Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Forbes
884 km²
A strong First Nations presence sets Forbes apart from the rest of the state, with 14.6% of the population identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. This community is noticeably older than the national average, though it remains larger than most similar areas. It is a place where traditional Australian roots are deep and overseas arrivals are few. The town feels residential and family-oriented, with a high proportion of detached houses and a steady full-time workforce.
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The population is older than the national figure, with 24% of residents aged 65 and over. Children under 15 make up 19.5% of the community, which is higher than in most other similar areas.
The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 86.7% born here. Only 4.3% of people were born overseas, a figure far below the New South Wales and national averages.
English is the primary language for nearly 90% of the community. Very few people use another language at home (2.2%), which is far below the state and national figures.
Christianity is the dominant faith at 64.2%. Those reporting no religion make up 25.9% of the population, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.
Education levels are lower than most areas, with only 11.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Just 36.5% of residents completed Year 12, far below the national figure of 58.8%.
Typical weekly household incomes are $1,221, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. About 13.2% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, placing the area around the middle for its level.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 33.1% of people. This includes a higher rate of mental health conditions (9.6%) compared to the state average.
Volunteering is strong, with 17.7% of people contributing their time, which is well above the national figure. Unpaid care for children is around the middle for similar areas at 25%.
The First Nations community is large, with 1,195 people. Year 12 completion is much lower than most areas at 28.6%, while the unemployment rate is 8.5%, which is a little below the state average.
Single-person households are very common at 32.1%, well above the national figure. One-parent families make up 18.3% of the population, which is much higher than in most similar areas.
Separate houses dominate the landscape at 88.6%, far above the national figure. While 37.2% of homes are owned outright, typical weekly rents are just $230, far below the national average.
Cars are the primary way to get around, as only 0.4% of people use public transport to commute. Working from home is also much lower than in most areas, at just 8%.
About 33.1% of residents moved in the last five years, which is well below the national figure. Interestingly, recent arrivals from overseas make up 15.2% of the population.
Full-time employment is high at 62.6%, well above the national average. The most common industries for workers are health care, education, and agriculture.
The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.5. Many homes are far from basic needs, as only 39.8% are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.