Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Forrest
2 km²
A growing population of 1,827 people defines Forrest, which has seen a 25% increase in residents since 2011. The area is an affluent, professional community where the typical resident is now 47, far older than the national figure. High levels of education and income are a hallmark of the neighbourhood, resulting in a highly advantaged population. This is a settled yet evolving place with a strong presence of seniors and a high proportion of wealthy households.
Forrest's schools draw a community as advantaged as its high household incomes suggest.
Forrest is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
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Residents are far older than those in most other areas, with 22.4% aged 65 and over. This senior population has grown by 7.6 percentage points since 2011, while children under 15 have fallen to 10.9%, which is well below the national figure.
English and Australian ancestry are most common, making up 34.2% and 29.2% of the population respectively. About 25.2% of residents were born overseas, a figure that has risen slightly since 2011.
English is the main language for 77.8% of people, though those using another language at home have risen to 19.4% since 2011. Very few people speak little or no English, at just 0.7%.
People with no religion now make up 41.9% of the community, a jump of 15 percentage points since 2011. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 46.9%.
The community is highly qualified, with 61% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far above the national figure. This is reflected in the 87.2% of residents who completed Year 12, which is among the highest for its level.
Incomes are very high here, with 52.5% of households earning $3,000 or more a week. The typical family income of $4,532 is far above the national figure of $2,120.
The area reports lower rates of mental health conditions than most other areas, at 7.9%. Only 3.2% of people need help with daily activities, which is a little below the national average.
Volunteering is common, with 27% of residents participating, far above the national figure. There is also a high rate of people providing unpaid care at 15.4%.
The First Nations population is small, consisting of 8 people. Those in this group have a typical personal income of $1,875, which is far above the national figure.
Homes are smaller than usual with 2.2 people per home, and 29.4% of people live alone. This is consistent with the high number of couples without children, who make up 41.5% of families.
Apartments and flats are common, making up 46.6% of homes, while detached houses have fallen to 36.5%. Outright home ownership is high at 37.7%, well above the national figure.
Most people drive to work, but 17.9% work from home, which is well above the ACT average. The area is very convenient, with a typical 6-minute drive to the city.
The area is highly mobile, with 53.6% of people moving house in the last five years. This is far above the national figure, though recent overseas arrivals have fallen to 8.0%.
Employment is strong, with 71.4% of people working full-time and an unemployment rate of just 3.0%. Many residents work in public administration and safety, which employs 33% of the workforce.
Forrest is among the most advantaged areas in the country, scoring 10 out of 10 for overall advantage. This is supported by top scores for education and job skills.
The area experiences an average maximum temperature of 21.1 degrees and an annual rainfall of 786mm, which is a little below the ACT figure.
The suburb is very walkable, with 94.3% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a city-style walkshed. Access to health services is especially high, with 89.6% of homes within a short walk of a clinic.