Mackay

Queensland · Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday · 115,681 people · 123 suburbs · 17 postcodes

Mackay at a glance

115,681
Population
#11 of 69 in QLD
7,603
km² area
15/km² density
38.6
Median age
-0.7 vs QLD
$1,892
Median HH income/wk
#8 of 69 in QLD
960
SEIFA IRSAD
#20 of 69 in QLD
56
Schools
43 gov, 9 Cath, 4 indep
11.9%
Born overseas
30.2%
Renting

Map shows the Mackay LGA boundary in blue with a marker per suburb. Hover for suburb name, click for details.

Marker colour reflects SEIFA IRSAD decile: ● 1-2 (most disadvantaged), ● 3-4, ● 5-6, ● 7-8, ● 9-10 (most advantaged).

Boundary source: ABS ASGS 2021. Map tiles: OpenStreetMap contributors.

Mackay is a Local Government Area in Queensland, in the Brisbane region. It covers 123 suburbs across 17 postcodes and an area of 7,603 km². Mackay has a population of 115,681 , ranking #11 most populous in QLD. The most populous suburb is Andergrove (9,924 residents), and the highest median household income is in Eungella Hinterland at $4,750/week. The LGA-wide median household income is $1,892/week and median age is 38.6. About 11.9% of residents were born overseas and 5.9% speak a language other than English at home.

Who lives here

Age structure

0–14 (20.2%) 15–24 (11.9%) 25–44 (26.2%) 45–64 (26.8%) 65+ (14.9%)
Show counts
0–14 years23,361 (20.2%)
15–24 years13,752 (11.9%)
25–44 years30,350 (26.2%)
45–64 years30,998 (26.8%)
65+ years17,280 (14.9%)
11.9%
Born overseas
5.9%
Speak a language other than English at home
6.2%
First Nations
2.6
Avg household size

How they live

Housing tenure

Owned outright (29.9%) Mortgaged (39.9%) Renting (30.2%)

Dwelling type mix

Separate house (90.3%) Semi/townhouse (7.2%) Flat/apartment (2.5%)
$337
Median weekly rent
$1,706
Median monthly mortgage
35.3%
Households with 0-1 cars
64.7%
Households with 2+ cars

Work and learning

4.0%
Unemployment rate
36,320
In full-time work
16,065
In part-time work

Schools in Mackay

56 schools across Mackay: 76.8% Government, 16.1% Catholic, 7.1% Independent. The QLD average is 69.8% / 17.1% / 13.1%. Schools here have a median ICSEA of 949 (range 811 to 1102). QLD median is 985; national mean is 1000.

Sector mix

QLD average for comparison
Government Catholic Independent

Type breakdown

Primary (73.2%) Secondary (14.3%) Combined (8.9%) Special (3.6%)

ICSEA range

700 National mean 1000 1300
LGA median 949 QLD median 985LGA range 811 to 1102

ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) summarises the socio-economic background of each school's families. Higher values indicate more advantage. Source: ACARA 2025.

All 56 schools in Mackay, sorted by enrolment:

