Macksville vs North Macksville

Macksville is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 53 in North Macksville. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In North Macksville, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in North Macksville: a median of $818,000, against $635,000 in Macksville, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Macksville tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Macksville

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (91% vs 80%)

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

First-home buyers

Macksville

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($605,000 vs $1,075,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($635,000 vs $818,158)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (32% vs 38%)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Macksville

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (30% vs 18%)

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

Commuting to the city

Macksville

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (309 min vs 315 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (471.6 km vs 477 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

North Macksville

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (20% vs 9%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (34% vs 28%)
  • But Macksville has more GPs (5 vs 0)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Macksville North Macksville
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.

Macksville North Macksville
Walkability 26 / 21
Macksville — Walkability: 26/100 North Macksville — Walkability: 21/100
Safety 12 / 20
Macksville — Safety: 12/100 North Macksville — Safety: 20/100
Low fire risk 84 / 55
Macksville — Low fire risk: 84/100 North Macksville — Low fire risk: 55/100

Demographics

Macksville has more residents (2,782 vs 669); North Macksville skews older (53 vs 47).

Macksville North Macksville
Population 2,782
+76% vs other
 669
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.1% +11.9%
Median age 47 53
Median household income $49,088/yr
+3% vs other
 $47,632/yr
Median weekly rent $320/wk $340/wk
+6% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Macksville North Macksville
0-4 6.3% / 4.2%
Macksville — 0-4: 6.3% North Macksville — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 11.8% / 11.7%
Macksville — 5-14: 11.8% North Macksville — 5-14: 11.7%
15-19 5.6% / 4.8%
Macksville — 15-19: 5.6% North Macksville — 15-19: 4.8%
20-24 4.0% / 3.6%
Macksville — 20-24: 4.0% North Macksville — 20-24: 3.6%
25-34 11.0% / 8.1%
Macksville — 25-34: 11.0% North Macksville — 25-34: 8.1%
35-44 9.0% / 7.6%
Macksville — 35-44: 9.0% North Macksville — 35-44: 7.6%
45-54 10.0% / 10.6%
Macksville — 45-54: 10.0% North Macksville — 45-54: 10.6%
55-64 13.8% / 16.6%
Macksville — 55-64: 13.8% North Macksville — 55-64: 16.6%
65-74 13.6% / 16.1%
Macksville — 65-74: 13.6% North Macksville — 65-74: 16.1%
75-84 9.7% / 12.3%
Macksville — 75-84: 9.7% North Macksville — 75-84: 12.3%
85+ 4.9% / 5.2%
Macksville — 85+: 4.9% North Macksville — 85+: 5.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Macksville 42.6% lone person
Macksville — Lone Person: 42.6% Macksville — Couple Families: 28.2% Macksville — One Parent Families: 22.9% Macksville — Group Household: 4.6% Macksville — Other Families: 1.7%
North Macksville 48.2% lone person
North Macksville — Lone Person: 48.2% North Macksville — Couple Families: 28.3% North Macksville — One Parent Families: 21.5% North Macksville — Group Household: 2.1% North Macksville — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Macksville 30.3% renting
Macksville — Owned Outright: 43.6% Macksville — Mortgage: 26.1% Macksville — Renting: 30.3%
North Macksville 18.1% renting
North Macksville — Owned Outright: 59.2% North Macksville — Mortgage: 22.7% North Macksville — Renting: 18.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Macksville North Macksville
Certificate III & IV 17.1% / 17.2%
Macksville — Certificate III & IV: 17.1% North Macksville — Certificate III & IV: 17.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.6% / 7.9%
Macksville — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.6% North Macksville — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9%
Bachelor Degree 5.8% / 7.5%
Macksville — Bachelor Degree: 5.8% North Macksville — Bachelor Degree: 7.5%
Postgraduate Degree 0.9% / 0.7%
Macksville — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9% North Macksville — Postgraduate Degree: 0.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.9% / 0.6%
Macksville — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9% North Macksville — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.2%).

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.

