Council (LGA) · Area profile
Forbes
4,710 km²
Spanning over 4,700 square kilometres of the New South Wales interior, Forbes is a rural hub with a notable First Nations presence. It is an older community than the national average, where a high proportion of residents are seniors and many live in large, detached family homes. While the population has grown slightly since 2011, the area remains largely traditional and stable, with very few overseas arrivals and a strong tie to the land. This creates a community where most people are born in Australia and speak only English at home.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 13.3% of the population, which is far above the national figure of 3.2%. The community is noticeably older than most, with the typical resident aged 42 and 23.1% of people aged 65 and over.
The area is very traditional in its origins, with 86.6% of people born in Australia and only 4.3% born overseas, which is far below the state and national averages.
English is the dominant language, spoken by 89.7% of residents. Only 2.1% of people use another language at home, and almost everyone speaks English well.
Christianity is the primary faith for 64.5% of residents. While the number of people with no religion has risen by 15 points since 2011, the 25.5% total remains far below the national figure.
Education levels are lower than the state average, with only 37.5% of people completing Year 12 and 12.4% holding a bachelor degree or higher.
Typical weekly family incomes are $1,691, which is well below the national figure of $2,120. However, the number of households earning $3,000 or more per week rose by 10 points since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 32% of residents. Arthritis is the most reported condition, followed by mental health and asthma.
The community is active in volunteering, with 18.5% of people helping out, which is well above the national average of 14.1%.
There are 1,236 First Nations people in the area. The unemployment rate for this group is 8.2%, which is well below the national figure of 12.3%.
Homes are often occupied by single people, with 31.3% of residents living alone. One-parent families are also much more common here than in most other areas.
The landscape is dominated by separate houses, which make up 89.6% of all dwellings. Renting is less common than the national average, and typical weekly rent is far lower at $230.
Most people rely on cars to get to work, with only 0.5% using public transport. Working from home is also far less common than in the rest of the state.
The population is relatively stable, as fewer people have moved in the last five years compared to most other Australian areas.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the largest employer at 17.6%. Full-time employment is higher than the national average, and the unemployment rate is lower at 3.8%.
The area sits around the middle for overall advantage compared to other similar regions, though population growth has fallen slightly since 2021.
The climate is typical for the region, though average minimum temperatures are much lower than in most other areas.
Recorded offences are much higher than in most areas, with particularly high rates of motor vehicle theft, burglary, and drug offences.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.9. Far fewer homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, health services, or schools compared to the state average.