Forest Hill (NSW)

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Forest Hill's population is estimated at around 3,231 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 150 people (4.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,081 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 3,104 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 109 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 93 persons per square kilometer. Forest Hill's growth since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area (4.2%) and SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by natural growth contributing approximately 56% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and overseas migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 utilises 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 years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, the suburb of Forest Hill (NSW) is forecasted to experience significant population increase in the top quartile of Australia's regional areas. The area is expected to grow by 1,013 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 29.8% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Forest Hill when compared nationally

Forest Hill has seen approximately 31 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 155 homes were approved, with another 8 approved in FY-26 to date. Each new dwelling attracts an average of 2.3 new residents annually over the past five financial years.

The average construction cost value for new homes is $451,000, indicating a focus on premium market properties. This year has seen $714,000 in commercial approvals, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Forest Hill has 111% more new home approvals per capita. The area maintains its traditional low-density character with 82% standalone homes and 18% medium-high density housing.

There are approximately 154 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. Population forecasts suggest Forest Hill will gain 964 residents by 2041. Current development rates should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Forest Hill has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely to affect this region: Brunslea Park Estate, Riverina Redevelopment Program, Wagga Wagga Airport Infrastructure Upgrades, and Regional Express (Rex) Pilot Academy. The following details those most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Forest Hill ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Forest Hill has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Its unemployment rate is 1.6%. Over the past year, there was an estimated employment growth of 4.7%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, 1,910 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.2% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Forest Hill is high at 79.9%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. Census data shows that only 5.6% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts may have influenced this figure. The dominant employment sectors are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and retail trade.

Public administration & safety has a particularly high concentration with employment levels at 5.1 times the regional average. Conversely, education & training shows lower representation at 4.5% compared to the regional average of 9.6%. The area may have limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population numbers. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 4.7%, while labour force increased by 5.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.1%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Forest Hill's employment mix indicates that local employment should increase by 5.4% over five years and 11.8% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023 indicates Forest Hill's median income among taxpayers is $57,154, with an average of $67,222. This aligns with national averages and compares to the Rest of NSW's median of $52,390 and average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from July 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $62,218 and average income $73,178 by the latter date. According to Census data collected in August 2021, personal income ranks at the 71st percentile ($932 weekly), while household income sits at the 52nd percentile. Income distribution shows that 42.5% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, consistent with broader metropolitan trends where 29.9% fall into this category. After accounting for housing costs, 86.0% of income remains for other expenses.

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

Forest Hill's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, were 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Forest Hill stood at 18.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 46.0% and rented ones at 35.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Forest Hill was $310, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Forest Hill's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were below the national figure of $375.

Forest Hill features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 77.7% of all households, including 39.6% couples with children, 22.6% couples without children, and 14.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.3%, with lone person households at 19.3% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Forest Hill fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 15.0%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 11.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 45.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificates (34.5%). Educational participation is high, with 38.3% currently enrolled in formal education: 12.8% in primary, 8.8% in secondary, and 2.6% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 38.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.8% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Forest Hill has 32 operational public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 13 different routes that together offer 307 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is high, with residents on average 158 meters away from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to Forest Hill's residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 68%, while walking accounts for 26%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 5.6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 43 trips daily across all routes, resulting in about 9 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Forest Hill faces substantial health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notable across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is approximately 54% of the total population (~1,729 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 10.9 and 9.3% of residents respectively. Conversely, 71.4% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 6.7% of residents aged 65 and over (216 people), lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Forest Hill ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Forest Hill had a lower than average cultural diversity, with 86.4% of its population being citizens, 88.2% born in Australia, and 89.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 49.1% of Forest Hill's population. The most significant overrepresentation was seen in the 'Other' category, which constituted 1.0% compared to Rest of NSW's 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, Australians were the largest group at 32.0%, followed by English (27.6%) and Scottish (7.0%). Notably, Australian Aboriginals were overrepresented at 6.2% in Forest Hill versus 4.6% regionally, along with Welsh (0.7% vs 0.5%) and South African (0.6% vs 0.2%).

Forest Hill hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Forest Hill has a median age of 25 years, which is lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and the Australian median of 38. Compared to Rest of NSW, Forest Hill has a higher percentage of residents aged 15-24 (26.1%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (4.1%). This concentration of 15-24 year-olds is higher than the national average of 12.5%. Between 2021 and present, the percentage of Forest Hill's population aged 25 to 34 has increased from 15.6% to 17.6%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 55 to 64 has decreased from 6.5% to 5.1%, and the percentage of those aged 15 to 24 has dropped from 27.5% to 26.1%. By 2041, Forest Hill's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 25 to 34 age group is expected to grow steadily, with an increase of 263 people (46%) from 568 to 832 residents.