Macgregor (Qld)

Macgregor has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch as of Feb 2026, the suburb of Macgregor's estimated population is around 6,894. This reflects an increase of 914 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,980 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 6,891 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 96 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,553 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Macgregor's growth of 15.3% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (9.8%) and the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 94.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. Considering projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase is forecast for the suburb of Macgregor, with an expected growth of 2,824 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 36.9% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Macgregor recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, Macgregor has seen approximately 14 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 71 homes were approved, with another 8 approved so far in FY-26. This results in an average of about 5.7 people moving to the area per dwelling built over these years.

Supply is substantially lagging demand, leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $555,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY-26, there have been $5.0 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Macgregor shows significantly reduced construction activity, being 65.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings.

The area's building activity is also under the national average, suggesting its established nature and potential planning limitations. New building activity comprises approximately 88.0% detached houses and 12.0% attached dwellings, preserving Macgregor's suburban character with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. This results in around 467 people per approval, indicating a mature market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Macgregor is expected to grow by approximately 2,546 residents through to 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Macgregor has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 31 potential impact projects. Key ones are Macgregor State High School Major Upgrade & Expansion (2022), Macgregor Gardens Retirement Village Expansion (Q4 2021), Salina Towers (Q2 2023), and Archer Street Residential Developments (H1 2024). The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Macgregor has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Macgregor has an educated workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.5% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 0.9%. As of September 2025, 3,533 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.5% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation lags at 61.5%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.7%. Home workership stands at 14.9%. Dominant sectors include health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. Accommodation & food has high specialization (2.0 times regional level), while public administration & safety is underrepresented (4.7% vs regional average of 7.0%).

Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by working population vs resident population count. In the year to September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.9%, labour force by 0.8%, leaving unemployment flat. Greater Brisbane had higher growth rates: 3.8% employment and 3.3% labour force, with a 0.5 percentage point drop in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Macgregor's mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Macgregor's median income is $39,995 and average income is $52,606. This is lower than the national averages of a median income of $58,236 and an average income of $72,799 for Greater Brisbane. By September 2025, with a 9.91% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, estimated incomes would be approximately $43,959 (median) and $57,819 (average). Census data indicates individual incomes are at the 16th percentile ($634 weekly), while household incomes are at the 50th percentile. Income distribution shows that 33.1% of locals (2,281 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the metropolitan region's 33.3%. Housing costs consume 15.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 52nd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Macgregor is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Macgregor, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 85.7% houses and 14.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compared to Brisbane metro's 85.7% houses and 14.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Macgregor stood at 38.7%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (24.7%) or rented (36.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure in Macgregor was recorded at $430, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Macgregor's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Macgregor features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.8% of all households, including 30.1% couples with children, 26.3% couples without children, and 12.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.2%, with lone person households at 17.9% and group households making up 11.0%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Macgregor exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Macgregor is notably high, with 40.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications. This compares to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 25.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.9% and graduate diplomas at 2.4%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 25.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications.

This includes advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (14.2%). Educational participation is high, with 32.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.3% in tertiary education, 6.8% in primary education, and 6.2% pursuing secondary education.

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

Macgregor has 34 active public transport stops, all bus services. There are 14 routes operating collectively 2,123 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent with residents typically located 163 meters from the nearest stop. As a residential area, most commute outward: cars dominate at 77%, buses at 15%. Average vehicle ownership is 1.5 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 14.9% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 303 trips daily across all routes, approximately 62 weekly trips per stop.

Macgregor's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics reveals robust performance across Macgregor. AreaSearch's assessment indicates very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is found to be approximately 48% of the total population (around 3,312 people), compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

Asthma and mental health issues are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 5.3% and 5.2% of residents respectively. A total of 78.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. In Macgregor, 15.1% of residents are aged 65 and over (around 1,040 people). Health outcomes among seniors align broadly with national rankings, mirroring those of the general population.

Macgregor is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Macgregor's population is predominantly diverse, with 60.0% speaking a language other than English at home and 59.9% born overseas. The dominant religion in Macgregor is Christianity, accounting for 38.1%. Buddhism stands out at 8.8%, significantly higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 2.0%.

In terms of ancestry, Chinese is the largest group at 29.5%, substantially higher than the regional average of 3.4%. English ancestry comprises 14.8%, notably lower than the regional average of 26.8%. Other ancestry makes up 13.6%. Notable divergences include Korean (2.8% vs 0.5%), Russian (0.7% vs 0.3%), and Serbian (0.7% vs 0.2%) groups being overrepresented in Macgregor compared to the regional averages.

Macgregor hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Macgregor has a median age of 33 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Macgregor has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (22.1%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.2%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.4%. According to post-2021 Census data, Macgregor's population has shifted slightly with the 25 to 34 age group growing from 20.2% to 22.1%, while the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 8.7% to 7.3%. Demographic projections suggest that by 2041, Macgregor's age profile will have evolved significantly with the strongest growth expected in the 45 to 54 age group, projected to increase by 61% adding 463 residents and reaching a total of 1,229.