Forrestfield

Forrestfield has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Forrestfield's population, as of November 2025, is estimated at around 16,097 people. This reflects an increase of 2,916 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,181. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of 15,052 residents following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 107 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 942 persons per square kilometer. Forrestfield's growth rate of 22.1% since the 2021 census exceeds the national average of 9.7%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 39.0% 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 using growth rates by age cohort from the ABS's Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Moving forward, an above median population growth is projected for Forrestfield, with an expected increase of 2,154 persons to reach 2041, reflecting a gain of 6.2% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Forrestfield among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Forrestfield has seen approximately 73 new homes approved annually, with a total of 366 approvals over the past five financial years from FY21 to FY25, and an additional 13 in FY26. On average, 4.6 people have moved to the area for each dwelling built during this period. This high demand outpaces supply, potentially influencing property prices and buyer competition.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $387,000, indicating a focus on premium developments. In FY26, $27.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Perth, Forrestfield has seen slightly more development, with 37.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years.

However, building activity has slowed recently. The majority of new developments are detached houses (97.0%), maintaining the area's traditional low-density character. As of now, there are an estimated 347 people in Forrestfield per dwelling approval. Population forecasts suggest Forrestfield will gain 993 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

Forrestfield has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 45thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified a total of 23 projects likely to affect the area. Notable projects include Forrestfield/High Wycombe Industrial Area, Hartfield Park Master Plan Stage 2: Co-Location, Tonkin Highway Corridor - Roe Highway to Kelvin Road, and Forrestfield North District Structure Plan. 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.

The employment landscape in Forrestfield shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Forrestfield has a balanced workforce consisting of both white and blue collar jobs. The manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominently represented in the area.

As per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data from September 2025, Forrestfield had an unemployment rate of 4.1% and experienced an estimated employment growth of 2.2% over the past year. Out of its total population of 8,203 residents, 0.2% more were unemployed compared to Greater Perth's rate of 4.0%. The workforce participation rate was similar to that of Greater Perth at 65.2%. The leading employment industries among Forrestfield residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Notably, the transport, postal & warehousing sector shows strong specialization with an employment share of 2.1 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services have a lower representation at 4.7% compared to the regional average of 8.2%. While there are local employment opportunities in Forrestfield, many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population data. Over the 12 months leading up to September 2025, Forrestfield's employment increased by 2.2%, while its labour force grew by 2.3%. This resulted in a slight rise in unemployment rate of 0.1 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 2.9% and unemployment rose marginally. Providing broader context, state-level data from 25-Nov shows that WA's employment contracted by 0.27%, losing 5,520 jobs. The state unemployment rate was at 4.6%, lagging behind the national rate of 4.3%. National employment growth during this period was 0.14%. For future insights into potential job demand within Forrestfield, Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can be considered. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Forrestfield's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.6% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Forrestfield's median assessed income in financial year 2023 was $52,774. The average income for the same period stood at $61,848. In comparison, Greater Perth had a median income of $60,748 and an average income of $80,248. By September 2025, considering a 9.62% growth since financial year 2023, estimated incomes would be approximately $57,851 (median) and $67,798 (average). Census 2021 data shows Forrestfield's household, family, and personal incomes rank modestly, between the 42nd and 51st percentiles. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 35.0% of Forrestfield residents (5,633 individuals), similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represents 32.0%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Forrestfield, with only 83.1% of income remaining, ranking at the 41st percentile.

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

Forrestfield's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 88.6% houses and 11.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Perth metro's 93.9% houses and 6.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Forrestfield was at 29.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 47.7% and rented ones at 23.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, below Perth metro's average of $1,907. Median weekly rent in Forrestfield was $350, compared to Perth metro's $370. Nationally, Forrestfield's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Forrestfield has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.0% of all households, including 28.8% couples with children, 27.0% couples without children, and 13.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 30.0%, with lone person households at 26.6% and group households comprising 3.2%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 15.5%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 32.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.9% in primary education, 7.3% in secondary education, and 3.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Forrestfield has 98 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 5 different routes that together facilitate 771 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents typically located 233 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 110 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 7 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Forrestfield are marginally below the national average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Forrestfield shows below-average health outcomes, with common conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Mental health issues impact 8.8%, arthritis affects 7.8%.

Approximately 52% of Forrestfield's total population (~8,331 people) have private health cover, compared to 57.0% in Greater Perth. About 67.7% of Forrestfield residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the 69.2% in Greater Perth. The area has 18.6% of residents aged 65 and over (2,994 people), lower than Greater Perth's 20.2%. Health outcomes among seniors are challenging, mirroring the general population's health profile.

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

Forrestfield's population showed higher cultural diversity, with 15.3% speaking a language other than English at home and 30.5% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 43.0%. Islam was overrepresented compared to Greater Perth, with 3.1% of Forrestfield's population versus 2.3%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (30.1%), Australian (24.9%), and Other (9.9%). Notable differences included New Zealanders at 1.2% (vs regional 1.0%), Maori at 1.2% (vs 0.8%), and Dutch at 1.7% (vs 1.8%).

Forrestfield's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Forrestfield is close to Greater Perth's average of 37 years and equivalent to Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Forrestfield has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (10.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (13.1%). Between the 2016 Census and the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 increased from 11.1% to 12.4%, while the population aged 25-34 decreased from 14.1% to 13.1%. By 2041, Forrestfield's age composition is expected to shift significantly. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 74% (an increase of 711 people), reaching a total of 1,677 from the previous number of 965. This growth is part of an overall aging population trend, with those aged 65 and above comprising 68% of the projected population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the age groups 0-4 and 5-14.