Forrest, ACT: suburb profile

The population of Forrest ACT is 1,827 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Forrest is $1,816 per week ($94,432 per year). Median rent in Forrest is $570 per week ($2,470 per month). Forrest has a median age of 47 years, older than the national median of 38. Forrest has a population density of 1,149 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Forrest is England. The most common religion is No religion (41.7% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Forrest is $2,520.

Population
1,827
Census 2021
Median income
$1,816/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$570/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
47years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021.

Forrest vs the typical ACT suburb

The median personal income in Forrest is $1,816 a week, 52% above the typical ACT suburb ($1,192). That ranks 1st of 109 ACT suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $570 a week, $120 more than the typical ACT suburb. Rent takes 16.9% of the median household income here, against 18.2% in the typical ACT suburb. The median resident is 47, 9 years older than in the typical ACT suburb (38).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureForrestTypical ACTDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,816/wk$1,192/wk +52%$766/wk
Household income$3,363/wk$2,414/wk +39%$1,637/wk
Rent$570/wk$450/wk +27%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,520/mo$2,154/mo +17%$1,733/mo
Median age4738 +9 yrs42
Rent share of household income16.9%18.2% −1.2 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Forrest, the typical ACT suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Forrest Population

1,827 residents at the 2021 Census.

Forrest Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,816/wk
$94,432 per year
Ranked 28 of 14,663
Median Rent
$570/wk
$2,470 per month
Ranked 315 of 14,663
Median Age
47years
9 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,520/mo
Avg household size: 2.2 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Forrest Rent Prices & Affordability

17% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $3,363/wk
Median rent $570/wk
Rent to income 16.9%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Forrest against your income

About $14,573 a month
Median rent $570/wk
Left after rent $2,793/wk
Rent share 16.9%

Forrest Schools

15
schools nearby
7
government
1120
avg ICSEA score
10,371
total students
Canberra Grammar School Independent
Secondary · K-12 · 2,116 students
1187
ICSEA
Canberra Girls Grammar School Independent
Secondary · K-12 · 1,203 students
1177
ICSEA
Garran Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 676 students
1159
ICSEA
Telopea Park School Government
Combined · K-10 · 1,586 students
1153
ICSEA
Forrest Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 479 students
1145
ICSEA
Yarralumla Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 313 students
1142
ICSEA
Red Hill Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 720 students
1133
ICSEA
Narrabundah College Government
Secondary · 11-12 · 977 students
1131
ICSEA
St Bede's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 261 students
1117
ICSEA
St Clare's College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 887 students
1087
ICSEA
St Edmund's College Canberra Independent
Combined · 4-12 · 935 students
1080
ICSEA
St Benedict's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 165 students
1061
ICSEA
Narrabundah Early Childhood School Government
Primary · K-2 · 53 students
990
ICSEA
Canberra Grammar School - Primary School Independent
Primary
Canberra Girls Grammar School - Junior School Independent
Primary

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Forrest, with a map

Forrest Map

Forrest, Australian Capital Territory Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Forrest, Australian Capital Territory: 35.3170°S, 149.1252°E

Forrest Schools (15)

People in Forrest

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.1% (875) Female 51.9% (945)

Population Density

1,149
people per km²
1,827 people · 1.6 km²

Households

2.2
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$4,532
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
3.0%
India
2.1%
China
1.6%
New Zealand
1.6%
United States of America
1.3%
Sri Lanka
1.1%
Malaysia
1.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
2.5%
Italian
2.5%
Greek
2.1%
French
1.3%
Hindi
1.1%
Sinhalese
1.0%
Cantonese
0.9%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
34.2%
Australian
29.2%
Irish
15.2%
Scottish
13.9%
Italian
5.7%
Chinese
4.7%
German
4.5%
Greek
3.8%
Indian
3.4%
Polish
2.0%
Dutch
1.7%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
41.7%
Catholic
22.2%
Anglican
12.3%
Not stated
4.3%
Eastern Orthodox
4.1%
Hinduism
2.7%
Uniting Church
2.5%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.4%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
53.3% 866
Separated
2.6% 43
Divorced
6.3% 103
Widowed
4.3% 70
Never married
33.4% 542

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
42.1%
Couple: children under 15
30.3%
Couple: no children under 15
20.8%
One parent: children under 15
3.7%
One parent: no children under 15
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
29.0%
2 persons
42.3%
3 persons
13.6%
4 persons
9.9%
5 persons
3.6%
6+ persons
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Forrest

Housing Tenure

Of the 786 occupied private dwellings in Forrest at the 2021 Census, 30.5% were rented, 37.7% owned outright and 29.3% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.5% 20 dwellings
Owned outright
37.7% 296 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
29.3% 230 dwellings
Rented
30.5% 240 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.5% 4 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
69.5%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
23.5%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
7.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
13.9%
2 bedrooms
30.0%
3 bedrooms
26.3%
4 bedrooms
17.0%
5 bedrooms
10.1%
6+ bedrooms
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
13.6%
$800-$999/mo
4.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
9.8%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
18.9%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
25.8%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
9.1%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
18.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.1%
1 vehicle
40.9%
2 vehicles
37.9%
3 vehicles
10.0%
4+ vehicles
7.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Forrest

