Frenchs Forest

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates, the Frenchs Forest statistical area's population is estimated at around 14,830 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 563 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,267. The change is inferred from the resident population of 14,801 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 11 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,694 persons per square kilometer. Frenchs Forest's growth of 3.9% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (3.2%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 73.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the Frenchs Forest (SA2) is expected to increase by 1,868 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 12.5% in total over the 17 years.

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

Frenchs Forest has averaged approximately 29 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 146 homes were approved, with an additional 23 approved so far in FY-26. Over the past five financial years, an average of 1.5 people moved to the area per dwelling built. However, this rate increased to 13 people per dwelling over the last two financial years, indicating growing popularity and potential supply constraints.

Development projects in Frenchs Forest have an average construction value of $950,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This year alone, there have been $6.8 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Frenchs Forest has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person. Nationally, it places among the 15th percentile of areas assessed, suggesting limited housing choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. This activity is also below average nationally, indicating maturity and potential planning constraints.

New building activity in Frenchs Forest shows 59.0% standalone homes and 41.0% townhouses or apartments, offering a range of medium-density options across different price brackets. This shift from the area's existing housing (currently 93.0% houses) suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles. Frenchs Forest has around 1091 people per approval, indicating a mature, established area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Frenchs Forest is projected to add 1,850 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

The performance of an area can be significantly influenced by changes to local infrastructure. AreaSearch has identified a total of 38 projects that are likely to impact this particular area. Notable among these are the redevelopment of Forestway Shopping Centre, Belrose Village Green, The Jardin - Stage 1 and Stage 2, and the construction of a 146-room hotel at Forest Hotel. The following list provides details on those projects most relevant to the area.

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The labour market in Frenchs Forest shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Frenchs Forest has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 2.8%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, 8,081 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.4% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Frenchs Forest is 67.0%, higher than Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors.

Transport, postal & warehousing sector is under-represented at 2.5% compared to Greater Sydney's 5.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Frenchs Forest's labour force decreased by 0.4%, employment declined by 1.0%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%. As of 25-Nov-25, NSW's employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to grow by 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, assuming no changes in population projections.

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 2023 shows that income in Frenchs Forest is among the highest in Australia. The median income is $62,963 while the average income stands 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 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $68,542 (median) and $103,207 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household incomes rank exceptionally at the 97th percentile ($3,109 weekly). The earnings profile shows that the largest segment comprises 37.5% earning $4000+ weekly (5,561 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, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 16.2% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 96th percentile and 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

The latest Census evaluated Frenchs Forest's dwelling structure as 92.6% houses and 7.4% other dwellings, compared to Sydney metro's 57.6% houses and 42.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Frenchs Forest was 37.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 47.1% and rented dwellings at 15.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,467, above Sydney metro's average of $3,000. The median weekly rent in Frenchs Forest was $800, higher than Sydney metro's $592. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially higher at $375 compared to Frenchs Forest.

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

Family households account for 86.4% of all households, consisting of 54.3% couples with children, 22.6% couples without children, and 8.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 13.6%, with lone person households at 12.3% and group households making up 1.5% of the total. 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 educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 40.1% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and NSW's rate of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are predominant at 27.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas comprise 11.9% while certificates account for 17.6%.

Educational participation is notably high at 33.4%, including 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 121 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 107 different routes that together facilitate 6,146 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average located just 160 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 878 trips across all routes, which amounts to approximately 50 weekly trips per individual stop.

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 across all ages, with very low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 64% (9,537 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 71.5%. Nationally, the average is 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 6.9 and 6.0% of residents respectively. A total of 75.2% report no medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 74.7%. Frenchs Forest has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.3% (2,417 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 17.8%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors align with the general population's profile.

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, according to a study, had more cultural diversity than most other local areas. It was found that 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% of people identifying as such.

However, Judaism was notably overrepresented, comprising 0.3% of the population compared to 0.3% across Greater Sydney. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English at 28.0%, Australian at 23.1%, and Other at 9.8%. There were also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: French was overrepresented at 1.2% (compared to 1.1% regionally), Welsh at 0.9% (compared to 0.7%), and South African at 1.0% (compared to 0.9%).

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 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. The 45-54 age cohort is notably over-represented in Frenchs Forest at 16.5%, compared to the Greater Sydney average, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 6.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 13.2% to 15.9% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 16.5% to 15.3%, and the 65 to 74 age group has dropped from 7.8% to 6.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Frenchs Forest's age profile. The 85+ age cohort is projected to surge dramatically, increasing by 645 people (161%) from 400 to 1,046. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 65% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.