Mackenzie River vs May Downs

May Downs is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 44 in Mackenzie River. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Mackenzie River, about half of households are people living alone. In May Downs, most households are couple families. On these figures, Mackenzie River tends to suit people living alone, while May Downs suits couples.

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

May Downs

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (11/100 vs 46/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (67% vs 48%)

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

Renters

Mackenzie River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($0/wk vs $350/wk)

Weighs rent and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Mackenzie River

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (581 min vs 641 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (867.2 km vs 909.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Mackenzie River has more residents already 65 and over (19% vs 3%)
  • May Downs carries lower crime risk (11/100 vs 46/100)

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

Investors

Mackenzie River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (18.3% vs -3.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mackenzie River May Downs
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.

Mackenzie River May Downs
Walkability 0 / 0
Mackenzie River — Walkability: 0/100 May Downs — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 54 / 89
Mackenzie River — Safety: 54/100 May Downs — Safety: 89/100
Low fire risk 62 / 57
Mackenzie River — Low fire risk: 62/100 May Downs — Low fire risk: 57/100

Demographics

May Downs rents higher ($350/wk vs $0/wk); May Downs has higher household incomes ($113,724 vs $94,224).

Mackenzie River May Downs
Population 84 93
+11% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +18.3% -3.1%
Median age 44 38
Median household income $94,224/yr $113,724/yr
+21% vs other
Median weekly rent — $350/wk
(not reported on the other side)

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mackenzie River May Downs
0-4 6.0% / 5.4%
Mackenzie River — 0-4: 6.0% May Downs — 0-4: 5.4%
5-14 9.5% / 11.8%
Mackenzie River — 5-14: 9.5% May Downs — 5-14: 11.8%
15-19 8.3% / 3.2%
Mackenzie River — 15-19: 8.3% May Downs — 15-19: 3.2%
20-24 3.6% / 3.2%
Mackenzie River — 20-24: 3.6% May Downs — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 9.5% / 18.3%
Mackenzie River — 25-34: 9.5% May Downs — 25-34: 18.3%
35-44 13.1% / 10.8%
Mackenzie River — 35-44: 13.1% May Downs — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 25.0% / 24.7%
Mackenzie River — 45-54: 25.0% May Downs — 45-54: 24.7%
55-64 9.5% / 22.6%
Mackenzie River — 55-64: 9.5% May Downs — 55-64: 22.6%
65-74 13.1% / —
Mackenzie River — 65-74: 13.1% May Downs — 65-74: not among its largest
75-84 6.0% / 3.2%
Mackenzie River — 75-84: 6.0% May Downs — 75-84: 3.2%
85+ — / —
Mackenzie River — 85+: not among its largest May Downs — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mackenzie River 47.6% couple families
Mackenzie River — Couple Families: 47.6% Mackenzie River — Lone Person: 52.4%
May Downs 66.7% couple families
May Downs — Couple Families: 66.7% May Downs — Lone Person: 33.3%
Couple Families Lone Person

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mackenzie River 15.0% renting
Mackenzie River — Owned Outright: 70.0% Mackenzie River — Mortgage: 15.0% Mackenzie River — Renting: 15.0%
May Downs 13.6% renting
May Downs — Owned Outright: 54.5% May Downs — Mortgage: 31.8% May Downs — Renting: 13.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mackenzie River 96.9% houses
Mackenzie River — Houses: 96.9% Mackenzie River — Flats / Apartments: 3.1%
May Downs 103.7% houses
May Downs — Houses: 103.7% May Downs — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Mackenzie River May Downs
Certificate III & IV 21.4% / 20.4%
Mackenzie River — Certificate III & IV: 21.4% May Downs — Certificate III & IV: 20.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 11.8%
Mackenzie River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% May Downs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.8%
Bachelor Degree 9.5% / 3.2%
Mackenzie River — Bachelor Degree: 9.5% May Downs — Bachelor Degree: 3.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.4%).

Development activity

Mackenzie River May Downs
New dwellings approved 27
across Isaac
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Mackenzie River May Downs
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 67% of QLD Higher than 85% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 17% of QLD Higher than 43% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption —
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 6% of QLD Higher than 15% of QLD

Liveability

Mackenzie River May Downs
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Mackenzie River carries more crime risk (46 vs 11).

Mackenzie River May Downs
Bushfire Low
38/100
 Moderate
43/100
Crime Moderate
46/100
 Low
11/100
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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Mackenzie River May Downs
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Mackenzie River May Downs
Parks & reserves 2 0
Waterways 64 75

Mobility

May Downs sits further from the CBD (909.7 km vs 867.2 km).

Mackenzie River May Downs
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 867.2 km 909.7 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 581 min 641 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 4705
 0.0%
postcode 4746
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 4705
 4
postcode 4746

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.

Mackenzie River May Downs
Worked from Home 55.1% / 54.1%
Mackenzie River — Worked from Home: 55.1% May Downs — Worked from Home: 54.1%
Car (driver) 28.6% / 23.0%
Mackenzie River — Car (driver): 28.6% May Downs — Car (driver): 23.0%
Walked Only 16.3% / 16.4%
Mackenzie River — Walked Only: 16.3% May Downs — Walked Only: 16.4%
Car (passenger) — / 6.6%
Mackenzie River — Car (passenger): not among its largest May Downs — Car (passenger): 6.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.1%).

Setting

Mackenzie River May Downs
Elevation 136 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 126 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Mackenzie River May Downs
Connectivity score 15/100
same for both
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster)
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
24 premises
 0%
18 premises

Council rates

Mackenzie River May Downs
Average residential rate $925/yr
same for both
Council Isaac
same for both

Federal electorate

Mackenzie River May Downs
Division Capricornia
same for both
Member Michelle Landry
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mackenzie River May Downs
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mackenzie River

Rural

May Downs

Rural

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with May Downs

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Full data on Mackenzie River Full data on May Downs
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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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