Forest Lodge

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area around Forest Lodge, its population is estimated to be around 5,333 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 368 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,965 people in the suburb of Forest Lodge. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5,329 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), along with validation of an additional 8 new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 11,851 persons per square kilometer, placing Forest Lodge in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Forest Lodge demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 2.9%, outpacing its SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 87.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 where applicable, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. For years 2032 to 2041, growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas. Projections indicate a decline in overall population for Forest Lodge over this period, with an expected reduction of 56 persons by 2041. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 75 to 84 age group, projected to grow by 109 people.

The level of residential development activity in Forest Lodge is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Forest Lodge shows around 15 residential properties granted approval each year. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 78 homes were approved, with another 7 so far in FY-26. The area has experienced population decline, suggesting new supply is keeping up with demand, offering good choice to buyers.

Average expected construction cost value of new homes is $1,105,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year, $453.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Forest Lodge has approximately half the construction activity per person and ranks among the 8th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice, supporting interest in existing dwellings. New building activity shows 11.0% detached dwellings and 89.0% townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 2638 people per approval, Forest Lodge is a mature, established area with stable or declining population projections, suggesting reduced housing demand pressures benefiting potential buyers.

With population projections showing stability or decline, Forest Lodge should see reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 13 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Cowper Street Social Housing Development, Elger Street Social Housing, Wentworth Park Rd in Glebe, and Sydney Metro West - The Bays Station. The following list details those 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.

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

Forest Lodge has a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector notably represented. Its unemployment rate is 6.2%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 3,248 residents are employed while the unemployment rate stands at 2.1% above Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Forest Lodge is 73.4%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 70.2%. Census responses indicate that 66.2% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment among residents 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 based on Census data comparing working population to local population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.5% alongside a 1.1% employment decline, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.2%, labour force expand by 2.3%, and marginal unemployment increase. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Forest Lodge's employment should increase by 7.6% over five years and 15.0% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolations of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

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

The suburb of Forest Lodge had one of the highest income levels nationally according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for the financial year ended June 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $77,124 and the average income stood at $117,127, compared to Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. By September 2025, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated median income would be approximately $83,957 and average income around $127,504. Census data shows Forest Lodge's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 88th and 97th percentiles. The earnings profile indicates that 31.7% of residents (1,690 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 with 43.4% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 21.0% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 81st percentile nationally. 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 structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 3.5% houses and 96.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Forest Lodge was at 17.0%, with the rest being mortgaged (20.1%) or rented (62.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,033, above Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Forest Lodge was $590, higher than Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Forest Lodge's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,033 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were 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, including 19.5% that are couples with children, 28.6% that are couples without children, and 6.5% that are 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%. 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 notable educational advantage with 66.4% of its residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 38.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (23.9%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Vocational pathways account for 16.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 9.1% and certificates 7.6%. Educational participation is high, 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 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops facilitate 20 different routes that collectively accommodate 6,529 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated highly, with residents typically situated 106 meters from the nearest stop. The area is predominantly residential, with outward commuting being common. Cars are the primary mode of transport at 43%, followed by walking at 21% and bus use at 16%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.4 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 66.2% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 932 trips daily, equating 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 were very low across all age groups. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 73% of the total population (3,895 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions were mental health issues affecting 9.4% and asthma impacting 7.3% of residents. Overall, 77.2% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. The area had 10.0% of residents aged 65 and over (533 people), lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors were 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 cultural diversity, with 27.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 42.6% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Forest Lodge, making up 26.9% of people. However, Judaism is overrepresented, comprising 0.5% compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.6%), Australian (16.0%), and Other (12.5%). Notably, French (1.0%) is overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.5%, as are Russian (0.7% vs 0.4%) and Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.3%).

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

At age 34 years, Forest Lodge's median age is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years, and considerably younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Forest Lodge has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (24.4%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.4%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the latest data, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has grown from 11.8% to 14.7%, while those aged 75 to 84 have increased from 2.1% to 3.5%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has declined from 25.9% to 24.4%, and the proportion aged 55 to 64 has dropped from 9.4% to 8.3%. Population forecasts for Forest Lodge in 2041 indicate significant demographic changes, with the strongest projected growth in the 75-84 age cohort (47%), adding 87 residents to reach a total of 274. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 79% of population growth, highlighting trends towards demographic aging. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 15 to 24 and 5 to 14 age cohorts.