Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
East Mackay
5 km²
A noticeably older population defines East Mackay, where the typical resident is 42 and one in five is aged 65 or over. This community is largely Australian-born and English-speaking, with a population that has grown slightly to 3,756 people. While it is a stable residential area, a high number of people living alone and a rising proportion of renters suggest a diverse mix of housing needs. It is a place where established families and seniors live alongside a growing number of recent overseas arrivals.
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The area is older than the state and national averages, with the typical resident being 42. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 5.1% of the population, which is much higher than most similar areas and has risen since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (13.5%) than the national figure of 27.7%. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 82.8% of the community. The proportion of people using another language at home is far below the national average, and very few people speak little or no English.
About half of the population identifies as Christian, while 36.6% report no religion. The share of people with no religion is well below the Queensland average but has risen significantly since 2011.
Education levels are lower than the state and national figures, with only 15% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, Year 12 completion has risen by 8.1 percentage points since 2011.
Typical personal weekly income is $918, which is a little above the national figure. A higher than average share of people earn $2,000 or more per week, and typical family incomes are slightly above the state average.
People needing help with daily activities make up 8.0% of the community, which is much higher than most similar areas. Long-term health conditions are reported at a rate similar to the rest of the country.
Volunteer rates are about the same as the national figure. However, this area has a much lower share of people providing unpaid care or doing significant unpaid housework compared to other areas.
There are 193 First Nations people in the area, with a typical personal income of $629, which is a little above the national figure. The unemployment rate for this group is 11.1%, slightly lower than the state average.
People are more likely to live alone here (32.7%) than in most other areas. This is consistent with the older population, and homes are generally smaller, with 2.3 people per household.
Renters are much more common here than in most similar areas, making up 37.2% of households. Typical weekly rent is $320, which is lower than both the state and national figures.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 75.2% of workers driving to work. Very few people work from home (4.3%), a figure far below the national average.
About 39% of residents moved in the last five years, which is slightly lower than the national average. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 17% of the population, which is well above the state average.
Full-time employment is very high at 66.8%, well above the national figure. The unemployment rate is 3.6%, which is much lower than most similar areas.
The area has a general advantage score of 4 out of 10, putting it below the middle for most similar areas. Population growth since 2021 has been very low at 0.8%.
The area experiences much higher annual rainfall than the Queensland average. Both the average minimum and maximum temperatures are higher than those found in most other areas.
Public transport and parks are very accessible, with nearly all homes within a 15-minute walk of both. However, access to groceries and health services is lower than the state average.