Frenchs Forest

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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of Frenchs Forest is around 14,381, reflecting an increase of 114 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 0.8% rise from the previous population count of 14,267. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 14,323 in June 2025 and an additional 36 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,643 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Frenchs Forest's growth rate of 0.8% since the census is within 2.9 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 3.7%, indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in Frenchs Forest.

AreaSearch uses 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 the years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Frenchs Forest is expected to increase by 1,211 persons by 2041, reflecting an 8.0% total gain over the 16-year period.

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

Frenchs Forest averaged approximately 29 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 147 homes were approved, with an additional 29 approved in FY-26 to date. On average, each dwelling accommodates about 2.2 new residents per year over the past five financial years.

The average construction cost value of these dwellings is approximately $950,000, indicating a focus on premium properties. This financial year has seen around $6.8 million in commercial approvals registered, reflecting the area's residential character. Comparatively, Frenchs Forest has about two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person relative to Greater Sydney and ranks among the 16th percentile nationally. This constrained buyer choice supports interest in existing homes and indicates an established area with potential planning limitations. New building activity consists of approximately 58% standalone homes and 42% townhouses or apartments, expanding medium-density options and creating a mix of housing opportunities across price brackets.

This shift from the current 93% houses suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles requiring more diverse and affordable housing options. With around 1051 people per approval, Frenchs Forest demonstrates its mature and established nature. Population forecasts indicate an increase of approximately 1,153 residents by 2041. Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

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

Thirty-five infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Forestway Shopping Centre Redevelopment, Belrose Village Green, The Jardin - Stage 1 & 2, and a 146-room hotel at Forest Hotel. The following list details those likely to be 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 labour market in Frenchs Forest shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Frenchs Forest has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 2.9% as of an AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. By December 2025, 7,736 residents were employed at an unemployment rate of 1.3% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation was on par with Greater Sydney's 68.8%. According to Census responses, 52.0% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Resident employment is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors.

The transport, postal & warehousing sector is under-represented at 2.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's 5.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between December 2024 and December 2025, Frenchs Forest's labour force decreased by 1.2% alongside a 1.7% employment decline, leading to an unemployment increase of 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Frenchs Forest's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows that income in Frenchs Forest is among Australia's highest. The median income was $62,963, while the average stood at $94,807. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's figures of a median income of $60,817 and an average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $69,461 (median) and $104,591 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals household incomes rank exceptionally at the 97th percentile ($3,109 weekly). The earnings profile shows that 37.5% earn $4000+ weekly (5,392 residents), contrasting with the broader area where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. Frenchs Forest demonstrates considerable affluence with 51.7% earning over $3,000 per week. High housing costs consume 16.2% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 96th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Frenchs Forest's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.6% houses and 7.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Frenchs Forest stood at 37.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 47.1% and rented ones at 15.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,467, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Frenchs Forest was $800, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Frenchs Forest's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 86.4% of all households, including 54.3% couples with children, 22.6% couples without children, and 8.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 13.6%, comprising 12.3% lone person households and 1.5% group households. The median household size is 3.2 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational achievement in Frenchs Forest places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

The area's university qualification rate is 40.1%, exceeding the Australian average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 27.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational credentials are held by 29.5% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.9% and certificates at 17.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 33.4% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.7% in primary education, 10.2% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Frenchs Forest has 118 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 107 different routes that collectively facilitate 6,146 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located about 160 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation at 86%, while buses account for 6%. On average, there are 1.8 vehicles per dwelling, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 52% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 878 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 52 weekly trips per stop. The map provided shows the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Frenchs Forest shows excellent health outcomes 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 64% of the total population (9,248 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 6.9 and 6.0% of residents respectively. A high proportion, 75.2%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Frenchs Forest has a higher percentage of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.6% (2,387 people), compared to 15.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors align with the general population, ranking nationally in line with them.

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

Frenchs Forest, as per the data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2016, exhibited higher cultural diversity compared to most local areas. Specifically, 17.8% of its population spoke a language other than English at home, and 29.9% were born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Frenchs Forest, with 54.0% adherents, although Judaism showed notable overrepresentation at 0.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (28.0%), Australian (23.1%), and Other (9.8%). The regional averages for these groups were 19.0%, 17.8%, and 16.0% respectively. There were also notable differences in the representation of French (1.2% vs regional 0.5%), Welsh (0.9% vs 0.4%), and South Australian (1.0% vs 0.5%) ancestry groups.

Frenchs Forest's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Frenchs Forest has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38 years. The 45-54 cohort is notably over-represented in Frenchs Forest at 16.2%, compared to the Greater Sydney average, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 7.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 13.2% to 16.1% of the population, while the 85+ cohort increased from 1.8% to 3.1%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort declined from 16.5% to 14.6%, and the 65-74 group dropped from 7.8% to 6.3%. Demographic modeling suggests that Frenchs Forest's age profile will significantly evolve by 2041. The 85+ age cohort is projected to surge dramatically, expanding by 513 people (115%) from 445 to 959. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 74% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.