Paget vs South Mackay

South Mackay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 45 in Paget. In both, most households own their home. In Paget, most households are people living alone. In South Mackay, most homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Paget: a median of $1.37 million, against $605,000 in South Mackay, though rent is higher in South Mackay. On these figures, Paget tends to suit people living alone, while South Mackay suits families with children and 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

South Mackay

ahead on 6 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (18 vs 2)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

South Mackay

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($605,000 vs $1,372,500)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (23% vs 38%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Paget

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($263/wk vs $290/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

  • Paget sits closer to the CBD (962.9 km vs 966.3 km)
  • South Mackay is more walkable (49/100 vs 15/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

South Mackay

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (49/100 vs 15/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (70/100 vs 99/100)
  • But Paget has more units and townhouses to downsize into (48% vs 26%)

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

Investors

Paget

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (24.2% vs 3.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Paget and South 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.

Paget South 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.

Paget South Mackay
Walkability 15 / 49
Paget — Walkability: 15/100 South Mackay — Walkability: 49/100
Safety 1 / 30
Paget — Safety: 1/100 South Mackay — Safety: 30/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Paget — Low fire risk: 100/100 South Mackay — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

South Mackay has more residents (6,918 vs 339); South Mackay has higher household incomes ($76,804 vs $62,348).

Paget South Mackay
Population 339 6,918
+1941% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +24.2% +3.2%
Median age 45 39
Median household income $62,348/yr $76,804/yr
+23% vs other
Median weekly rent $263/wk $290/wk
+10% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Paget South Mackay
0-4 4.7% / 6.1%
Paget — 0-4: 4.7% South Mackay — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 8.0% / 12.2%
Paget — 5-14: 8.0% South Mackay — 5-14: 12.2%
15-19 2.7% / 5.9%
Paget — 15-19: 2.7% South Mackay — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 9.1% / 6.0%
Paget — 20-24: 9.1% South Mackay — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 16.2% / 13.8%
Paget — 25-34: 16.2% South Mackay — 25-34: 13.8%
35-44 8.3% / 12.8%
Paget — 35-44: 8.3% South Mackay — 35-44: 12.8%
45-54 17.7% / 12.4%
Paget — 45-54: 17.7% South Mackay — 45-54: 12.4%
55-64 18.6% / 13.5%
Paget — 55-64: 18.6% South Mackay — 55-64: 13.5%
65-74 10.6% / 9.7%
Paget — 65-74: 10.6% South Mackay — 65-74: 9.7%
75-84 3.5% / 5.6%
Paget — 75-84: 3.5% South Mackay — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ — / 2.0%
Paget — 85+: not among its largest South Mackay — 85+: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Paget 61.4% lone person
Paget — Lone Person: 61.4% Paget — Couple Families: 20.8% Paget — One Parent Families: 11.9% Paget — Group Household: 3.0% Paget — Other Families: 3.0%
South Mackay 44.9% lone person
South Mackay — Lone Person: 44.9% South Mackay — Couple Families: 30.8% South Mackay — One Parent Families: 17.8% South Mackay — Group Household: 4.6% South Mackay — Other Families: 1.9%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Paget 42.9% renting
Paget — Owned Outright: 37.8% Paget — Mortgage: 19.4% Paget — Renting: 42.9%
South Mackay 39.1% renting
South Mackay — Owned Outright: 27.9% South Mackay — Mortgage: 33.0% South Mackay — Renting: 39.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Paget South Mackay
Certificate III & IV 23.0% / 20.0%
Paget — Certificate III & IV: 23.0% South Mackay — Certificate III & IV: 20.0%
Bachelor Degree 3.2% / 7.0%
Paget — Bachelor Degree: 3.2% South Mackay — Bachelor Degree: 7.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 3.8% / 5.1%
Paget — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.8% South Mackay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.1%
Postgraduate Degree 0.9% / 1.1%
Paget — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9% South Mackay — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.0%
Paget — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest South Mackay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.0%).

