Living in Mackay

In Mackay, the median rent tenants pay is €960 a month (2021) and unemployment is 3.2% (2026).

For Mackay, the unemployment rate was 3.2% in March 2026. The population of Mackay, in Australia, was 85,408 in 2021. Foreign-born residents accounted for 14.2% of the population in 2021.

Last checked 2026-10-0711 sources

Population85,408people30 Jun 2021Official source · ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas

Median gross salary (region)2,382EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · www.abs.gov.au

Median rent960.2EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · 2021 Census General Community Profile, SUA, G02

Unemployment rate3.2%country median 4.5% — 29% belowIndependent source · DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026

Recorded crime12,450incidents per 100,00031 Aug 2026Official source · LGA Reported Offences Rates

PM2.5, annual mean6µg/m³country median 6.0 — about the sameOfficial source · Queensland Air Monitoring 2025

Which Australia-wide rules apply when you move to Mackay?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in AustraliaNational rates and thresholds that apply in Mackay.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Median rent was A$349 per week, and median monthly mortgage repayment was A$1,733 in August 2021.

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€1625

Utilities, 85 m² flat€174

Fitness club€70

Internet, 60 Mbps€69

Transport pass€61

Mobile plan, 10 GB€25

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Fitness club membership, monthly	69.66 EUR/month	31 Dec 2025	Numbeo — Cost of Living in Mackay (Wayback capture 20250519060934)¹¹Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	69.05 EUR/month	31 Dec 2025	Numbeo — Cost of Living in Mackay (Wayback capture 20250519060934)¹¹Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly	1,625 EUR/month	31 Dec 2025	Numbeo — Cost of Living in Mackay (Wayback capture 20250519060934)¹¹Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant	25 EUR	4 Aug 2026	Numbeo¹⁰Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB	25.21 EUR/month	31 Dec 2025	Numbeo — Cost of Living in Mackay (Wayback capture 20250519060934)¹¹Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass	61.11 EUR/month	31 Dec 2025	Numbeo — Cost of Living in Mackay (Wayback capture 20250519060934)¹¹Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home	174.2 EUR/month	31 Dec 2025	Numbeo — Cost of Living in Mackay (Wayback capture 20250519060934)¹¹Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings	33,556 dwellings	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Main residence dwellings	30,437 dwellings	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Median weekly rent (AUD)	349 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Median monthly rent	960.2 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile, SUA, G02³Official
Median monthly rent (whole dwelling)	960.2 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile, SUA, G02³Official

Is Mackay a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker55%strong on work, weak on safety · range 47–63%

Skilled employee62%strong on work, weak on safety · range 54–70%

Student32%strong on education, weak on safety · range 25–39%

Family47%strong on family, weak on cost · range 39–55%

Retirement52%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 42–62%

Work and income

Median personal income was A$886 per week in August 2021. Median household income was A$1,834 per week in August 2021.

What is the unemployment rate in Mackay?

The unemployment rate is 3.2 % (March 2026). Source: DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026⁹

Unemployment across cities in AustraliaUnemployment in Mackay is 3.2%. Of 100 cities with data, 32 have unemployment of 4 to under 5%.

1–22–33–44–55–66–77–88–99–1013–14

Mackay 3.2%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
People in full-time employment	26,878 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Employment rate	61.5 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Median household income (AUD/week)	1,834 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Median personal income (AUD/week)	886 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Median gross salary (regional)	2,382 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	www.abs.gov.au⁸Official
Unemployment rate	3.2 %country median 4.5%	31 Mar 2026	DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026⁹Independent

What does a salary buy in Mackay?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

Left over each month€0of €0 take-home

Rent
Utilities
Transport
Internet
Mobile

Line-by-line breakdown and sources

Each month	€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.	outside the model's range
Rentmedian rent of a whole dwelling · official · 2021 Census General Community Profile, SUA, G02 · 2021-12-31	− €960
Public transport pass€61 · market price · Numbeo · 2025-12-31	− €61
Utilities, 85 m²€174 · market price · Numbeo · 2025-12-31	− €174
Internet€69 · market price · Numbeo · 2025-12-31	− €69
Mobile plan€25 · market price · Numbeo · 2025-12-31	− €25
Left over	—

Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Mackay Salary needed to live in Mackay

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Mackay. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Workforce Australia — Public employment service

Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

Job Search

Open official service

Open the Australia service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Mackay. Sources checked through 11 Aug 2026.

Family and education

Metric	Value	Period	Source
People who speak a language other than English at home	7.68 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official

Safety

How safe is Mackay?

Police recorded about 12,450 incidents per 100,000 (2025-09/2026-08). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: LGA Reported Offences Rates²

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents	12,450 incidents per 100,000	31 Aug 2026	LGA Reported Offences Rates²Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Mackay. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) — State Language Course

Australian Government Department of Home Affairs

For eligible migrants, humanitarian entrants.

