Airlie Beach vs Mackay, QLD suburb comparison
Which suburb suits you better?
Side-by-side comparison of 16 categories from official government and open data.
| Category | Airlie Beach | Mackay |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 49.7/100 | 58.7/100 |
| Housing (desirability) | 25.8/100 | 22.1/100 |
| Crime rate | 78.5 / 1k | 59.1 / 1k |
| Schools & preschools | — | 7 |
| Parks & reserves | 1 | 7 |
| Walkability | 88.0/100 | 80.5/100 |
| Nearby amenities | 223 | 385 |
| Planning activity | 1 | — |
| Population | 1,312 | 4,026 |
| SEIFA (IRSAD decile) | 6/10 | 2/10 |
Quick verdicts
- Best for retireesAirlie Beach
- Best for familiesMackay
- Best for beach lifestyleAirlie Beach
- Best for investmentAirlie Beach
- Best for best schoolsMackay
Comparison summary
Airlie Beach and Mackay offer different strengths across official suburb data. Mackay leads on more comparison categories overall. Overall score favours Mackay; Housing (desirability) favours Airlie Beach; Crime rate favours Mackay. Quick verdicts: Retirees → Airlie Beach, Families → Mackay, Beach lifestyle → Airlie Beach, Investment → Airlie Beach.