Living in Port Macquarie

In Port Macquarie, the median rent tenants pay is €1,059 a month (2021) and unemployment is 4.8% (2021).

Foreign-born residents accounted for 14.3% of the population in August 2021. The city covered 96.3 km² in 2021. Population density was 554.5 people per km² in 2025.

Last checked 2026-10-079 sources

Population53,369people31 Dec 2025Official source · Regional population 2024–25, Table 2. Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas, Australia

Median gross salary (region)1,847EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · www.abs.gov.au

Median rent1,059EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · 2021 Census General Community Profile, SUA, G02

Unemployment rate4.8%country median 4.5% — 7% aboveOfficial source · 2021 Census GCP Significant Urban Areas for Australia (DataPack)

PM2.5, annual mean5.1µg/m³country median 6.0 — 15% belowOfficial source · NEPC Annual Report 2023–2024 — Appendix 2 Ambient Air Quality PM2.5 tables

Which Australia-wide rules apply when you move to Port Macquarie?

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 Port Macquarie.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Median rent was A$385 per week, and median monthly mortgage repayment was A$1,800 in August 2021.

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€70

Mobile plan, 10 GB€46

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	69.92 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Telstra nbn100⁶Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB	45.79 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Telstra Upfront Basic⁷Official · national market
Dwellings	22,579 dwellings	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics²Official
Main residence dwellings	20,544 dwellings	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics²Official
Median weekly rent (AUD)	385 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia²Official
Median monthly rent	1,059 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile, SUA, G02²Official
Median monthly rent (whole dwelling)	1,059 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile, SUA, G02²Official

Is Port Macquarie 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 worker47%strong on work, weak on safety · range 38–56%

Skilled employee53%strong on work, weak on safety · range 45–61%

Student25%strong on education, weak on safety · range 17–33%

Family48%strong on family, weak on safety · range 39–57%

Retirement39%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 28–50%

Work and income

Median personal income was A$687 per week in August 2021. Median household income was A$1,306 per week in August 2021.

What is the unemployment rate in Port Macquarie?

The unemployment rate is 4.8 % (August 2021). Source: 2021 Census GCP Significant Urban Areas for Australia (DataPack)²

Unemployment across cities in AustraliaUnemployment in Port Macquarie is 4.8%. Of 100 cities with data, 32 have unemployment of 4 to under 5%.

1–22–33–44–55–66–77–88–99–1013–14

Port Macquarie 4.8%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
People in full-time employment	11,532 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics²Official
Employment rate	50.6 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics²Official
Median household income (AUD/week)	1,306 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia²Official
Median personal income (AUD/week)	687 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia²Official
Median gross salary (regional)	1,847 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	www.abs.gov.au⁹Official
Unemployment rate	4.8 %country median 4.5%	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census GCP Significant Urban Areas for Australia (DataPack)²Official

What does a salary buy in Port Macquarie?

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
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	− €1,059
Internet€70 · official · Telstra nbn100 · 2026-07-31	− €70
Mobile plan€46 · official · Telstra Upfront Basic · 2026-07-31	− €46
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities	—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish	—

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

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Port Macquarie. 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 Port Macquarie. Sources checked through 11 Aug 2026.

Family and education

Metric	Value	Period	Source
People who speak a language other than English at home	5.31 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia²Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Port Macquarie. 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 Port Macquarie.