Employment

Employed full-time
50.3% 768 people
Employed part-time
17.0% 259 people
Unemployed
2.1% 32 people
Not in labour force
30.6% 467 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
48.5%
Managers
29.6%
Clerical & Administrative
11.6%
Community & Personal Service
3.4%
Sales Workers
3.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
2.6%
Labourers
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.2%
$1-$149/wk
0.5%
$150-$299/wk
0.5%
$300-$399/wk
1.1%
$400-$499/wk
1.1%
$500-$649/wk
1.7%
$650-$799/wk
1.4%
$800-$999/wk
1.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
2.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.7%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
12.9%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.2%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
5.0%
$4,000+/wk
42.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.4%
$1-$149/wk
3.8%
$150-$299/wk
1.7%
$300-$399/wk
0.7%
$400-$499/wk
1.2%
$500-$649/wk
0.8%
$650-$799/wk
3.3%
$800-$999/wk
4.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
5.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
8.6%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
18.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
5.9%
$3,500+/wk
21.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
60.2%
Walked only
16.7%
Did not go to work
9.1%
Car (passenger)
4.2%
Bus
3.9%
Bicycle
3.4%
Taxi/Rideshare
1.2%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.1%
Other
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
91.0%
Year 10 or equivalent
5.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
2.7%
Year 9 or equivalent
0.8%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
40.1%
Postgraduate Degree
32.7%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
11.0%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
9.4%
Certificate III/IV
6.2%
Certificate I/II
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Society & Culture
31.8%
Management & Commerce
26.1%
Health
12.0%
Education
5.7%
Information Technology
5.5%
Engineering
5.3%
Creative Arts
3.7%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.5%
Architecture & Building
3.5%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
1.5%
Agriculture & Environment
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Secondary: Other Non-Govt
28.0%
Primary: Government
19.2%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
18.4%
Secondary: Government
14.0%
Vocational Education
10.0%
Secondary: Catholic
4.8%
Pre-school
3.6%
Primary: Catholic
2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
93.5%
Has need for assistance
3.2%
Need for assistance not stated
3.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
149
Asthma
59
Heart disease
56
Arthritis
46
Cancer
39
Diabetes
30
Lung condition
30
Kidney disease
13
Stroke
10

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
16.0% 251
Did not provide
84.0% 1,319

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
28.0% 439
Not a volunteer
72.0% 1,127

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
1.5% 24
Current ADF: Reserves
1.1% 17
Previously served
4.8% 75
Never served
92.6% 1,452

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
41.4%
1 child
12.6%
2 children
28.7%
3 children
12.7%
4 children
3.5%
5+ children
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
13
1951: 1960
28
1961: 1970
45
1971: 1980
58
1981: 1990
73
1991: 2000
52
2001: 2010
92
2011: 2015
56
2016
12
2017
16
2018
8
2019
9
2020
4

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

24.8%
moved in the last year
55.2%
moved in the last 5 years
2.8%
unemployment rate (Census)
68.1%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,331
Moved from ACT
253
Moved from NSW
68
Moved from overseas
37
Moved: same area (SA2)
37
Moved from QLD
18
Moved from VIC
13
Moved from WA
7

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
26.4%
5: 14 hours
39.6%
15: 29 hours
15.0%
30+ hours
5.8%
Did not do domestic work
13.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
91.5%
Step family: no other children
6.9%
Blended family: no other children
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Deakin
Income: $1,577/wk Rent: $560/wk $10/wk less rent
Yarralumla
Income: $1,591/wk Rent: $547/wk $23/wk less rent
Red Hill (ACT)
Income: $1,469/wk Rent: $500/wk $70/wk less rent
Barton
Income: $1,775/wk Rent: $525/wk $45/wk less rent
Denman Prospect
Income: $1,655/wk Rent: $498/wk $72/wk less rent
Griffith (ACT)
Income: $1,572/wk Rent: $462/wk $108/wk less rent
Kingston (ACT)
Income: $1,777/wk Rent: $510/wk $60/wk less rent
Braddon
Income: $1,512/wk Rent: $495/wk $75/wk less rent

Suburbs near Forrest

The closest suburb to Forrest is Griffith (ACT), 1.7 km away.

Griffith (ACT)
1.7 km away · income $1,572/wk · rent $462/wk
Barton
1.7 km away · income $1,775/wk · rent $525/wk
Red Hill (ACT)
1.9 km away · income $1,469/wk · rent $500/wk
Kingston (ACT)
1.9 km away · income $1,777/wk · rent $510/wk
Deakin
1.9 km away · income $1,577/wk · rent $560/wk
Narrabundah
3.0 km away · income $1,250/wk · rent $440/wk

Compare Forrest (ACT)

Frequently Asked Questions About Forrest

What is the population of Forrest ACT?

The population of Forrest ACT is 1,827 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,149 people per km². Forrest is ranked #3,154 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Forrest?

The median personal income in Forrest ACT is $1,816 per week, or $94,432 per year. The median household income is $3,363 per week. Family income is $4,532 per week. Forrest is ranked #28 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Forrest?

Median rent in Forrest ACT is $570 per week ($2,470 per month). Rent represents 16.9% of household income, which is considered affordable. Forrest ranks #315 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Forrest?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Forrest ACT is $2,520. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Forrest?

The median age in Forrest ACT is 47 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Forrest a good suburb to live in?

Forrest is a suburb in Australian Capital Territory with a population of 1,827. The median income is $1,816/wk, which is above the typical ACT suburb ($1,192/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (16.9% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Canberra Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 80057. All dollar figures in AUD.