EnglishIn Person, Online, HybridFree

Open official information

Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) — Newcomer Adaptation

Australian Government Department of Home Affairs

For humanitarian entrants.

In Person, HybridFree

Open official information

Open the full Australia section

National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Mackay.

Find courses near Mackay

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Mackay?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 6 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Queensland Air Monitoring 2025⁵

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C

30°24°

29°23°

27°20°

24°17°

22°15°

22°14°

23°14°

26°17°

28°20°

30°22°

31°23°

JFMAMJJASOND

Night-time low to daytime high

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

267

326

259

142

167

JFMAMJJASOND

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³

PM2.56WHO 5 · EU 25

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in AustraliaAnnual PM2.5 in Mackay is 6.0 µg/m³. Of 37 cities with data, 12 have annual PM2.5 of 5 to under 6 µg/m³.

3–44–55–66–77–88–99–10

Mackay 6.0

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
PM2.5 — annual mean	6 µg/m³country median 6.0 — about the same	31 Dec 2024	Queensland Air Monitoring 2025⁵Official
Average daytime high by month	Jan 30.4 · Feb 30 · Mar 28.9 · Apr 26.9 · May 24.3 · Jun 22.2 · Jul 21.6 · Aug 23 · Sep 25.9 · Oct 28 · Nov 29.7 · Dec 30.7 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station MACKAY MO⁷Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by month	Jan 23.9 · Feb 23.7 · Mar 22.6 · Apr 20.5 · May 17.4 · Jun 14.8 · Jul 13.6 · Aug 14.4 · Sep 17 · Oct 19.9 · Nov 21.9 · Dec 23.2 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station MACKAY MO⁷Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by month	Jan 27.2 · Feb 26.9 · Mar 25.8 · Apr 23.7 · May 20.9 · Jun 18.5 · Jul 17.6 · Aug 18.7 · Sep 21.5 · Oct 24 · Nov 25.8 · Dec 27 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station MACKAY MO⁷Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by month	Jan 266.6 · Feb 326 · Mar 259.4 · Apr 141.8 · May 91.8 · Jun 60.2 · Jul 33.1 · Aug 30.3 · Sep 24.2 · Oct 30.8 · Nov 92.3 · Dec 167.4 mm	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station MACKAY MO⁷Official · nearest-station reading

Similar climate. Elsewhere: Downey (United States) ±7.0 °C, Ventura (United States) ±7.7 °C, Houston (United States) ±8.5 °C, Pasadena (United States) ±8.5 °C, Simi Valley (United States) ±8.5 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

The city covered 212.4 km² in 2021. Population density was 422.5 people per km² in 2025.

How many people live in Mackay?

The published population was 85,408 people in June 2021. Source: ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas¹

Foreign residents and their share come from different publications that count different groups (for example citizens of another country, or people born abroad, or of foreign origin), so 11,981 is not 22.5% of the population. Each row names its source.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport86%
Foreign residents14%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	212.4 km²	31 Dec 2021	Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area albers sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA.⁴Official
Foreign-resident share	22.5 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census GCP Significant Urban Areas for Australia (DataPack)³Official
Foreign residents	11,981 people	10 Aug 2021	Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality.³Official
Population density	422.5 people/km²	31 Dec 2025	Reproducible exact-ASGS2016-SUA density: ABS ERP at 30 June 2021 divided by ABS ASGS2016 SUA area. Existing local population baseline is only a recovered cross-check; no GCCSA/LGA observation.⁶Official · significant urban area
Female residents	42,264 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Male residents	42,071 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Population	85,408 people	30 Jun 2021	ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas¹Official

Population over time25 published observations, 2001–2025

58,399

69,627

80,856

92,084

89,761200120052011201520212025

Population rose 47.8% between 2001 and 2025, from 60,722 to 89,761.

International community in Mackay

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G09 PERSONS total across age groups and sex · 2021 Census

Published group	People	Share
Total	84,333	100.0%
Australia	65,360	77.5%
Country of birth not stated	6,989	8.3%
New Zealand	2,148	2.5%
Philippines	1,785	2.1%
England	1,700	2.0%
South Africa	1,082	1.3%
Born elsewhere(d)	917	1.1%
India	670	0.8%
Zimbabwe	333	0.4%
China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)(c)	282	0.3%