Find courses near Port Macquarie

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Port Macquarie?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 5.1 µg/m³ (2023) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: NEPC Annual Report 2023–2024 — Appendix 2 Ambient Air Quality PM2.5 tables¹

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

28°18°

26°17°

24°14°

22°10°

19°8°

19°6°

20°6°

23°8°

24°11°

25°14°

27°17°

JFMAMJJASOND

Night-time low to daytime high

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

143

184

182

131

104

138

140

121

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

PM2.55.1WHO 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 Port Macquarie is 5.1 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

Port Macquarie 5.1

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
PM2.5 — annual mean	5.1 µg/m³country median 6.0	31 Dec 2023	NEPC Annual Report 2023–2024 — Appendix 2 Ambient Air Quality PM2.5 tables¹Official
Average daytime high by month	Jan 28.1 · Feb 27.8 · Mar 26.4 · Apr 24.3 · May 21.7 · Jun 19.4 · Jul 19 · Aug 20.4 · Sep 22.7 · Oct 24 · Nov 25.3 · Dec 26.8 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station PORT MACQUARIE AIRPORT⁸Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by month	Jan 18.4 · Feb 18.4 · Mar 16.7 · Apr 13.6 · May 10.2 · Jun 7.9 · Jul 6.1 · Aug 6 · Sep 8.3 · Oct 11.3 · Nov 14.4 · Dec 16.6 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station PORT MACQUARIE AIRPORT⁸Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by month	Jan 23.2 · Feb 23.1 · Mar 21.6 · Apr 19 · May 15.9 · Jun 13.7 · Jul 12.5 · Aug 13.2 · Sep 15.5 · Oct 17.6 · Nov 19.8 · Dec 21.7 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station PORT MACQUARIE AIRPORT⁸Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by month	Jan 142.7 · Feb 184.2 · Mar 181.9 · Apr 131.3 · May 104.4 · Jun 138.2 · Jul 63.1 · Aug 60.5 · Sep 58.8 · Oct 75.4 · Nov 139.7 · Dec 120.6 mm	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station PORT MACQUARIE AIRPORT⁸Official · nearest-station reading

Similar climate. Elsewhere: Ventura (United States) ±5.6 °C, Downey (United States) ±6.4 °C, Simi Valley (United States) ±7.6 °C, Houston (United States) ±9.1 °C, Pasadena (United States) ±9.1 °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

How many people live in Port Macquarie?

The published population was 53,369 people in 2025. Source: Regional population 2024–25, Table 2. Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁴

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 7,199 is not 19.1% of the population. Each row names its source.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport86.5%
Foreign residents13.5%

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

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	96.25 km²	31 Dec 2021	Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area albers sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA.³Official
Foreign-resident share	19.1 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census GCP Significant Urban Areas for Australia (DataPack)²Official
Foreign residents	7,199 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.²Official
Population density	554.5 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.⁵Official
Female residents	26,465 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics²Official
Male residents	23,733 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics²Official
Population	53,369 people	31 Dec 2025	Regional population 2024–25, Table 2. Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas, Australia⁴Official

Population over time25 published observations, 2001–2025

35,911

42,161

48,412

54,662

53,369200120052011201520212025

Population rose 43.4% between 2001 and 2025, from 37,204 to 53,369.

International community in Port Macquarie

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	50,193	100.0%
Australia	40,625	80.9%
Country of birth not stated	2,372	4.7%
England	2,247	4.5%
New Zealand	784	1.6%
Born elsewhere(d)	686	1.4%
Philippines	314	0.6%
India	312	0.6%
South Africa	273	0.5%
Scotland	257	0.5%
Germany	218	0.4%

Show 41 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Netherlands	182	0.4%
United States of America	176	0.4%
China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)(c)	140	0.3%
Ireland	131	0.3%
Nepal	121	0.2%
Canada	113	0.2%
Thailand	89	0.2%
Italy	77	0.2%
France	67	0.1%
Zimbabwe	63	0.1%
Vietnam	61	0.1%
Wales	60	0.1%
Malaysia	59	0.1%
Korea, Republic of (South)	54	0.1%
Sri Lanka	53	0.1%
Egypt	51	0.1%
Fiji	50	0.1%
Malta	47	0.1%
Hong Kong (SAR of China)(c)	45	0.1%
Indonesia	44	0.1%
Japan	40	0.1%
Poland	39	0.1%
Croatia	38	0.1%
Pakistan	35	0.1%
Brazil	34	0.1%
Papua New Guinea	32	0.1%
Singapore	30	0.1%
Chile	26	0.1%
Turkey	21	0.0%
Iran	19	0.0%
Greece	17	0.0%
Bosnia and Herzegovina	15	0.0%
Lebanon	15	0.0%
Myanmar	13	0.0%
Iraq	11	0.0%
Bangladesh	10	0.0%
Taiwan	9	0.0%
Samoa	7	0.0%
Afghanistan	6	0.0%
North Macedonia	6	0.0%
Mauritius	4	0.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source²

