Mackay vs West Mackay

Mackay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 42 in West Mackay. In Mackay, most households rent and most households are people living alone. In West Mackay, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in West Mackay: a median of $630,000, against $540,000 in Mackay, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Mackay tends to suit renters, young adults, and people living alone, while West Mackay suits older residents.

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

West Mackay

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (78% vs 26%)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (8 vs 4)

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

First-home buyers

Mackay

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($540,000 vs $630,250)
  • has cheaper units ($400,000 vs $442,500)

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 36%)
  • has cheaper rent ($270/wk vs $320/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Mackay is more walkable (92/100 vs 81/100)
  • West Mackay sits closer to the CBD (964.2 km vs 966.7 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 23%)
  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 81/100)
  • But West Mackay has more residents already 65 and over (22% vs 13%)

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

Investors

West Mackay

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (7.1% vs 5.8%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (5.5% vs 4.8%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

Mackay and West 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 West 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 West Mackay
Walkability 92 / 81
Mackay — Walkability: 92/100 West Mackay — Walkability: 81/100
Safety 2 / 15
Mackay — Safety: 2/100 West Mackay — Safety: 15/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Mackay — Low fire risk: 100/100 West Mackay — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

West Mackay has more residents (6,536 vs 4,026); West Mackay has higher household incomes ($88,192 vs $64,428).

Mackay West Mackay
Population 4,026 6,536
+62% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +10.0% +5.2%
Median age 38 42
Median household income $64,428/yr $88,192/yr
+37% vs other
Median weekly rent $270/wk $320/wk
+19% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mackay West Mackay
0-4 3.9% / 5.2%
Mackay — 0-4: 3.9% West Mackay — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 8.3% / 11.6%
Mackay — 5-14: 8.3% West Mackay — 5-14: 11.6%
15-19 4.6% / 4.9%
Mackay — 15-19: 4.6% West Mackay — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 9.9% / 6.3%
Mackay — 20-24: 9.9% West Mackay — 20-24: 6.3%
25-34 18.5% / 12.0%
Mackay — 25-34: 18.5% West Mackay — 25-34: 12.0%
35-44 14.7% / 13.0%
Mackay — 35-44: 14.7% West Mackay — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 13.4% / 13.2%
Mackay — 45-54: 13.4% West Mackay — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 13.6% / 12.3%
Mackay — 55-64: 13.6% West Mackay — 55-64: 12.3%
65-74 7.9% / 9.7%
Mackay — 65-74: 7.9% West Mackay — 65-74: 9.7%
75-84 3.7% / 6.6%
Mackay — 75-84: 3.7% West Mackay — 75-84: 6.6%
85+ 1.6% / 5.4%
Mackay — 85+: 1.6% West Mackay — 85+: 5.4%

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%
West Mackay 44.2% lone person
West Mackay — Lone Person: 44.2% West Mackay — Couple Families: 34.5% West Mackay — One Parent Families: 14.4% West Mackay — Group Household: 5.8% West Mackay — Other Families: 1.1%
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%
West Mackay 35.6% renting
West Mackay — Owned Outright: 30.4% West Mackay — Mortgage: 34.0% West Mackay — Renting: 35.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mackay West Mackay
Certificate III & IV 16.0% / 18.2%
Mackay — Certificate III & IV: 16.0% West Mackay — Certificate III & IV: 18.2%
Bachelor Degree 9.4% / 10.4%
Mackay — Bachelor Degree: 9.4% West Mackay — Bachelor Degree: 10.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.3% / 5.6%
Mackay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3% West Mackay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.6%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / 1.9%
Mackay — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% West Mackay — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 1.1%
Mackay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% West Mackay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.2%).

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 West Mackay
Philippines 6.0% / 4.1%
Mackay — Philippines: 6.0% West Mackay — Philippines: 4.1%
New Zealand 2.9% / 1.9%
Mackay — New Zealand: 2.9% West Mackay — New Zealand: 1.9%
India 2.5% / 0.9%
Mackay — India: 2.5% West Mackay — India: 0.9%
England 1.8% / 1.5%
Mackay — England: 1.8% West Mackay — England: 1.5%
China 0.9% / —
Mackay — China: 0.9% West Mackay — China: not among its largest
South Africa — / 0.5%
Mackay — South Africa: not among its largest West Mackay — South Africa: 0.5%

