Forest Hill

The area is notably older than the state and national figures, with 21.9% of people aged 65 and over. Its population grew by 7.3% since 2011 to reach 10,780 people, though the proportion of children under 15 has fallen slightly to 16.3%.

Born overseas makes up a much higher share of the population here than in most areas, at 42.4%. This has risen 7.6 points since 2011, with Chinese, English, and Australian being the most common ancestries.

Language diversity is a striking feature, as 42.8% of people use a language other than English at home, which is far above the national figure. This includes significant numbers of Mandarin and Cantonese speakers, and 8.5% of residents speak little or no English.

People with no religion make up 39.9% of the community, a figure that has risen 16 points since 2011. This is about the same as the Victorian average, while 41.5% of residents identify as Christian.

Forest Hill is highly qualified, with 37.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far above the national figure. Year 12 completion is also much higher than most areas at 69.3%.

The typical family income is $2,120 a week, which is about the same as the national figure. While personal income is a little below the state average, 12.4% of people earn $2,000 or more per week.

People needing help with daily activities make up 7.8% of the population, which is much higher than most areas. This is consistent with the community's older age profile.

More people provide unpaid care here than in most areas, at 13.4%. Volunteering has fallen 4.7 points since 2011 and now stands at 14.3%, which is around the middle for similar areas.

A small number of First Nations people live here, and while their median age of 19 is noticeably younger than the national average, 18.2% speak a First Nations language, which is far above the state figure.

The typical home has 2.5 people, similar to the state and national figures. A higher share of people live alone here than in most areas, at 27.5%.

Home ownership is strong, with 38.1% of homes owned outright, well above the national figure. Most homes are large, with 78.3% having three or more bedrooms, though the typical weekly rent of $396 is higher than most areas.

Working from home is very common, with 32.7% of people doing so, a figure far above the national average. The area is well-served by public transport, with 52 stops and high departure rates.

The community is relatively stable, as 32.8% of people moved in the last five years, which is well below the national figure. Recent overseas arrivals make up 11.9% of the population.

Adults working or looking for work make up 57.7% of the population, which is well below the state average. Professionals make up 31.0% of the workforce, and many work in health, professional, or technical fields.

The area has a high overall advantage score of 7, ranking it above 70% of similar areas. This is supported by strong education and job skills, which are higher than in 80% of other areas.

Forest Hill receives 804mm of annual rainfall, which is well above the Victorian average. The average maximum temperature of 20.0 degrees is much lower than in most similar areas.

The suburb is very walkable, with 100% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries, parks, and schools. Almost all homes (99.1%) are also within a 10-minute walk of public transport.