What’s Happening?
Mackay has emerged as one of the top-performing regional housing markets in Australia, according to the latest Cotality Regional Market Update released this week. Although capital city growth is gaining momentum, regional Australia still leads in value increases — and Mackay remains at the forefront of that growth.
Nationally, regional dwelling values rose by 1.5% in the three months to April, compared to a 1% rise in capital cities. However, the lead held by regional markets is narrowing as metro areas recover from earlier declines.
“We’re also seeing a convergence among the regions with momentum easing in recent high-growth markets and picking up in previously softer regions,” said Cotality economist Kaytlin Ezzy.
Why It Matters
The data signals a stabilisation in Australia’s housing market — but it also highlights that regional hubs like Mackay continue to attract strong buyer demand despite national affordability pressures and global uncertainty. Mackay’s performance not only boosts local investor confidence but underscores its rising importance in Queensland’s property landscape.
Local Impact
Mackay posted a 4% increase in dwelling values in the quarter to April, placing it among the top five performing significant urban areas (SUAs) in the country. It also achieved an annual growth rate exceeding 20%, joining other strong markets like Townsville, Gladstone, Geraldton and Albany.
Mackay’s sales activity remains brisk, with properties selling in a median of just 11 to 13 days, making it one of the fastest regional housing markets in Australia. This strong demand is helping keep discounting low and turnover high — factors that benefit both sellers and investors.
In addition, Mackay’s tight rental market continues to push rent values upward. The city’s growing appeal for both homebuyers and renters reflects ongoing demand driven by regional migration, infrastructure investment and housing supply constraints.
By the Numbers
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+4.0% quarterly value growth in Mackay (Feb–Apr 2025)
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+20%+ annual growth in Mackay housing values
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11–13 days median time on market for Mackay homes
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Mackay joins WA’s Geraldton (+26.9%) and QLD’s Gladstone and Townsville in the national top tier
Zoom In
Mackay, Townsville and Gladstone continue to drive Queensland’s housing growth despite a broader easing in mining-dominated regions. Ezzy noted, “While still taking out one spot in the top five, these results show a weakening of QLD’s grasp on the leaderboard. The pace of quarterly growth has eased significantly in QLD’s mining markets amid worsening affordability and global economic uncertainty.”
Zoom Out
While WA dominates in both sales speed and annual value growth, and Albany leads rental increases, Queensland remains a force in regional property thanks to key centres like Mackay. However, the national gap between high- and low-performing regions has narrowed, with the spread shrinking from 14.7 percentage points in July 2024 to just 7.3 in April 2025.
Meanwhile, regional rent growth — though easing — still outpaces capital cities. The national annual rent growth for regions stands at 5.5%, nearly double that of capital cities at 2.9%.
What to Look For Next?
As affordability challenges persist in the cities, regional areas like Mackay may continue to benefit from increased migration and investor interest. Watch for further updates from Cotality as mid-year figures are released, especially regarding whether regional dominance holds or capital cities continue to close the gap.