Macksville North Macksville
England 2.1% / 3.1%
Macksville — England: 2.1% North Macksville — England: 3.1%
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.3%
Macksville — New Zealand: 0.9% North Macksville — New Zealand: 1.3%
India 0.9% / 0.4%
Macksville — India: 0.9% North Macksville — India: 0.4%
Germany 0.4% / 0.4%
Macksville — Germany: 0.4% North Macksville — Germany: 0.4%
Italy 0.3% / 0.4%
Macksville — Italy: 0.3% North Macksville — Italy: 0.4%
Malaysia 0.4% / —
Macksville — Malaysia: 0.4% North Macksville — Malaysia: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Macksville 90.8% houses
Macksville — Houses: 90.8% Macksville — Flats / Apartments: 3.6% Macksville — Townhouses: 5.6%
North Macksville 79.6% houses
North Macksville — Houses: 79.6% North Macksville — Flats / Apartments: 20.4% North Macksville — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Macksville North Macksville
Median house price $635,000 $818,158
Median unit price — $265,000
Median land price $605,000 $1,075,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 60 days
from 37 sales
 68 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

North Macksville has more land zoned for conservation (27% vs 4%).

Macksville North Macksville
Rural and farming 40% 48%
Residential 37% 21%
Environmental 4% 27%
Parks and recreation 8% 1%
Industrial 7% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 3%
Commercial 1% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Macksville North Macksville
New dwellings approved 109
across Nambucca Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -64%
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.

Macksville North Macksville
Houses 3.8%
$600/wk on $820K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Macksville North Macksville
House price Higher than 21% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW
Income Higher than 10% of NSW Higher than 9% of NSW
Schools Higher than 64% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 20% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 33% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 62% of NSW —

Liveability

Macksville scores higher overall (34 vs 20).

Macksville North Macksville
Grade C D
Score 34/100 20/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

North Macksville carries more bushfire risk (45 vs 16).

Macksville North Macksville
Bushfire Low
16/100
 Moderate
45/100
Crime High
88/100
 High
80/100
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 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Macksville North Macksville
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Macksville

  • St Patrick's Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Macksville Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Macksville High School Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in North Macksville

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Macksville North Macksville
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 12 0
Parks & reserves 4 2
Childcare 4 0
GPs 5 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Fuel stations 3 0
EV chargers 2 0
Waterways 1 14

Mobility

North Macksville sits further from the CBD (477 km vs 471.6 km).

Macksville North Macksville
Walkability score 26/100 21/100
Distance to Sydney 471.6 km 477 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 309 min 315 min
Public transport score 58/100
Bus
 19/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 24.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 2.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 1.5 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2447
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 62
postcode 2447
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.

Macksville North Macksville
Car (driver) 79.3% / 76.6%
Macksville — Car (driver): 79.3% North Macksville — Car (driver): 76.6%
Worked from Home 7.8% / 9.2%
Macksville — Worked from Home: 7.8% North Macksville — Worked from Home: 9.2%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / 10.3%
Macksville — Car (passenger): 6.2% North Macksville — Car (passenger): 10.3%
Walked Only 5.9% / 3.8%
Macksville — Walked Only: 5.9% North Macksville — Walked Only: 3.8%
Bicycle 0.9% / —
Macksville — Bicycle: 0.9% North Macksville — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.3%).

Setting

Macksville North Macksville
Elevation 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.8 km 4.7 km

NBN connectivity

Macksville North Macksville
Connectivity score 62/100 55/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 34%
1,711 premises
 25%
388 premises

Council rates

Macksville North Macksville
Average residential rate $1,175/yr
same for both
Council Nambucca Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Macksville North Macksville
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Macksville North Macksville
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Macksville

Acreage Affordable Retirees

North Macksville

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Macksville

Macksville vs Gumma Macksville vs Congarinni North Macksville vs Congarinni Macksville vs Way Way Macksville vs Talarm

Other comparisons with North Macksville

North Macksville vs Nambucca Heads North Macksville vs Gumma North Macksville vs Newee Creek North Macksville vs Congarinni North North Macksville vs Wirrimbi
Full data on Macksville Full data on North Macksville
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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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