Forestville - Killarney Heights

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 was 13,431 as of November 2025. This figure reflects a growth of 270 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,161. The increase is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 13,425 in June 2024 and three validated new addresses added post-census. This results in a density ratio of 1,504 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 2.1% growth since census compares favorably to its SA4 region's 3.2%, indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in 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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 using a 2021 base year are applied. Growth rates by age group are used for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts and latest annual ERP population numbers, the area is expected to grow by 537 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 4.0% over the 17-year period.

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

Forestville - Killarney Heights has seen approximately 28 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 144 homes were approved, with a further 12 approved in FY-26 so far. The average new resident per year per dwelling constructed over these years is 0.6.

New construction has been matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations. The average expected construction cost value of new properties is $449,000, which is somewhat higher than regional norms, reflecting quality-focused development. This financial year has seen $10.9 million in commercial approvals, indicating steady commercial investment activity. When compared to Greater Sydney, Forestville - Killarney Heights shows approximately 75% of the construction activity per person.

Nationally, it places among the 34th percentile of areas assessed. This means more limited choices for buyers and supports demand for existing homes. Recent construction comprises 95.0% standalone homes and 5.0% townhouses or apartments, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. The location has approximately 489 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area. Looking ahead, Forestville - Killarney Heights is expected to grow by 531 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Forestville - Killarney Heights has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 24 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones include Forestway Shopping Centre Redevelopment, Forestville RSL Club Redevelopment, Angel Place Seniors Living, and Forest High School Science and Technology Centre. The following list details those most likely to be 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.

While Forestville - Killarney Heights retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.4%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Forestville - Killarney Heights has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. As of September 2025, its unemployment rate is 3.4%.

The area's unemployment rate is 0.8% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and its workforce participation rate is 62.0%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment among residents is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors. The area has a particularly notable concentration in professional & technical employment, with levels at 1.4 times the regional average. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing shows lower representation at 2.8% versus the regional average of 5.3%.

Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.6%, and employment declined by 1.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.9 percentage points in Forestville - Killarney Heights. This contrasts with Greater Sydney, where employment grew by 2.1% and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from NSW as of 25-Nov shows employment contracted by 0.03%, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Forestville - Killarney Heights's employment mix, local employment is estimated to increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.4% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022. Forestville - Killarney Heights SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $60,918 and an average income of $102,665. These figures are among the top percentile nationally, compared to Greater Sydney's levels of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated median income as of September 2025 is approximately $68,600, with average income at $115,611. From the 2021 Census, Forestville - Killarney Heights SA2's household incomes rank at the 95th percentile ($2,794 weekly). Income analysis shows that 36.3% of individuals in this community earn over $4,000 per week (4,875 individuals), contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. The district demonstrates affluence 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 94th 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' dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 85.3% houses and 14.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). This contrasts with Sydney metro's 57.6% houses and 42.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Forestville-Killarney Heights stood at 43.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.7% and rented ones at 17.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,400, higher than Sydney metro's $3,000. Median weekly rent was $720, compared to Sydney metro's $592. Nationally, Forestville-Killarney Heights' mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863, and rents 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 comprise 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 account for 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 higher educational attainment than the broader Australian and NSW averages. 44.3% of residents aged 15+ have 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. This includes 11.7% in primary education, 11.4% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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 typically living 252 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 442 trips per day across all routes, which equates to about 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

Forestville-Killarney Heights shows robust health metrics with low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover is high at approximately 73% (9,750 people), surpassing the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.5% and 6.3% respectively. 74.5% report no medical ailments, close to Greater Sydney's 74.7%. There are 18.4% seniors (2,469 people) aged 65 and over, with strong health outcomes broadly matching the general population's 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 in June 2016, had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas. It had 25.9% of its population speaking languages other than English at home and 34.1% born overseas. Christianity was the dominant religion, with 53.2%.

Judaism showed significant overrepresentation at 0.8%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.3%. In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (25%), Australian (21.2%), and Other (13.2%). Some ethnicities had notable differences: French was overrepresented at 2.6% versus regional 1.1%, South African at 1.0% versus 0.9%, and Croatian at 0.9% versus 0.7%.

Forestville - Killarney Heights's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Forestville-Killarney Heights is 43 years, higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those 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 individuals aged 15-24 has increased from 13.3% to 16.1%, while the percentage of those aged 45-54 has decreased from 16.8% to 16.0%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Forestville-Killarney Heights' age structure. The number of individuals aged 65-74 is expected to increase by 43%, from 1,028 to 1,469. Notably, the combined population aged 65 and above will account for 89% of total population growth. Conversely, the populations aged 45-54 and 55-64 are projected to decline.