School Sector Type Suburb Students ICSEA
St Patrick's College Catholic Secondary Mackay 1,394 1009
Mackay State High School Government Secondary South Mackay 1,254 936
Mackay North State High School Government Secondary North Mackay 1,253 958
Whitsunday Anglican School Independent Combined Beaconsfield 1,151 1102
Mackay Northern Beaches State High School Government Secondary Rural View 1,012 950
Mackay Christian College Independent Combined North Mackay 879 1000
Mirani State High School Government Secondary Mirani 786 947
Sarina State High School Government Secondary Sarina 775 935
Mackay West State School Government Primary West Mackay 770 980
Fitzgerald State School Government Primary North Mackay 632 955
Eimeo Road State School Government Primary Rural View 607 938
Catherine McAuley College Catholic Secondary Mackay 606 1026
Victoria Park State School Government Primary East Mackay 602 927
St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School Catholic Primary Mackay West 569 1031
Pioneer State High School Government Secondary Andergrove 536 875
Beaconsfield State School Government Primary Beaconsfield 481 924
Bucasia State School Government Primary Bucasia 476 962
Marian State School Government Primary Marian 449 977
St Brendan's Catholic Primary School Catholic Primary Mackay 439 1018
Mackay North State School Government Primary North Mackay 401 933
St Mary's Catholic Primary School Catholic Primary Mackay South 384 1050
Sarina State School Government Primary Sarina 359 890
St John's Catholic Primary School Catholic Primary Walkerston 349 1003
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Catholic Primary North Mackay 349 1016
Walkerston State School Government Primary Walkerston 306 949
Carlisle Adventist College Independent Combined Beaconsfield 281 990
Mirani State School Government Primary Mirani 280 947
Andergrove State School Government Primary Andergrove 270 887
Glenella State School Government Primary Glenella 234 977
Mackay Central State School Government Primary Mackay 216 908
Slade Point State School Government Primary Slade Point 204 850
Calen District State College Government Combined Calen 179 926
St Anne's Catholic Primary School Catholic Primary Sarina 162 962
MacKillop Catholic Primary School Catholic Primary Andergrove 149 990
Dundula State School Government Primary Bakers Creek 117 921
Swayneville State School Government Primary Sarina 114 918
Richmond State School Government Combined Richmond 111 885
Chelona State School Government Primary Chelona 102 949
Koumala State School Government Primary Koumala 100 948
Hampden State School Government Primary Hampden 84 963
Mackay District Special School Government Special Beaconsfield 82 949
Seaforth State School Government Primary Seaforth 80 951
Kutta Mulla Gorinna Special Assistance School Independent Special Mackay 75 811
Coningsby State School Government Primary Farleigh 71 944
Bloomsbury State School Government Primary Bloomsbury 44 942
Homebush State School Government Primary Homebush 37 962
Eton State School Government Primary Eton 36 931
Gargett State School Government Primary Gargett 36 947
Farleigh State School Government Primary Farleigh 32 935
Finch Hatton State School Government Primary Finch Hatton 32 931
North Eton State School Government Primary North Eton 29 957
Pindi Pindi State School Government Primary Pindi Pindi 25 958
Eungella State School Government Primary Eungella 19 951
Pinnacle State School Government Primary Pinnacle 11 914
Oakenden State School Government Primary Oakenden 8 926
Hayman Island State School Government Primary Hayman Island 3

Source: ACARA School Profiles 2025. ICSEA shown where reported; some schools (notably small primaries) do not publish ICSEA.

SEIFA socio-economic indexes

SEIFA 2021 ranks Australian areas across four dimensions. Scores are population-weighted averages of suburb-level SEIFA scores within Mackay. Higher scores indicate more advantage; the national mean is 1000.

IRSAD

Relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage

960
Ranked #20 of 69 QLD LGAs

IRSD

Relative disadvantage only (lower = more disadvantaged)

998

IER

Economic resources: income, wealth, housing

1006

IEO

Education and occupation: qualifications, skill levels

916

Suburbs in Mackay

Mackay contains 123 suburbs and 17 postcodes. Sorted by population.

