Forbes
Statistical Area - sa2

Forbes is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Forbes' population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, stands at 10,232 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 212 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,020. The change is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 10,025 in June 2024 and an additional 216 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2.2 persons per square kilometer. Forbes' growth of 2.1% since the 2021 census outpaces the SA3 area's growth of 0.4%, positioning it as a regional growth leader. Natural growth contributed approximately 58.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch employs NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project an above median growth for national regional areas, with Forbes expected to grow by 1,317 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 10.5% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Forbes, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Forbes has recorded approximately 30 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25154 homes have been approved, with an additional 10 approved so far in FY26. The average construction cost value of new homes is $392,000.

In terms of commercial development, Forbes has registered $27.0 million in approvals this financial year, indicating moderate levels of activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Forbes has similar development levels per person, which supports market stability and aligns with regional patterns. However, these levels are below the national average, suggesting maturity in the area and possible planning constraints. The majority of new developments consist of standalone homes (85.0%) with a smaller proportion of attached dwellings (15.0%), maintaining Forbes' traditional low density character and appealing to those seeking space for families.

The population per dwelling approval is approximately 286, indicating a low density market. Population forecasts project Forbes will gain 1,075 residents by 2041. Development is keeping pace with projected growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Forbes has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 16thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects that could impact this region. Notable ones are Goldridge Estate, Forbes Development Project, Homemakers Centre Stage 2, and Forbes Multipurpose Equestrian Centre. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Forbes exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Forbes has a balanced workforce with representation across various sectors. As of June 2025, it has an unemployment rate of 2.3%, which is below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

The area employs 5,270 residents, with dominant sectors being agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Forbes specializes in agriculture, forestry & fishing, employing 3.6 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance employs only 13.2% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, Forbes saw a labour force decrease of 2.4%, employment decrease of 3.2%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW had an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Forbes' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.6% over five years and 12.1% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows median income in Forbes was $49,571 and average income was $59,241. This is lower than national averages of $53,687 (median) and $67,256 (average). In Rest of NSW, median income was $49,459 and average income was $62,998. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $55,822 (median) and $66,711 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61%. Census 2021 data shows income in Forbes falls between the 17th and 31st percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate 27.1% of Forbes residents earn $1,500 - 2,999 annually (2,772 individuals), similar to the region where 29.9% fall into this bracket. Housing costs are modest with 87.7% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 22nd percentile nationally.

Forbes is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Forbes' dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 90.2% houses and 9.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Non-Metro NSW had 92.0% houses and 8.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Forbes was at 40.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.2% and rented ones at 27.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,257, above Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,200. Median weekly rent in Forbes was $230, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $220. Nationally, Forbes' mortgage repayments were lower at $1,257 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Forbes features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 66.7% of all households, including 23.7% couples with children, 30.4% couples without children, and 11.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 33.3%, with lone person households at 31.1% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which aligns with the average in the Rest of NSW.

Forbes faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 15.5%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 11.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (8.8%) and certificates (31.5%). Educational participation is high at 30.4%, including 12.2% in primary, 8.6% in secondary, and 2.5% in tertiary education.

Forbes has a robust network of 8 schools educating approximately 2,080 students. The area has 6 primary and 2 secondary schools serving distinct age groups, with school capacity exceeding typical residential needs (20.3 places per 100 residents vs 16.0 regionally), indicating it serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Forbes has 865 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 45 individual routes that collectively provide 527 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 115 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 75 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 0 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Forbes is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Forbes faces significant health challenges, as indicated by its health data. Both younger and older age groups have high prevalence rates for common health conditions.

Only approximately 49% of Forbes' total population (~5,023 people) has private health cover, which is lower than the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions in Forbes are arthritis (affecting 10.7% of residents) and mental health issues (8.3%). In contrast, 63.6% of Forbes' residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 62.4% across the rest of NSW. The area has a senior population of 23.1%, comprising 2,366 people aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors in Forbes align with those of the general population.

The latest Census data sees Forbes placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Forbes' cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 89.3% of its population being Australian citizens, 95.2% born in Australia, and 97.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Forbes, comprising 71.2% of the population, compared to 70.4% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.3%), English (30.7%), and Irish (9.5%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher at 9.0% in Forbes than regionally at 7.9%. Macedonian and French representations were also notably different, with 0.1% and 0.4% respectively in Forbes compared to 0.0% and 0.3% regionally.

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

Forbes has a median age of 43, which is equal to that of Rest of NSW and higher than the national average of 38. The age profile indicates that those aged 5-14 years are prominent at 13.4%, while the 35-44 age group is smaller at 10.4% compared to Rest of NSW. According to the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 10.7% to 11.5%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has decreased from 12.2% to 11.4%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Forbes's age structure. Notably, the 45 to 54 group is projected to grow by 24%, reaching 1,412 people from 1,136. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 55 to 64 cohorts.