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.

Paget South Mackay
Philippines 2.9% / 4.8%
Paget — Philippines: 2.9% South Mackay — Philippines: 4.8%
New Zealand 4.4% / 2.6%
Paget — New Zealand: 4.4% South Mackay — New Zealand: 2.6%
England 1.2% / 1.4%
Paget — England: 1.2% South Mackay — England: 1.4%
Pakistan 1.2% / —
Paget — Pakistan: 1.2% South Mackay — Pakistan: not among its largest
Taiwan 0.9% / —
Paget — Taiwan: 0.9% South Mackay — Taiwan: not among its largest
South Africa — / 0.5%
Paget — South Africa: not among its largest South Mackay — South Africa: 0.5%
India — / 0.5%
Paget — India: not among its largest South Mackay — India: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Paget 51.9% houses
Paget — Houses: 51.9% Paget — Flats / Apartments: 42.2% Paget — Townhouses: 5.9%
South Mackay 73.5% houses
South Mackay — Houses: 73.5% South Mackay — Flats / Apartments: 2.0% South Mackay — Townhouses: 24.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Paget South Mackay
Median house price $1,372,500 $605,000
Median unit price $400,000 $399,500
Median land price $3,125,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) — 28 days
from 58 sales

Development activity

Paget South 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.

Paget South Mackay
Houses — 4.9%
$650/wk on $684K
Units — 6.9%
$510/wk on $384K

Ranking within QLD

Paget South Mackay
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 28% of QLD Higher than 48% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 78% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 76% of QLD Higher than 86% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 40% of QLD Higher than 41% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 99% of QLD Higher than 98% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 90% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 95% of QLD

Liveability

South Mackay is more walkable (49 vs 15).

Paget South Mackay
Grade — C
Score — 48/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Paget carries more crime risk (99 vs 70).

Paget South Mackay
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
99/100
 High
70/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
86/100
 High
89/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Paget South Mackay
Inside the suburb 0 3
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Paget

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

Schools in South Mackay

  • St Mary's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Mackay State High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Patrick's College - Mercy Campus Catholic · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Paget South Mackay
Cafes & restaurants 3 2
Parks & reserves 2 18
Childcare 0 3
Fuel stations 5 0
Beaches 0 1

Mobility

South Mackay sits further from the CBD (966.3 km vs 962.9 km).

Paget South Mackay
Walkability score 15/100 49/100
Distance to Brisbane 962.9 km 966.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 661 min 664 min
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.

Paget South Mackay
Car (driver) 79.9% / 83.4%
Paget — Car (driver): 79.9% South Mackay — Car (driver): 83.4%
Car (passenger) 6.7% / 7.1%
Paget — Car (passenger): 6.7% South Mackay — Car (passenger): 7.1%
Walked Only 6.0% / 2.3%
Paget — Walked Only: 6.0% South Mackay — Walked Only: 2.3%
Worked from Home 2.2% / 3.9%
Paget — Worked from Home: 2.2% South Mackay — Worked from Home: 3.9%
Bus 3.0% / 1.6%
Paget — Bus: 3.0% South Mackay — Bus: 1.6%
Bicycle 2.2% / 1.6%
Paget — Bicycle: 2.2% South Mackay — Bicycle: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.4%).

Setting

Paget South Mackay
Elevation 2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.1 km
2.8 km to a named beach
 1.7 km
1.8 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Paget South Mackay
Connectivity score 100/100 99/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
1,000 premises
 98%
3,418 premises

Climate

Paget South 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)

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

Paget South 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

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

Tags

Paget

Affordable Coastal Rural

South Mackay

Affordable Coastal Parks Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Paget

Paget vs West Mackay Paget vs Ooralea Paget vs Bakers Creek Paget vs Coral Sea

Other comparisons with South Mackay

South Mackay vs West Mackay South Mackay vs Mackay South Mackay vs East Mackay South Mackay vs Coral Sea
Full data on Paget Full data on South 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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or