SuburbPostcodePopulationMedian incomeMedian age
Andergrove 4740 9,924 $1,735/wk 36
South Mackay 4740 6,918 $1,477/wk 39
West Mackay 4740 6,536 $1,696/wk 42
North Mackay 4740 6,194 $1,375/wk 40
Beaconsfield 4740 5,899 $1,726/wk 37
Rural View 4740 5,657 $2,471/wk 31
Sarina 4737 5,619 $1,605/wk 40
Bucasia 4750 4,915 $2,005/wk 35
Glenella 4740 4,545 $2,535/wk 39
Marian 4753 4,224 $2,392/wk 32
Blacks Beach 4740 4,153 $2,013/wk 31
Mackay 4740 4,026 $1,239/wk 38
East Mackay 4740 3,725 $1,718/wk 42
Ooralea 4740 3,691 $2,248/wk 35
Walkerston 4751 3,615 $2,142/wk 35
Slade Point 4740 3,450 $1,533/wk 40
Eimeo 4740 3,285 $2,304/wk 36
Mirani 4754 1,806 $1,872/wk 33
Bakers Creek 4740 1,590 $2,161/wk 35
Hay Point 4740 1,306 $1,983/wk 43
Shoal Point 4750 1,104 $2,434/wk 42
Habana 4740 1,022 $2,528/wk 41
Armstrong Beach 4737 903 $1,912/wk 41
Richmond 4740 852 $3,169/wk 33
Farleigh 4741 814 $2,160/wk 42
Seaforth 4741 800 $1,088/wk 56
Koumala 4738 772 $1,833/wk 45
Erakala 4740 763 $3,103/wk 39
Eton 4741 728 $2,024/wk 37
Grasstree Beach 4740 717 $2,050/wk 49
Kuttabul 4741 707 $1,887/wk 46
Mackay Harbour 4740 686 $2,079/wk 50
The Leap 4740 664 $2,486/wk 48
Sarina Beach 4737 661 $1,702/wk 46
Hampden 4741 598 $1,952/wk 44
Bloomsbury 4799 539 $1,125/wk 50
Finch Hatton 4756 531 $1,279/wk 48
Campwin Beach 4737 511 $1,555/wk 42
Balnagowan 4740 438 $2,750/wk 40
Midge Point 4799 435 $1,079/wk 57
Calen 4798 427 $1,424/wk 43
Balberra 4740 425 $1,862/wk 47
Oakenden 4741 424 $2,367/wk 39
Pleystowe 4741 418 $2,050/wk 40
Dolphin Heads 4740 413 $2,833/wk 48
Devereux Creek 4753 406 $2,125/wk 45
Ball Bay 4741 384 $1,346/wk 56
Mount Jukes 4740 373 $2,187/wk 45
Paget 4740 339 $1,199/wk 45
Victoria Plains 4751 338 $2,131/wk 42
Sarina Range 4737 277 $1,958/wk 44
Homebush 4740 262 $2,113/wk 39
Nindaroo 4740 255 $3,035/wk 43
Mount Ossa 4741 250 $1,770/wk 42
Palmyra 4751 250 $2,218/wk 47
Dumbleton 4740 242 $2,531/wk 52
Te Kowai 4740 227 $2,028/wk 40
Pinnacle 4741 211 $1,142/wk 48
Owens Creek 4741 193 $1,687/wk 42
Gargett 4741 191 $1,774/wk 45
Mount Martin 4754 191 $2,416/wk 46
Eungella 4757 190 $771/wk 52
Alexandra 4740 189 $1,974/wk 39
North Eton 4741 189 $2,062/wk 31
Kinchant Dam 4741 183 $2,250/wk 41
Racecourse 4740 181 $1,850/wk 42
St Helens Beach 4798 175 $1,016/wk 57
Freshwater Point 4737 174 $2,250/wk 48
Haliday Bay 4740 172 $1,093/wk 55
Sandiford 4740 168 $1,774/wk 40
Mcewens Beach 4740 159 $1,833/wk 54
Mount Charlton 4741 151 $1,292/wk 53
Dows Creek 4754 146 $2,562/wk 41
Yalboroo 4741 146 $1,649/wk 43
Sunnyside 4416 127 $1,875/wk 37
Netherdale 4756 121 $780/wk 45
Chelona 4740 120 $1,958/wk 37
Septimus 4754 120 $1,843/wk 47
Mia Mia 4754 118 $2,187/wk 41
Crediton 4757 109 $1,166/wk 38
Mount Pelion 4741 90 $1,687/wk 47
Laguna Quays 4800 89 $588/wk 53
Munbura 4740 89 $2,166/wk 49
Pindi Pindi 4798 86 $1,656/wk 43
Benholme 4754 81 $1,312/wk 50
Coral Sea 4740 78 $1,374/wk 36
Rosella 4740 78 $1,937/wk 44
Dunnrock 4740 58 $1,468/wk 54
Brightly 4741 52 $2,250/wk 48
Pinevale 4754 51 $2,624/wk 29
Dalrymple Heights 4757 46 $774/wk 46
Cape Hillsborough 4740 39 $2,250/wk 61
Hazledean 4741 27 $1,875/wk 38
Cremorne 4740 19 $1,625/wk 52
Broken River 4757 18 $1,437/wk 47
Foulden 4740 9 $4,250/wk 45
Belmunda 4740 6 $1,375/wk 60
Eungella Dam 4757 4 $1,274/wk 66
Eungella Hinterland 4741 4 $4,750/wk 67
Caneland 4740
Coningsby 4740
Dundula 4740
Erlando Beach 4800
Half Tide Beach 4740
Hamilton Island 4803
Hayman Island 4801
Keswick Island 4740
Mackay Caneland 4740
Mackay East 4740
Mackay North 4740
Mackay South 4740
Mackay West 4740
Mentmore 4798
Noorlah 4740
Planella 4740
Planland 4740
Richanna Heights 4740
Salonika Beach 4740
Telina Heights 4740
Timberlands 4740
Wagoora 4798
Wundaru 4740
Yakapari 4740

