Mackay crime rate and Crime Score · Queensland council area
Mackay is a council area in Queensland with about 129,253 residents. It has a Crime Score 68 out of 100 (high), 75th of 362 councils nationally.
The score blends national percentile ranks for each published offence category with fixed severity weights; here it is driven most by assault (69th percentile), break-ins (74th percentile), homicide (72nd percentile). Five years earlier the same basis gave 59.
In 2025-26: violent 1,666 per 100,000 (+102% vs five years earlier); property 4,918 per 100,000 (+2% vs five years earlier); break-ins 710 per 100,000 (-19% vs five years earlier); theft 2,615 per 100,000 (+10% vs five years earlier). For violent crime that is 42nd of 78 Queensland councils with data, highest first.
Unemployment in the Mackay council area is 4% (Queensland 5.4%), Census, 10 August 2021. Social housing makes up 3.4% of occupied homes (1,221 public and 258 community-housing dwellings at the 2021 Census; Queensland 3.3%). An estimated 460 people were homeless on Census night 2021, 36.9 per 10,000 residents (Queensland 43.5), apportioned from ABS Statistical Area Level 2 counts. 13.1% of residents were born overseas (Queensland 24.1%), most often in New Zealand, England, Philippines. Modelled estimates for 2026-27, not measurements: unemployment about 3.7% (confidence 84 of 100); social housing about 3.1% of homes; about 36.3 homeless people per 10,000 residents; about 13.3% born overseas. Confidence falls with distance from the last published figure, and the map's Estimates toggle shows every year back to 1994-95.
| Offences | Per 100,000 | Count | 5-yr change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent | 1,666 | 2,154 | +102% |
| Property | 4,918 | 6,357 | +2% |
| Break-ins | 710 | 918 | -19% |
| Theft | 2,615 | 3,380 | +10% |
Street by street: the last 30 days
Queensland Police recorded 702 offences in 305 street blocks of Mackay from 2 October to 31 October 2026. The most common were theft (185), drugs (142) and public order (103). Each offence is placed in a street block of roughly 30 to 60 homes, not at an address; sexual and traffic offences are not included.
See every street block on the map (source: Queensland Police Service, CC BY).
Questions
Is Mackay safe?
Mackay recorded 1,670 violent offences per 100,000 residents in 2025-26, about 21% higher than the Queensland rate (1,380) and about 30% higher than the national rate (1,280). Its Crime Score is 68.3 out of 100 (high), 75th of 362 councils. These are offences recorded by police per resident: they describe the area as a whole, not the risk on any particular street, and places with a busy centre record more because offences are counted where they happen.
How many break-ins are there in Mackay?
918 break-ins were recorded in 2025-26: 710 per 100,000 residents, close to the Queensland rate (686).
Explore every council on the interactive map.
Police news near Mackay
- Sudden death investigation, Mackay · Mackay, 16 Sept 2026 · 19 km away
Part of Mackay: Mackay crime rate and crime map.
Suburbs in the Mackay council area
Alligator Creek · Armstrong Beach · Benholme · Bloomsbury · Blue Mountain · Bucasia · Calen · Campwin Beach · Crediton · Cremorne · Dalrymple Heights · Devereux Creek · Dows Creek · East Mackay · Eimeo · Epsom · Eton · Eungella · Eungella Dam · Eungella Hinterland · Farleigh · Finch Hatton · Foulden · Freshwater Point · Gargett · Greenmount · Hampden · Hazledean · Ilbilbie · Kinchant Dam · Koumala · Mackay · Mackay Harbour · Marian · Mentmore · Mia Mia · Midge Point · Mirani · Mount Charlton · Mount Martin · Mount Ossa · Netherdale · Palmyra · Pindi Pindi · Pinevale · Richmond · Saint Helens Beach · Sarina · Sarina Beach · Sarina Range · Septimus · Shoal Point · Sunnyside · Te Kowai · Victoria Plains · Walkerston · West Mackay
Postcodes in the Mackay council area
4737 · 4738 · 4740 · 4741 · 4750 · 4751 · 4753 · 4754 · 4756 · 4757 · 4798 · 4799
australiancrimerate.com.au/council/qld-mackay/ · Australian Crime Map