Show 39 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Germany	227	0.3%
Scotland	197	0.2%
Thailand	196	0.2%
Malta	178	0.2%
Papua New Guinea	160	0.2%
Canada	151	0.2%
Netherlands	146	0.2%
United States of America	146	0.2%
Fiji	142	0.2%
Italy	133	0.2%
Ireland	127	0.2%
Sri Lanka	120	0.1%
Malaysia	109	0.1%
Nepal	98	0.1%
Vietnam	86	0.1%
Brazil	83	0.1%
Indonesia	81	0.1%
Bangladesh	66	0.1%
Korea, Republic of (South)	61	0.1%
France	56	0.1%
Wales	55	0.1%
Pakistan	47	0.1%
Japan	45	0.1%
Poland	40	0.0%
Taiwan	38	0.0%
Singapore	37	0.0%
Iran	33	0.0%
Myanmar	33	0.0%
Egypt	30	0.0%
Samoa	27	0.0%
Chile	25	0.0%
Hong Kong (SAR of China)(c)	22	0.0%
Croatia	21	0.0%
Mauritius	13	0.0%
Greece	10	0.0%
Cambodia	7	0.0%
Bosnia and Herzegovina	5	0.0%
Iraq	4	0.0%
Turkey	3	0.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source³

Country of birth

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G01 total persons denominator · 2021 Census

Published group	People	Share
Total persons	84,333	100.0%
Australia	65,360	77.5%
Elsewhere (excludes country of birth not stated)	11,981	14.2%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source³

Citizenship

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G01 total persons denominator · 2021 Census

Published group	People	Share
Total persons	84,333	100.0%
Australian citizen	72,008	85.4%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source³

Additional context

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Residents born abroad	14.21 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Households	30,437 households	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Labour force participation rate	64.2 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Median age	37 years	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Median monthly mortgage repayment (AUD)	1,733 AUD/month	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official

Alternatives for people set on Mackay

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Darwin as a Mackay alternative in the same country

Better on 1 of 2 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Foreign residents cannot be compared like for like.

Median gross pay, region: €3,017 Darwin vs €2,382 Mackay+27%
Foreign residents: 37.4% Darwin vs 22.5% Mackayno percentage
Unemployment: 3.3% Darwin vs 3.2% Mackay+3%

Full comparison More about Darwin

Alternative cities in Australia

Other cities in Australia to compare with Mackay, nearest in population first.

All Australia cities

Rockhampton80,216 residents Launceston90,953 residents Bundaberg79,283 residents Coffs Harbour77,244 residents Bunbury76,452 residents Albury - Wodonga97,793 residents

How does Mackay compare?

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Mackay in rankings

#14 of 30 in Cities with lowest unemployment in Australia #19 of 30 in Cities with cleanest air in Australia #21 of 30 in Largest cities in Australia #21 of 30 in Most international cities in Australia #23 of 30 in Cities with the mildest winters #30 of 30 in Cheapest cities to rent in Australia

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Mackay when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Put Mackay's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Mackay?

The published population was 85,408 people in June 2021. Source: ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas.

Is the air quality good in Mackay?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 6 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Queensland Air Monitoring 2025.

How safe is Mackay?

What is the unemployment rate in Mackay?

The unemployment rate is 3.2 % (March 2026). Source: DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026.

What is the typical salary around Mackay?

The median gross salary is 2,382 EUR/month. Source: www.abs.gov.au.

How many foreign residents live in Mackay?

11,981 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality..

Is Mackay a good place to live?

Mackay may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Australia live in Mackay?

The official country of birth distribution records 65,360 people (77.5%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Mackay, Australia: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 55295560b01c4dd2442a9681fbcc8c19]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/mackay/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_mackay-australia-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_2ac911968d9e,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Mackay, Australia: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {55295560b01c4dd2442a9681fbcc8c19},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/mackay/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Mackay, Australia: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/mackay/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 55295560b01c4dd2442a9681fbcc8c19; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

ABS Regional population, 2024-25 — 32180DS0004 Table 2: Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas ABS Regional population, 2024-25 · abs.gov.au · checked 2026-09-19
LGA Reported Offences Rates open-crime-data.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com · checked 2026-10-07
Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality. abs.gov.au · checked 2021-08-10
Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area albers sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA. geo.abs.gov.au · checked 2016-07-01
Queensland Air Monitoring 2025 qld.gov.au · checked 2026-10-05
Reproducible exact-ASGS2016-SUA density: ABS ERP at 30 June 2021 divided by ABS ASGS2016 SUA area. Existing local population baseline is only a recovered cross-check; no GCCSA/LGA observation. abs.gov.au · checked 2021-06-30
WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station MACKAY MO WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
www.abs.gov.au abs.gov.au · checked 2026-08-27
DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026 DEWR · dewr.gov.au · checked 2026-07-26
Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-04

Show 1 more source

Numbeo — Cost of Living in Mackay (Wayback capture 20250519060934) Numbeo · web.archive.org · checked 2026-08-01

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.