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%
West Mackay 77.5% houses
West Mackay — Houses: 77.5% West Mackay — Townhouses: 19.4% West Mackay — Flats / Apartments: 3.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mackay West Mackay
Median house price $540,000 $630,250
Median unit price $400,000 $442,500
Median land price — $437,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 34 days
from 42 sales
 29 days
from 65 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 West Mackay
1 bed $334K / $357K
Mackay — 1 bed: $334K (20 sales) West Mackay — 1 bed: $357K (6 sales)

20 vs 6 sales

2 bed $380K / $435K
Mackay — 2 bed: $380K (77 sales) West Mackay — 2 bed: $435K (19 sales)

77 vs 19 sales

3 bed $608K / $490K
Mackay — 3 bed: $608K (26 sales) West Mackay — 3 bed: $490K (11 sales)

26 vs 11 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 West Mackay
2 bed $480K / $520K
Mackay — 2 bed: $480K (23 sales) West Mackay — 2 bed: $520K (29 sales)

23 vs 29 sales

3 bed $550K / $620K
Mackay — 3 bed: $550K (37 sales) West Mackay — 3 bed: $620K (85 sales)

37 vs 85 sales

4 bed $650K / $720K
Mackay — 4 bed: $650K (17 sales) West Mackay — 4 bed: $720K (43 sales)

17 vs 43 sales

5 bed $755K / $860K
Mackay — 5 bed: $755K (7 sales) West Mackay — 5 bed: $860K (11 sales)

7 vs 11 sales

Development activity

Mackay West 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 West Mackay
Houses 4.8%
$500/wk on $539K
 5.5%
$720/wk on $675K
Units 5.8%
$500/wk on $449K
 7.1%
$548/wk on $399K

Ranking within QLD

Mackay West Mackay
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 30% of QLD —
Schools Higher than 40% of QLD Higher than 75% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 99% of QLD Higher than 96% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of QLD
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 87% of QLD Higher than 97% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 86% of QLD Higher than 96% of QLD

Liveability

West Mackay scores higher overall (52 vs 31); Mackay is more walkable (92 vs 81).

Mackay West Mackay
Grade D B
Score 31/100 52/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Mackay carries more crime risk (98 vs 85).

Mackay West Mackay
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
98/100
 High
85/100
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
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Mackay West Mackay
Inside the suburb 3
same for both
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 2
same for both
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 West Mackay

  • Catherine McAuley College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • Mackay West State School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Mackay West Mackay
Supermarkets 5 2
Cafes & restaurants 20 3
Parks & reserves 7
same for both
Childcare 4 8
GPs 11 3
Pharmacies 7 3
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 13 2
Fuel stations 5 3
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 0 5

Mobility

Mackay sits further from the CBD (966.7 km vs 964.2 km).

Mackay West Mackay
Walkability score 92/100 81/100
Distance to Brisbane 966.7 km 964.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 663 min 660 min
Public transport score 75/100
Bus
 56/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 60.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 17.2
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 West Mackay
Car (driver) 72.9% / 82.2%
Mackay — Car (driver): 72.9% West Mackay — Car (driver): 82.2%
Car (passenger) 9.8% / 6.3%
Mackay — Car (passenger): 9.8% West Mackay — Car (passenger): 6.3%
Walked Only 9.3% / 4.2%
Mackay — Walked Only: 9.3% West Mackay — Walked Only: 4.2%
Worked from Home 3.4% / 4.7%
Mackay — Worked from Home: 3.4% West Mackay — Worked from Home: 4.7%
Bicycle 2.8% / 1.6%
Mackay — Bicycle: 2.8% West Mackay — Bicycle: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.2%).

Setting

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

NBN connectivity

Mackay West Mackay
Connectivity score 97/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 92%
4,433 premises
 93%
3,303 premises

Climate

Mackay West Mackay
Annual rainfall 1,517 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 12.4°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

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

Federal electorate

Mackay West 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 West 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

West Mackay

Affordable Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mackay

Mackay vs South Mackay Mackay vs North Mackay Mackay vs Mount Pleasant Mackay vs East Mackay

Other comparisons with West Mackay

West Mackay vs South Mackay West Mackay vs North Mackay West Mackay vs Mount Pleasant West Mackay vs Ooralea West Mackay vs Paget West Mackay vs Racecourse
Full data on Mackay Full data on West Mackay
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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