Mackay vs North Mackay

In Mackay, most households rent and most households are people living alone. In North Mackay, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in North Mackay: a median of $598,000, against $540,000 in Mackay, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Mackay tends to suit renters and people living alone.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

North Mackay

ahead on 6 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (76% vs 26%)
  • has more childcare (9 vs 4)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Mackay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($540,000 vs $597,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Mackay

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (68% vs 40%)
  • has cheaper rent ($270/wk vs $300/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Mackay

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 67/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (663 min vs 668 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (966.7 km vs 970 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mackay

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (11 vs 3)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (74% vs 24%)
  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 67/100)
  • But North Mackay has more residents already 65 and over (20% vs 13%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Mackay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (10.0% vs 4.4%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

Mackay and North Mackay drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Mackay North Mackay
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Mackay North Mackay
Walkability 92 / 67
Mackay — Walkability: 92/100 North Mackay — Walkability: 67/100
Safety 2 / 19
Mackay — Safety: 2/100 North Mackay — Safety: 19/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Mackay — Low fire risk: 100/100 North Mackay — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

North Mackay has more residents (6,194 vs 4,026); North Mackay rents higher ($300/wk vs $270/wk).

Mackay North Mackay
Population 4,026 6,194
+54% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +10.0% +4.4%
Median age 38 40
Median household income $64,428/yr $71,500/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $270/wk $300/wk
+11% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mackay North Mackay
0-4 3.9% / 5.7%
Mackay — 0-4: 3.9% North Mackay — 0-4: 5.7%
5-14 8.3% / 11.4%
Mackay — 5-14: 8.3% North Mackay — 5-14: 11.4%
15-19 4.6% / 5.1%
Mackay — 15-19: 4.6% North Mackay — 15-19: 5.1%
20-24 9.9% / 6.6%
Mackay — 20-24: 9.9% North Mackay — 20-24: 6.6%
25-34 18.5% / 14.5%
Mackay — 25-34: 18.5% North Mackay — 25-34: 14.5%
35-44 14.7% / 12.4%
Mackay — 35-44: 14.7% North Mackay — 35-44: 12.4%
45-54 13.4% / 12.2%
Mackay — 45-54: 13.4% North Mackay — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 13.6% / 12.4%
Mackay — 55-64: 13.6% North Mackay — 55-64: 12.4%
65-74 7.9% / 9.2%
Mackay — 65-74: 7.9% North Mackay — 65-74: 9.2%
75-84 3.7% / 7.0%
Mackay — 75-84: 3.7% North Mackay — 75-84: 7.0%
85+ 1.6% / 3.6%
Mackay — 85+: 1.6% North Mackay — 85+: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mackay 59.6% lone person
Mackay — Lone Person: 59.6% Mackay — Couple Families: 16.7% Mackay — One Parent Families: 13.2% Mackay — Group Household: 7.8% Mackay — Other Families: 2.8%
North Mackay 45.6% lone person
North Mackay — Lone Person: 45.6% North Mackay — Couple Families: 29.1% North Mackay — One Parent Families: 18.2% North Mackay — Group Household: 5.1% North Mackay — Other Families: 2.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mackay 67.8% renting
Mackay — Owned Outright: 17.0% Mackay — Mortgage: 15.2% Mackay — Renting: 67.8%
North Mackay 39.6% renting
North Mackay — Owned Outright: 28.6% North Mackay — Mortgage: 31.8% North Mackay — Renting: 39.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Mackay North Mackay
Certificate III & IV 16.0% / 19.5%
Mackay — Certificate III & IV: 16.0% North Mackay — Certificate III & IV: 19.5%
Bachelor Degree 9.4% / 7.8%
Mackay — Bachelor Degree: 9.4% North Mackay — Bachelor Degree: 7.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.3% / 5.4%
Mackay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3% North Mackay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / 1.2%
Mackay — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% North Mackay — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 1.1%
Mackay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% North Mackay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.5%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Mackay North Mackay
Philippines 6.0% / 2.0%
Mackay — Philippines: 6.0% North Mackay — Philippines: 2.0%
New Zealand 2.9% / 2.1%
Mackay — New Zealand: 2.9% North Mackay — New Zealand: 2.1%
England 1.8% / 1.6%
Mackay — England: 1.8% North Mackay — England: 1.6%
India 2.5% / 0.8%
Mackay — India: 2.5% North Mackay — India: 0.8%
South Africa — / 1.0%
Mackay — South Africa: not among its largest North Mackay — South Africa: 1.0%
China 0.9% / —
Mackay — China: 0.9% North Mackay — China: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mackay 26.1% houses
Mackay — Houses: 26.1% Mackay — Townhouses: 42.7% Mackay — Flats / Apartments: 31.1%
North Mackay 76.4% houses
North Mackay — Houses: 76.4% North Mackay — Townhouses: 7.3% North Mackay — Flats / Apartments: 16.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mackay North Mackay
Median house price $540,000 $597,500
Median unit price $400,000 $399,000
Median land price — $509,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 34 days
from 42 sales
 28 days
from 67 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Mackay North Mackay
2 bed $480K / $492K
Mackay — 2 bed: $480K (23 sales) North Mackay — 2 bed: $492K (36 sales)