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	50,193	100.0%
Australia	40,625	80.9%
Elsewhere (excludes country of birth not stated)	7,199	14.3%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source²

Citizenship

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

Published group	People	Share
Total persons	50,193	100.0%
Australian citizen	45,701	91.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source²

Additional context

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Residents born abroad	14.34 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia²Official
Households	20,544 households	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics²Official
Labour force participation rate	53.1 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics²Official
Median age	47 years	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia²Official
Median monthly mortgage repayment (AUD)	1,800 AUD/month	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia²Official

Alternatives for people set on Port Macquarie

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.

Coffs Harbour as a Port Macquarie alternative in the same country

Better on 1 of 2 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Foreign residents cannot be compared like for like.

Annual PM2.5: 4.3 µg/m³ Coffs Harbour vs 5.1 µg/m³ Port Macquarie−16%
Foreign residents: 15.8% Coffs Harbour vs 19.1% Port Macquarieno percentage
Median gross pay, region: €1,850 Coffs Harbour vs €1,847 Port Macquariesame level

Full comparison More about Coffs Harbour

Alternative cities in Australia

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

All Australia cities

Mildura - Wentworth53,620 residents Shepparton - Mooroopna53,841 residents Wagga Wagga57,260 residents Hervey Bay58,228 residents Ballina46,190 residents Gladstone - Tannum Sands45,185 residents

How does Port Macquarie compare?

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Port Macquarie in rankings

#8 of 30 in Cities with cleanest air in Australia #30 of 30 in Largest cities in Australia

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Port Macquarie 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 Port Macquarie'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 Port Macquarie?

The published population was 53,369 people in 2025. Source: Regional population 2024–25, Table 2. Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas, Australia.

Is the air quality good in Port Macquarie?

What is the unemployment rate in Port Macquarie?

The unemployment rate is 4.8 % (August 2021). Source: 2021 Census GCP Significant Urban Areas for Australia (DataPack).

What is the typical salary around Port Macquarie?

The median gross salary is 1,847 EUR/month. Source: www.abs.gov.au.

How many foreign residents live in Port Macquarie?

7,199 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 Port Macquarie a good place to live?

Port Macquarie 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 Port Macquarie?

The official country of birth distribution records 40,625 people (80.9%) 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). Port Macquarie, Australia: population, rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version e8214d13ee2b6438374f02492385fa54]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/port-macquarie/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_port-macquarie-australia-population-rent-salary-jobs_9b6316d3651f,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Port Macquarie, Australia: population, rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {e8214d13ee2b6438374f02492385fa54},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/port-macquarie/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Port Macquarie, Australia: population, rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/port-macquarie/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version e8214d13ee2b6438374f02492385fa54; 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

NEPC Annual Report 2023–2024 — Appendix 2 Ambient Air Quality PM2.5 tables NEPC Annual Report 2023–2024 · dcceew.gov.au · checked 2026-07-29
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
Regional population 2024–25, Table 2. Estimated resident population, Significant Urban Areas, Australia abs.gov.au · checked 2026-09-25
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
Telstra nbn100 telstra.com.au · checked 2026-09-15
Telstra Upfront Basic telstra.com.au · checked 2026-09-15
WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station PORT MACQUARIE AIRPORT WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
www.abs.gov.au abs.gov.au · checked 2026-08-27

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.