Forestville - Killarney Heights
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Forestville - Killarney Heights reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Forestville-Killarney Heights' population, as of August 2025, is approximately 13,431, indicating a rise of 270 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 2.1% growth from the previously reported figure of 13,161 people. The population estimate of 13,425 in June 2024, along with three validated new addresses post-Census, supports this inference. The population density is around 1,504 persons per square kilometer, exceeding the average found across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 2.1% growth since the Census places it within one percentage point of the SA4 region's 3.1%, suggesting competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver behind this population growth.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021, are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, the area is expected to grow by approximately 537 persons by 2041, resulting in a total growth of around 4.0% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Forestville - Killarney Heights according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Forestville - Killarney Heights has granted approximately 28 residential property approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 144 homes were approved, with an additional 10 approved so far in FY-26. On average, about 0.6 new residents per year per dwelling have been constructed over these five years.

This suggests that new construction is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially driving population growth beyond current projections. The average expected construction cost of new properties is around $866,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment by developers. In FY-26, there have been commercial approvals totaling $10.9 million, reflecting steady investment activity in the area. Comparatively, Forestville - Killarney Heights shows approximately 75% of the construction activity per person when measured against Greater Sydney.

Nationally, it ranks among the 35th percentile of areas assessed for construction activity, suggesting more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. This lower-than-average national activity may reflect the area's maturity or potential planning constraints. Recent construction in Forestville - Killarney Heights comprises 95% standalone homes and 5% townhouses or apartments, contributing to its suburban identity and attracting buyers seeking space. The area has approximately 489 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established residential population. Looking forward, it is projected that Forestville - Killarney Heights will grow by around 531 residents by the year 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Forestville - Killarney Heights has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 24 such projects that are likely to impact the area. Notable among these are Forestway Shopping Centre Redevelopment, Forestville Rsl Club Redevelopment, Angel Place Seniors Living, and Northern Beaches Hospital Infrastructure. The following list details those projects considered most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The employment environment in Forestville - Killarney Heights shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Forestville-Killarney Heights has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 2.9%.

As of June 2025, there are 6,936 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.3% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is at 62.0%, similar to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (1.4 times the regional average), health care & social assistance, and education & training. However, transport, postal & warehousing shows lower representation at 2.8% compared to the regional average of 5.3%.

Over the year ending June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.0%, employment declined by 0.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.6% and labour force expand by 2.9%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Forestville-Killarney Heights' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.2% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2022, Forestville - Killarney Heights had a median income among taxpayers of $60,918. The average income stood at $102,665. Nationally, this places it in the top percentile. In Greater Sydney, the median and average incomes were $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $68,600 (median) and $115,611 (average). The 2021 Census data shows household incomes rank at the 95th percentile with weekly earnings of $2,794. Income analysis reveals that 36.3% of individuals earn over $4,000 per week, contrasting with Greater Sydney where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. The district's affluence is evident with 47.7% earning over $3,000 per week. High housing costs consume 15.5% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 95th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Forestville - Killarney Heights is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Forestville-Killarney Heights' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 85.3% houses and 14.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). This compares to Sydney metro's 57.6% houses and 42.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Forestville-Killarney Heights was 43.5%, with the rest either mortgaged (38.7%) or rented (17.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,400, above Sydney metro's average of $3,000. Median weekly rent was $720, compared to Sydney metro's $592. Nationally, Forestville-Killarney Heights' mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863 and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Forestville - Killarney Heights features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 80.8% of all households, including 49.2% couples with children, 21.4% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 19.2%, with lone person households at 18.3% and group households comprising 0.9%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Forestville - Killarney Heights demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Forestville-Killarney Heights has a significantly higher educational attainment than broader benchmarks. As of 2021, 44.3% of its residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 29.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational pathways account for 24.9% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 11.5% and certificates at 13.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 33.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of 2021. This includes 11.7% in primary education, 11.4% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education. As of 2021, there are 8 schools operating within Forestville-Killarney Heights, educating approximately 2,619 students. The area has significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1137). The educational mix includes 5 primary, 2 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 19.5 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 16.2, indicating that the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Forestville-Killarney Heights has 54 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 59 different routes that together facilitate 3094 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents on average located 252 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 442 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 57 weekly trips per individual stop.

Forestville - Killarney Heights's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Forestville - Killarney Heights, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 73% of the total population (9750 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 6.5 and 6.3% of residents respectively, while 74.5% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the Greater Sydney average of 74.7%. As of 2021, 18.4% of residents are aged 65 and over (2469 people). Health outcomes among seniors in Forestville - Killarney Heights are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Forestville - Killarney Heights 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

Forestville-Killarney Heights, surveyed between June 2016 and June 2021, had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas. 25.9% of its residents spoke languages other than English at home, while 34.1% were born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 53.2%.

Judaism, however, was more prevalent here than in Greater Sydney, comprising 0.8% versus 0.3%. The top ancestry groups were English (25.0%), Australian (21.2%), and Other (13.2%). Notably, French (2.6%) South African (1.0%), and Croatian (0.9%) ethnicities were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.1%, 0.9%, and 0.7% respectively.

Forestville - Killarney Heights hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Forestville - Killarney Heights is 43 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 5-14 years make up 15.9% of the population, while those aged 25-34 years comprise only 5.2%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of people aged 15-24 has increased from 13.3% to 16.1%, while the proportion of those aged 45-54 has decreased from 16.8% to 16.0%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Forestville - Killarney Heights's age structure. The number of individuals aged 65-74 is projected to increase by 43% from 1,028 to 1,469, with the combined 65+ age groups accounting for 89% of total population growth. Conversely, the populations in the 45-54 and 55-64 age cohorts are expected to decline.