Macleay Island (Qld)

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Evaluating demographical adjustments from the ABS alongside address counts verified by Districts subsequent to the Census, the suburb of Macleay Island has an approximate occupancy of 3,397 residents in May 2026. This indicates an expansion of 204 people (6.4%) relative to the 2021 Census, which registered 3,193 individuals. The estimate is calculated from a local population base of 3,380 established by Districts using the ABS demographic numbers from June 2025, combined with 41 newly confirmed addresses since the Census date. These numbers mean the suburb of Macleay Island has a density ratio of 469 persons per square kilometer, indicating low density housing layout and room for future expansion. Over the previous ten years, the suburb of Macleay Island recorded steady growth with a compound annual growth rate of 2.0%, which is higher than the SA4 region. Incoming relocations from other states were the main factor behind this population increase, representing about 89.0% of the overall growth in recent times.

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The local workforce consists of a blend of professional and trade occupations, with the construction sector showing strong representation. The area has an unemployment rate of 21.1% and has shown steady employment patterns over the past year. In March 2026, there were 838 employed residents. The local unemployment rate is 16.8% higher than the Greater Brisbane rate of 4.3%, indicating potential for economic improvement, and the workforce participation rate of 33.7% is much lower than Greater Brisbane's 70.4%. Census figures indicate that 23.4% of employed residents worked from home, although these statistics may be impacted by pandemic restrictions.

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Taxpayer income statistics for the financial year 2023 show a median of $32,088 and an average of $42,652 in the area, according to ATO postcode data aggregated by Districts. These figures are lower than the national benchmarks and contrast with Greater Brisbane's median of $58,236 and average of $72,799. Adjusting for a Wage Price Index increase of 11.36% since the financial year 2023, the estimated figures for March 2026 are approximately $35,733 for the median and $47,497 for the average. Census data places household, family, and individual incomes in the area within the lowest 0th to 1st percentiles in Australia. The largest cohort is the $400 - 799 weekly income bracket, which contains 43.3% of residents (1,470 people), whereas Greater Brisbane is led by the - bracket at . These economic markers point to widespread budget constraints, with of households living on weekly budgets of less than . Residents retain of their income after paying for housing, which ranks in the nd percentile nationally.

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Census records indicate that the local housing stock is composed of 99.7% detached houses and 0.3% alternative dwellings, such as semi-detached homes, apartments, or other structures, compared to 73.5% houses and 26.5% alternative dwellings in the Brisbane metro area. The home ownership rate stands at 53.6%, which is higher than the Brisbane metro average, while the remaining properties are split between homes with a mortgage (23.7%) and rental properties (22.7%). The median mortgage payment in the area was $900 per month, which is lower than the Brisbane metro median of $1,863, and the median weekly rent was recorded at $260, compared to $380 in Brisbane metro. On a national level, mortgage repayments in the area are lower than the Australian median of $1,863, and weekly rents are lower than the national median of $375.

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Families make up 53.0% of local households, consisting of couples with children at 8.8%, couples without children at 34.1%, and single-parent households at 9.0%. The remaining 47.0% of households are non-family arrangements, with single-person households representing 40.9% and group households making up 6.0%. The median household size of 1.9 individuals is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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Educational benchmarks show that 15.2% of residents hold a university qualification, which is lower than the Greater Brisbane average of 30.5%. This indicates an opportunity for targeted local education programs. Among tertiary qualifications, bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.2%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 3.0% and graduate diplomas at 2.0%. Vocational skills are well represented, with 44.8% of residents aged 15+ holding a non-university qualification, consisting of advanced diplomas (12.9%) and certificates (31.9%).

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Public transit infrastructure in the area consists of 2 active transit stops, which are ferry terminals. These stops are served by 1 routes, providing a total of 205 passenger trips weekly. Transit accessibility is limited, with residents living an average of 2453 meters from the nearest stop. Due to the residential nature of the area, most workers commute out of the suburb, with private cars being the primary mode of transport at 69%, followed by buses at 12%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.8 cars per household, which is lower than the regional average. During the 2021 Census, 23.4% of residents worked from home, which may have been influenced by pandemic conditions.

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Based on Districts assessments of mortality patterns and chronic illnesses, the area faces health challenges across both youth and older demographics. The rate of private health insurance is low, with approximately 44% of the population (~1,498 people) holding coverage, compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

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Cultural diversity metrics in the area are lower than average, with citizens representing 84.5% of the population, 73.4% of residents born in Australia, and 95.4% speaking only English at home. Christianity is the primary religion, followed by 47.1% of residents. The most distinct variance is in Judaism, which is practiced by 0.2% of the population compared to 0.1% across Greater Brisbane.

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The median age in the area is 62 years, which is older than the Greater Brisbane average of 36 and the national median of 38. The age distribution shows a high concentration of residents in the 65 - 74 age bracket (27.2%), while the 25 - 34 bracket is smaller (5.0%) than in Greater Brisbane. The 65 - 74 cohort is larger than the national average of 9.4%. Since 2021, the 75 to 84 cohort has grown from 12.6% to 15.3% of the population, and the 15 to 24 group has increased from 4.9% to 6.3%. In contrast, the 55 to cohort declined from to , and the to group dropped from to . Projections for indicate that the to cohort will expand by people (), growing from to . Aging trends are expected to continue, with residents aged and over representing of the projected growth, while declines are forecast for the to and to age brackets.

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Macleay Island currently has an estimated 81 children under 5 years old, comprising approximately 42 children aged 0-2 and 27 children aged 3-4. This cohort grew by an estimated 35% since the previous census. though population forecasts indicate future decline, with an anticipated decrease of 11% by 2041 (to approximately 72 children). Meanwhile the 5-12 cohort currently amounts to 141. While growth has been positive birth rates observed in the area have been low, with approximately 4.0 births per 1,000 residents recorded over the latest two-year period analysed which ranks the area among the bottom 20% of areas assessed nationally. This rate has slowed down slightly in recent years however.