Glen Forrest

Glen Forrest is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for Glen Forrest's broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Glen Forrest's population is estimated at around 3003 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 214 people (7.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2789 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 2994, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 6 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 230 persons per square kilometer. Glen Forrest's 7.7% growth since census positions it within 1.2 percentage points of the national average (8.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 61.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch is utilising the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Considering the projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of national areas is expected. The suburb is expected to expand by 149 persons to reach 2041, reflecting a gain of 4.2% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Glen Forrest has seen approximately 4 new homes approved annually. Between FY21 and FY25, around 23 homes were approved. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY26.

On average, 5.4 new residents per year are associated with each home built over the past five financial years. This demand outpaces supply, potentially driving up prices and increasing competition among buyers. The average construction cost of new properties is $631,000, indicating a focus on premium segment development. In FY26, $3.0 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting limited commercial development activity compared to the region's 65.0% higher average per person. Glen Forrest has fewer development approvals than both Greater Perth and national averages, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints.

All recent developments have been detached dwellings, maintaining the area's low-density character appealing to families seeking space. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1182 people. By 2041, Glen Forrest is projected to grow by 126 residents, with development keeping pace with this growth. However, increasing competition among buyers may arise as the population expands.

Glen Forrest has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 33rdth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 0 relevant projects impacting the area. Notable initiatives include City of Swan Water and Wastewater Upgrades, EastLink WA, METRONET High Capacity Signalling Project (commenced 2018), and METRONET (planned completion in 2032).

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The labour market strength in Glen Forrest positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Glen Forrest has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 1.8% as of June 2025, lower than Greater Perth's 3.9%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.2%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Key employment areas include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Notably, education & training has 1.5 times the regional average employment levels.

Conversely, accommodation & food employs only 3.8% of local workers, below Greater Perth's 6.8%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data comparing working population and resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 4.2%, labour force grew by 4.4%, resulting in a slight rise in unemployment (0.2 percentage points). In contrast, Greater Perth experienced employment growth of 3.7% and labour force growth of 3.8%, with a smaller increase in unemployment (0.1 percentage point). National employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Glen Forrest's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not account for localised population projections.

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

Glen Forrest's median income among taxpayers was $57,549 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $82,013 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Perth's median and average incomes of $58,380 and $78,020 respectively. By September 2025, estimates suggest Glen Forrest's median income will be approximately $65,721 and the average will be around $93,659, based on a 14.2% growth in wages since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Glen Forrest cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. The income distribution shows that 31.7% of residents (951 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week. This is similar to regional levels where 32.0% of residents fall into this bracket. Economic strength in Glen Forrest is evident with 31.9% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000. After housing costs, residents retain 87.9% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

In Glen Forrest, as per the latest Census, 98.5% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 1.5% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This is compared to Perth metro's figures of 94.8% houses and 5.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glen Forrest stood at 42.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 50.9% and rented ones at 6.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, aligning with Perth metro's average. The median weekly rent was $380, higher than Perth metro's $330. Nationally, Glen Forrest's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Glen Forrest features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 80.0% of all households, including 37.3% couples with children, 31.9% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 20.0%, with lone person households at 18.5% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Perth average.

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

Educational attainment in Glen Forrest is notably high with 32.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the SA3 area and 24.3% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.1%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent with 37.8% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (13.6%) and certificates (24.2%). Educational participation is high at 29.1%, comprising primary education (9.3%), secondary education (9.0%), and tertiary education (5.0%).

Glen Forrest Primary School and Helena College serve a total of 980 students, with the area showing above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1083). The educational mix includes one primary school and one K-12 school. Glen Forrest functions as an education hub with 32.6 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 14.5, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

The analysis of public transport in Glen Forrest shows that there are currently 34 operational transport stops. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 4 individual routes providing service to the area. Collectively, these routes facilitate 373 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport in Glen Forrest is rated as moderate, with residents on average located approximately 414 meters away from the nearest transport stop. Across all routes, service frequency averages 53 trips per day, which equates to roughly 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Glen Forrest's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data from Glen Forrest shows positive outcomes for its residents, with common health conditions being relatively standard across both younger and older age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (1,794 people), compared to 56.3% in Greater Perth.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 9.1 and 8.4% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 68.6%, report being completely free from medical ailments, slightly higher than the 67.2% figure across Greater Perth. Glen Forrest has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.6% (678 people), compared to 21.2% in Greater Perth. Notably, health outcomes among seniors in Glen Forrest are particularly strong, outperforming the general population in various health metrics.

In terms of cultural diversity, Glen Forrest records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Glen Forrest's population showed cultural diversity similar to the wider region, with 73.4% born in Australia, 90.5% being citizens, and 94.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 40.1%. Judaism was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.1% regionally.

The top three ancestral groups were English (35.9%), Australian (26.3%), and Scottish (8.1%). Welsh (1.1%) was notably overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.9%. Dutch representation was also higher at 2.9%, versus 2.0% regionally, and French ancestry stood out at 0.9%, compared to 0.5% regionally.

Glen Forrest hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Glen Forrest is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Glen Forrest has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (14.9%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (7.3%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 75-84 grew from 5.9% to 7.4%, while the 45-54 age group declined from 15.9% to 14.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Glen Forrest's age structure. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 163%, reaching 213 people from 81, with the combined 65+ age groups accounting for 93% of total population growth. Conversely, both the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are expected to decrease in number.