23 vs 36 sales

3 bed $550K / $600K
Mackay — 3 bed: $550K (37 sales) North Mackay — 3 bed: $600K (94 sales)

37 vs 94 sales

4 bed $650K / $698K
Mackay — 4 bed: $650K (17 sales) North Mackay — 4 bed: $698K (52 sales)

17 vs 52 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Mackay North Mackay
1 bed $334K / $294K
Mackay — 1 bed: $334K (20 sales) North Mackay — 1 bed: $294K (10 sales)

20 vs 10 sales

2 bed $380K / $399K
Mackay — 2 bed: $380K (77 sales) North Mackay — 2 bed: $399K (22 sales)

77 vs 22 sales

3 bed $608K / $475K
Mackay — 3 bed: $608K (26 sales) North Mackay — 3 bed: $475K (7 sales)

26 vs 7 sales

Development activity

Mackay North Mackay
New dwellings approved 574
across Mackay
same for both
Approvals change year on year -6%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Mackay North Mackay
Houses 4.8%
$500/wk on $539K
 4.7%
$590/wk on $649K
Units 5.8%
$500/wk on $449K
 6.0%
$475/wk on $410K

Ranking within QLD

Mackay North Mackay
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 30% of QLD Higher than 39% of QLD
Schools Higher than 40% of QLD Higher than 48% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 99% of QLD Higher than 91% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 40% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of QLD Higher than 74% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 87% of QLD Higher than 84% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 86% of QLD Higher than 90% of QLD

Liveability

Mackay is more walkable (92 vs 67); North Mackay scores higher overall (40 vs 31).

Mackay North Mackay
Grade D C
Score 31/100 40/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
same for both

Risk profile

Mackay carries more crime risk (98 vs 81).

Mackay North Mackay
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
98/100
 High
81/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 8
within 5 km

Schools

Mackay North Mackay
Inside the suburb 3 6
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 2 4
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Mackay

  • Mackay Central State School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Patrick's College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Kutta Mulla Gorinna Special Assistance School Independent · Secondary · Special school below peers

Schools in North Mackay

  • Mackay North State High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Fitzgerald State School Government · Primary at peers
  • Mackay Christian College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Mackay North State School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Mackay Christian College - Providence Junior Campus Independent · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Mackay North Mackay
Supermarkets 5 1
Cafes & restaurants 20 2
Parks & reserves 7 13
Childcare 4 9
GPs 11 3
Pharmacies 7 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 13 1
Fuel stations 5 3
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 0 4

Mobility

North Mackay sits further from the CBD (970 km vs 966.7 km).

Mackay North Mackay
Walkability score 92/100 67/100
Distance to Brisbane 966.7 km 970 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 663 min 668 min
Public transport score 75/100
Bus
 70/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 60.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 26.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Mackay North Mackay
Car (driver) 72.9% / 83.9%
Mackay — Car (driver): 72.9% North Mackay — Car (driver): 83.9%
Car (passenger) 9.8% / 6.6%
Mackay — Car (passenger): 9.8% North Mackay — Car (passenger): 6.6%
Walked Only 9.3% / 2.1%
Mackay — Walked Only: 9.3% North Mackay — Walked Only: 2.1%
Worked from Home 3.4% / 4.3%
Mackay — Worked from Home: 3.4% North Mackay — Worked from Home: 4.3%
Bicycle 2.8% / 1.2%
Mackay — Bicycle: 2.8% North Mackay — Bicycle: 1.2%
Bus 1.8% / 1.9%
Mackay — Bus: 1.8% North Mackay — Bus: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.9%).

Setting

Mackay North Mackay
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.8 km
2.6 km to a named beach
 4.0 km
4.1 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Mackay North Mackay
Connectivity score 97/100 63/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 92%
4,433 premises
 34%
3,397 premises

Climate

Mackay North Mackay
Annual rainfall 1,517 mm 1,633 mm
Summer max (Jan) 30.8°C 30.6°C
Winter min (Jul) 12.4°C 14.5°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Mackay North Mackay
PM2.5 6.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.9 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Mackay North Mackay
Average residential rate $1,873/yr
same for both
Council Mackay
same for both

Federal electorate

Mackay North Mackay
Division Dawson
same for both
Member Andrew Willcox
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mackay North Mackay
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mackay

Affordable Coastal Nightlife Parks Townhouses

North Mackay

Affordable Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mackay

Mackay vs South Mackay Mackay vs West Mackay Mackay vs Mount Pleasant Mackay vs East Mackay

Other comparisons with North Mackay

North Mackay vs Andergrove North Mackay vs West Mackay North Mackay vs Beaconsfield North Mackay vs Mount Pleasant North Mackay vs Mackay Harbour
Full data on Mackay Full data on North Mackay
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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