Forest Lodge

Population growth drivers in Forest Lodge are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Forest Lodge's population is estimated at around 5,290 as of May 2026, reflecting an increase of 325 people since the 2021 Census. This growth rate of 6.5% is inferred from AreaSearch's analysis of ABS data up to June 2025 and validation of nine new addresses since the Census date. The suburb's population density stands at 11,755 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% nationally according to AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Forest Lodge has exhibited a compound annual growth rate of 1.8%, outperforming its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.0% 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, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

These projections indicate a decline in Forest Lodge's overall population by 111 persons by 2041, but growth is anticipated among specific age cohorts, notably the 75 to 84 age group projected to grow by 87 people.

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

Forest Lodge has seen approximately 15 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 78 homes were approved, with another 8 approved in FY26 so far. On average, about 1.5 people have moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years. However, this figure has increased to 69 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating growing popularity and potential supply constraints.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $1,105,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end developments. This year alone, $453.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney and nationally, Forest Lodge shows lower construction activity per person, placing it among the 8th percentile of areas assessed, which results in relatively constrained buyer choice and supports interest in existing dwellings. New building activity is skewed towards compact living, with 11.0% detached dwellings and 89.0% townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 2648 people per approval, Forest Lodge shows a mature, established area.

Population projections indicate stability or decline, which should reduce housing demand pressures and benefit potential buyers in the future.

Forest Lodge has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Area infrastructure significantly impacts performance. AreaSearch identified 14 projects potentially affecting the area. Notable ones are Sydney Metro West - The Bays Station, Cowper Street Social Housing Development, Elger Street Social Housing, and Wentworth Park Rd, Glebe.

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

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Employment performance in Forest Lodge has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Forest Lodge has an educated workforce, notably in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 6.2%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 3182 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.1% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation is at 72.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. A high 66.2% of residents work from home, as per Census responses. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (1.8 times the regional average), education & training, and health care & social assistance sectors. Construction employment is limited at 3.8%, compared to the regional average of 8.6%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work, suggesting local employment opportunities exist alongside external job markets. Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.0% and employment declined by 1.6%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Forest Lodge's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.6% over five years and 15.0% over ten years.

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

Forest Lodge's income level is among the top percentile nationally according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for financial year 2023. The suburb's median income among taxpayers is $77,124 and average income stands at $117,127, compared to Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. By March 2026, current estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% would be approximately $85,083 (median) and $129,215 (average). Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Forest Lodge, between the 88th and 97th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 31.7% of residents (1,676 people) fall into the $4000+ bracket, contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. Economic strength is evident through 43.4% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 21.0% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 81st percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Forest Lodge features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Forest Lodge's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 3.5% houses and 96.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Forest Lodge was at 17.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.1% and rented dwellings at 62.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,033, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Forest Lodge was $590, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Forest Lodge's median monthly mortgage repayment was significantly higher at $1,863 and median weekly rent was substantially above the national figure of $375.

Forest Lodge features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 55.7% of all households, consisting of 19.5% couples with children, 28.6% couples without children, and 6.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 44.3%, with lone person households at 35.8% and group households comprising 8.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Forest Lodge has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above, with 66.4% holding university qualifications. This figure significantly exceeds the national average of 30.4% and the state average of 32.2%. The area's residents have a substantial educational advantage, which is beneficial for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common type of qualification, held by 38.3% of residents.

Postgraduate qualifications follow at 23.9%, with graduate diplomas making up 4.2%. Vocational pathways account for 16.7% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 9.1% and certificates at 7.6%. Educational participation is particularly high in Forest Lodge, with 28.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.9% in tertiary education, 5.7% in primary education, and 3.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

Forest Lodge has 22 operational public transport stops, all offering bus services. These stops are covered by 20 different routes that facilitate a total of 6,529 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents' average distance to the nearest stop being 106 meters. As a predominantly residential zone, most commutes are outward-bound. The primary mode of transportation is car, used by 43% of residents, followed by walking at 21% and bus at 16%. On average, there are 0.4 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 66.2% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 932 trips daily, translating to approximately 296 weekly trips per individual stop.

Forest Lodge's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Forest Lodge's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 73% of the total population (3,863 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma were found to be the most common medical conditions, affecting 9.4 and 7.3% of residents respectively. 77.2% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. The area has 9.9% of residents aged 65 and over (523 people), lower than the 15.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

Forest Lodge 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

Forest Lodge has a high level of cultural diversity, with 27.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 42.6% born overseas. The predominant religion in Forest Lodge is Christianity, accounting for 26.9% of the population. Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 0.5% of Forest Lodge's population versus 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.6%), Australian (16.0%), and Other (12.5%). Notably, French (1.0%) Russian (0.7%), and Hungarian (0.4%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Forest Lodge compared to regional averages of 0.5%, 0.4%, and 0.3% respectively.

Forest Lodge hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Forest Lodge's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Forest Lodge has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (26.1%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.3%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has increased from 11.8% to 14.3%, while the proportion of those aged 75 to 84 has grown from 2.1% to 3.5%. Conversely, the proportions of residents aged 55 to 64 and 45 to 54 have decreased, from 9.4% to 7.9% and from 11.5% to 10.4%, respectively. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Forest Lodge. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 141%, adding 81 residents to reach a total of 140. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 84% of the population growth, highlighting the trend towards an aging population. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 15-24 and 5-14 age cohorts.