Forestdale

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, Forestdale's estimated population as of November 2025 is around 2,666. This reflects a growth of 106 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,560. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 2,643 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and an additional 16 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 438 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Forestdale has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.8%, outpacing the state. Interstate migration contributed approximately 50.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are used, with proportional growth weightings applied for age cohorts. Population projections indicate an above median growth of statistical areas across the nation, with Forestdale expected to increase by 691 persons to reach 3,357 by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 33.1% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data indicates Forestdale recorded approximately five residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, between FY21 and FY25, about 28 homes were approved, with two more approved so far in FY26. This results in an average of 10.7 new residents per year for every home built during this period.

The demand significantly outpaces supply, typically exerting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers. New properties are constructed at an average value of $320,000. In FY26, there have been $227,000 in commercial approvals, indicating minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Forestdale has significantly less development activity, 88.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. The area's level is also under the national average, suggesting its established nature and potential planning limitations.

New building activity shows 60.0% detached houses and 40.0% medium and high-density housing, featuring an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across price ranges. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing, currently 99.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. The estimated count of 936 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate Forestdale will gain 882 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects likely influencing the region. Notable ones are Ember by Azure (formerly Augusta Parkway Estate Expansion), Logan Metro Sports Park, Banksia Rise Estate, and Loganlea Station Relocation Project. The following 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.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Forestdale performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Forestdale's workforce is skilled, with the construction sector notably represented. Its unemployment rate was 1.3% in September 2025, lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.0%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.3%. As of September 2025, 1,692 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.7%, similar to Greater Brisbane's workforce participation rate of 64.5%. Leading employment industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing. Construction employment is particularly high at 1.6 times the regional average, while accommodation & food shows lower representation at 4.2% compared to the regional average of 6.7%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 3.3%, and unemployment fell by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment rise by 3.8% and unemployment fall by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov shows Queensland's employment contracted slightly by 0.01%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but industry-specific projections suggest Forestdale's employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.

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 latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023, Forestdale had a median income among taxpayers of $56,912 with an average level of $63,090. These figures are below the national average and compare to levels of $58,236 and $72,799 across Greater Brisbane respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $62,552 (median) and $69,342 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household incomes rank at the 93rd percentile ($2,675 weekly), while personal income ranks at the 64th percentile. The predominant income cohort spans 27.6% of locals (735 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, reflecting patterns seen in the broader area where 33.3% similarly occupy this range. Economic strength is evident through 44.8% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 89.0% of income, indicating strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Forestdale's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 99.0% houses and 1.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metro had 89.2% houses and 10.9% other dwellings. Forestdale's home ownership rate was 45.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 48.7% and rented ones at 5.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Forestdale was $2,383, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,600. Median weekly rent in Forestdale was $500, compared to Brisbane metro's $360. Nationally, Forestdale's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,383 against the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 88.7 percent of all households, including 47.3 percent couples with children, 32.6 percent couples without children, and 7.5 percent single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 11.3 percent, with lone person households at 9.3 percent and group households comprising 1.1 percent of the total. The median household size is 3.1 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 3.0.

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

Forestdale's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 26.6% hold university qualifications, compared to 14.3% in the SA3 area and 16.2% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 19.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 36.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them – advanced diplomas account for 11.0% and certificates for 25.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.3% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 5.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Forestdale has two active public transport stops, both offering bus services. These stops are served by a single route in total, facilitating 182 weekly passenger trips combined. The accessibility of these transports is limited, with residents generally residing 856 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 26 trips per day across all routes, which equates to about 91 weekly trips per individual stop.

Forestdale's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Forestdale. Both young and old age cohorts have a low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~1,391 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. This compares to 48.1% across Greater Brisbane. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.4 and 7.2% of residents respectively. 73.1% of residents declare themselves as completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Forestdale has 17.9% of residents aged 65 and over (477 people), which is higher than the 12.2% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Forestdale was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Forestdale's population showed high cultural diversity, with 28.5% born overseas and 19.8% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 56.0%. Judaism, however, was notably overrepresented in Forestdale at 0.5%, compared to 0.0% across Greater Brisbane.

The top three ancestry groups were English (26.6%), Australian (22.1%), and Scottish (7.9%). Some ethnic groups showed significant divergences: Vietnamese (3.7% vs regional 0.7%), South African (1.0% vs 0.3%), and Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.3%).

Forestdale hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Forestdale's median age is 42 years, which is higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and Australia's median of 38. The 55-64 age group makes up 15.5% of Forestdale's population, compared to the Greater Brisbane average, indicating over-representation in this cohort. Conversely, the 25-34 age group constitutes only 7.1%, showing under-representation. According to the 2021 Census, the 35-44 age group has increased from 11.7% to 13.0%. However, the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 8.1% to 7.1%. By 2041, Forestdale's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 48%, adding 183 residents and reaching a total of 565.