Forbes · Statistical Area 2 (SA2)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A gap of 6.8 percentage points separates the population growth in Forbes from the New South Wales average. This region struggles with a lower overall advantage score of 940, which is smaller than about 74% of similar areas. While it supports a healthy number of local businesses, overall economic resources remain limited.
All statistical area 2 (sa2) areas, 2021. The marker is Forbes — lower than 71% of areas.
| Forbes | 3 |
|---|---|
| 2871, NSW | 3 |
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
Residents face a lack of access to money and job skills, with education and resources both scoring lower than about 70% of similar areas. This is reflected in an overall advantage score of 3, which is smaller than most other areas.
3
Lower than 71% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% most disadvantaged areas in Australia, 10 = among the 10% most advantaged. IRSAD summarises both advantage and disadvantage, so a high score reflects relatively many high-income, well-educated households and few low-income, low-skill ones.
3
Lower than 71% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% most disadvantaged areas in Australia, 10 = among the least disadvantaged. IRSD focuses on disadvantage alone (low income, low education, unemployment, unskilled occupations), so a higher decile means relatively less disadvantage.
4
Lower than 64% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Economic Resources, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% lowest areas for economic resources in Australia, 10 = among the highest. IER reflects the income, housing costs, dwelling size and assets of households, so a higher decile means relatively greater economic resources.
3
Lower than 71% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Education and Occupation, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% lowest areas for education and occupation in Australia, 10 = among the highest. IEO reflects residents' qualifications and the skill level of their jobs, so a higher decile means a more highly educated and skilled workforce.
940
Lower than 74% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, 2021, as a raw index score (standardised so the Australian average is about 1000). Higher scores indicate relatively greater advantage; lower scores greater disadvantage.
Annual population estimates and change since the census.
The population of 10,019 has shrunk by 0.7% since 2021. This decline is among the lowest for similar areas and is well below the 6.1% growth seen across New South Wales.
10,019
Lower than 52% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
-0.7%
Lower than 91% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
Despite slower growth and lower advantage, the area remains a hub for local trade with 1,305 businesses, a figure larger than about 70% of similar areas.
1,305
Higher than 70% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Forbes [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/103021065/forbes/topic/economy-advantage
