Forrest
Statistical Area - sa2

Forrest lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Forrest's population is around 1,903 as of August 2025. This reflects an increase of 76 people (4.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,827 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 1,897 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 7 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,196 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Forrest's 4.2% growth since census positions it within 1.5 percentage points of the state (5.7%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 87.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections, with 2022 as a base, are adopted. Moving forward with demographic trends, an above median population growth of national statistical areas is projected, with the area expected to increase by 288 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting an increase of 14.8% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Forrest recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Forrest has received approximately 35 dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides development approval data on a financial year basis, totalling 179 approvals from FY20 to FY25 and 1 so far in FY26. On average, around 2.9 people have moved to the area annually for each new home constructed over these five years, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $946,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $21.1 million in commercial approvals, reflecting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Forrest shows significantly reduced construction levels, 50.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. New building activity is composed of 43.0% detached houses and 57.0% townhouses or apartments, focusing on higher-density living that creates more affordable entry points and caters to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. The area has approximately 341 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area with a population forecast of gaining 282 residents by 2041.

Current construction levels suggest that housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Forrest has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Area's performance is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure. AreaSearch has identified two major projects likely to impact the area: Cromwell Office Building Development and Yarra Rossa. Other notable projects include Draft Inner South District Strategy and The Parks, Red Hill.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Employment conditions in Forrest rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Forrest has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 0.7% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 1.4%.

As of June 2025, Forrest had 1,199 residents employed, a 2.7% lower unemployment rate than Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) 3.4%, and similar workforce participation at 69.6%. Employment was concentrated in public administration & safety, professional & technical services, and health care & social assistance. The area showed strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. However, accommodation & food services were under-represented, with only 2.7% of Forrest's workforce compared to ACT's 6.5%.

The worker-to-resident ratio was 2.6 as at the Census, indicating Forrest functioned as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 1.4% while labour force grew by 1.7%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, ACT experienced employment growth of 1.9% and a 0.3 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. As of Sep-25, ACT's employment had contracted by 0.33% (losing 1,480 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, favourable compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 projected a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Forrest's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.9%% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode-level ATO data released for financial year 2022. Forrest had a median taxpayer income of $98,598 and an average level of $160,236. These figures are notably high compared to the national levels of $68,678 and $83,634 in Australian Capital Territory respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.78% since financial year 2022, current estimates project median income at approximately $109,227 and average income at around $177,509 as of March 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, incomes in Forrest rank highly nationally, between the 99th and 100th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income distribution shows that 42.0% of locals (799 people) fall into the $4000+ category, differing from metropolitan patterns where the $1,500 - 2,999 range dominates at 34.3%. Higher earners make up a significant portion, with 54.2% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. After housing costs, residents retain 89.4% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Forrest features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Forrest's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 36.5% houses and 63.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Australian Capital Territory's 40.7% houses and 59.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Forrest stood at 38.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.3% and rented dwellings at 30.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Forrest was $2,520, higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,275. The median weekly rent figure in Forrest was recorded at $570, compared to Australian Capital Territory's $500. Nationally, Forrest's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Forrest features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 67.2% of all households, including 23.7% couples with children, 37.0% couples without children, and 4.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for 32.8%, with lone person households at 29.2% and group households comprising 4.3%. The median household size is 2.2 people, aligning with the Australian Capital Territory average.

Forrest shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Forrest's educational attainment is notably high, with 64.6% of residents aged 15 years or above holding university qualifications. This compares favourably to the broader Australian benchmark of 30.4% and the SA4 region average of 46.8%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 32.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (25.3%) and graduate diplomas (7.2%). Technical qualifications make up 14.4% of educational achievements, with advanced diplomas accounting for 7.9% and certificates for 6.5%.

Educational participation is high in Forrest, with 25.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.6% in tertiary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 6.2% pursuing primary education. Forrest Primary School serves the local community, enrolling 476 students as of a recent report. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with Forrest's ICSEA score being 1138, indicating significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement. Secondary educational options are available in nearby areas.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Forrest has 13 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 7 different routes that collectively facilitate 661 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents on average being located 282 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 94 trips per day, which equates to approximately 50 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Forrest is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Forrest shows superior health outcomes with both young and elderly cohorts experiencing low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 88% of Forrest's total population (1,672 people) have private health cover, compared to 78.0% across Australian Capital Territory and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.8% and 7.8% of residents respectively.

68.9% of Forrest's residents report no medical ailments, compared to 69.8% across Australian Capital Territory. Forrest has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 26.3% (500 people), compared to Australian Capital Territory's 19.9%. Health outcomes among Forrest's seniors are particularly strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

Forrest was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Forrest's cultural diversity was notable, with 25.9% of its residents born overseas and 20.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Forrest, comprising 49.0% of its population. While this figure was similar to the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) average of 48.6%, Judaism stood out as being more prevalent in Forrest at 0.8%, compared to the ACT's average of 0.6%.

Regarding ancestry, the top three represented groups were English at 23.7%, Australian at 20.2%, and Irish at 10.5%. Notably, Polish (1.4% vs regional 1.0%), French (1.1% vs regional 0.9%), and Scottish (9.6% vs regional 8.5%) ancestry were overrepresented in Forrest compared to the broader ACT region.

Forrest hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Forrest is 47 years, which is significantly higher than the Australian Capital Territory's average of 35 years, and considerably older than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Forrest has a higher concentration of residents aged 55-64 (16.3%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.9%). This concentration of 55-64 year-olds is well above the national average of 11.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 8.1% to 10.3%, while the 55 to 64 age group increased from 14.7% to 16.3%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group declined from 15.4% to 12.8%, and the 5 to 14 age group decreased from 8.9% to 6.9%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Forrest's age structure. The 65 to 74 age group is expected to grow by 57% (144 people), reaching a total of 396 from the current figure of 251. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 70% of the total population growth, reflecting Forrest's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.