Postcodes covered

4416, 4737, 4738, 4740, 4741, 4750, 4751, 4753, 4754, 4756, 4757, 4798, 4799, 4800, 4801, 4803, 4822

Compare Mackay with neighbouring LGAs

Side-by-side demographic and socio-economic snapshot of Mackay and its closest neighbouring LGAs.

LGA Population Median age Median HH income SEIFA IRSAD % renting % overseas-born
Mackay (QLD) 115,681 38.6 $1,892/wk 960 30.2% 11.9%
Isaac 22,035 34.0 $2,557/wk 972 60.4% 9.7%
Whitsunday 36,805 40.6 $1,530/wk 944 35.4% 16.4%
Livingstone 39,153 43.8 $1,737/wk 970 22.4% 10.1%
Townsville 188,838 36.7 $1,750/wk 966 37.3% 14.0%
Lockyer Valley 41,530 39.6 $1,527/wk 922 23.5% 14.2%

Services and amenities

NDIS Providers NDIS provider directory for Mackay Climate & weather Climate data for Andergrove

Frequently asked questions about Mackay

What is the population of Mackay?

The 2021 Census recorded 115,681 people living in Mackay, across 123 suburbs.

What suburbs are in Mackay?

Mackay contains 123 suburbs. The most populous are Andergrove, South Mackay, West Mackay, North Mackay, Beaconsfield.See the full list in the Suburbs section above.

What postcodes are in Mackay?

Mackay covers 17 postcodes: 4416, 4737, 4738, 4740, 4741, 4750, 4751, 4753, 4754, 4756, 4757, 4798, 4799, 4800, 4801, 4803, 4822.

What is the median household income in Mackay?

The population-weighted median household income across Mackay is $1,892 per week (2021 Census), ranking #8 of 69 QLD LGAs.

How many schools are in Mackay?

Mackay has 56 schools, including 43 government, 9 Catholic, and 4 independent schools (ACARA 2025).

What is the SEIFA score for Mackay?

Mackay has a population-weighted SEIFA IRSAD score of 960, where the national average is 1000. Higher scores indicate more relative advantage.

Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 (IRSD, IRSAD, IER, IEO), ACARA School Profiles 2025, ABS ASGS 2021 LGA boundaries. How this data is sourced.