South Mackay's employment increased by 1.3% while labour force decreased by 0.4%. This resulted in a fall in unemployment rate by 1.6 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Qld saw employment growth of 1.8%, labour force expansion of 2.0%, and an increase in unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. As of Sep-25, Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. Nationally, employment grew by 0.26% and unemployment stood at 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to South Mackay's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.9% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

South Mackay's median income among taxpayers was $54,878 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $68,618 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of Qld which were $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $61,304 (median) and $76,653 (average) as of March 2025. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes in South Mackay rank modestly, between the 34th and 47th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that the predominant cohort spans 34.1% of locals (2,452 people) with incomes ranging from $1,500 to 2,999. This aligns with the region where this cohort likewise represents 31.7%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in South Mackay, with only 84.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 36th percentile.

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

South Mackay's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 73.4% houses and 26.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 85.1% houses and 14.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Mackay stood at 27.7%, with the rest being mortgaged (32.9%) or rented (39.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,500, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in South Mackay was $290, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $340. Nationally, South Mackay's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,500 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375 at $290.

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

Family households constitute 62.7% of all households, including 23.1% couples with children, 24.6% couples without children, and 13.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 37.3%, with lone person households at 34.0% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.3 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.6.

Educational outcomes in South Mackay fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is significantly lower than the Australian average, at 13.8% compared to 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common among residents with higher education qualifications, at 10.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications and graduate diplomas at 1.6% and 1.5% respectively. Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.3% of residents aged 15 and above holding them, primarily certificates at 34.6%. Educational participation is high, with 27.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.6% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 3.5% pursuing tertiary education. The three schools in South Mackay have a combined enrollment of 1,574 students. They operate under typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities, serving as an educational center for the broader region due to their capacity exceeding residential needs (21.9 places per 100 residents vs the regional average of 17.2).

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

The analysis of public transport in South Mackay indicates that there are currently 26 active transport stops in operation. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 4 individual routes providing service to the area. The combined weekly passenger trips facilitated by these routes amount to 222.

The average distance from residents' locations to the nearest transport stop is recorded as 239 meters, suggesting good accessibility to public transport services. On average, there are 31 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 8 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in South Mackay is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

South Mackay faces significant health challenges. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 54%, affecting around 3862 people, compared to 57% across the rest of Queensland. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.5% and 8.5% of residents respectively. About 66.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.7% across the rest of Queensland. Around 18.7% of residents are aged 65 and over (approximately 1343 people), which is higher than the 16.2% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally in line with the overall population's health profile.

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

South Mackay had a cultural diversity below average, with 85.0% citizens, 83.9% born in Australia, and 90.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 59.9%, compared to 56.8% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (27.5%), English (27.3%), and Irish (8.4%).

Notably, Filipino representation was higher at 4.3% (vs regional 1.5%), Maltese at 1.4% (vs 2.4%), and New Zealand at 0.9% (vs 0.7%).

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

The median age in South Mackay is 39 years, which is lower than the Rest of Qld's average of 41 but close to the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are prominent at 15.8%, while those aged 45-54 are relatively smaller at 10.7% compared to Rest of Qld. Between 2021 and present, the percentage of 25-34 year-olds has increased from 13.7% to 15.8%. Conversely, the percentage of those aged 45-54 has declined from 12.4% to 10.7%. By 2041, projections show that the 25-34 age group is expected to increase by 166 people (15%) from 1,137 to 1,304. However, both the 65-74 and 35-44 age groups are projected to have reduced numbers.