Mackay

The community is notably diverse, with 7.6% of people identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, which is well above the national figure of 3.2%. It is a younger area than most, with few children under 15 (12.1%) and fewer seniors over 65 (13.1%) compared to the state and national averages.

International influence is strong here, as 23.5% of residents were born overseas. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, but there is a significant Filipino presence, with 6% of the population born in the Philippines.

Language diversity is much higher than in most similar areas, with 16.5% of people using a language other than English at home. Tagalog is the most common non-English language spoken.

Religious affiliation is lower than the state and national average, with 36.4% of residents reporting no religion. Christianity remains the most common faith at 38.1%.

The area has a high number of schools, with 17 within 3 km, though typical education levels are lower than the national average. Only 15.2% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, and 45.8% have completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Typical household income is $1,239 per week, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. However, typical personal weekly income is $835, slightly above the national average.

Mental health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 10.7% of residents. This is a little above the national figure of 8.8%.

Participation in unpaid work is much lower than in most areas. Only 10.6% of residents volunteer, and the rate of people providing unpaid care (7.3%) is well below the national average.

First Nations people make up a significant part of the population, though they face challenges with an unemployment rate of 19.1%, which is well above the national average. The typical age for First Nations residents is 29, noticeably older than the state average of 23.

Living arrangements are unusual for the region, as 48% of people live alone—far above the national figure of 25.6%. Consequently, the typical home has only 1.9 people, much lower than the national average of 2.5.

The area is dominated by renters, with 64.5% of households renting—far above the national figure of 30.6%. Small homes are the norm; only 35.6% of dwellings have three or more bedrooms, and separate houses are rare at 26.1%.

Public transport is very accessible, and 15.3% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the national average. Despite this, 63.8% of people still commute by car.

The population is highly mobile, with 47.9% of residents moving house in the last five years. This is driven by a very high number of recent overseas arrivals (28.3%), which is far above the national average.

Full-time employment is much higher than the national average at 67.6%. However, the unemployment rate is also higher than usual at 7.2%, and those working or looking for work make up 56% of adults.

This is a walker's paradise with a walkability score of 9.0. Every single home is within a 15-minute walk of groceries, health services, parks, and schools.