Urban Centre · Area profile
Forest Hill
6 km²
Walking to a nearby park or public transport stop is a common part of daily life in Forest Hill. This is a young, growing community where the typical resident is just 25 years old. It has seen a huge population jump since 2011 and is now a hub for young adults and families. Many residents are in de facto relationships, and the area is notably diverse, with a strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander presence.
Explore Forest Hill by topic
The area is far younger than the national figure, with 20.6% of people being children under 15. It is also more diverse than most areas, as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population rose to 8.2% by 2021.
Most residents were born in Australia (79.9%), and those with Australian or English ancestry make up the largest groups. The proportion of people born overseas is 10.2%, which is far below the national figure.
English is the main language for 81.3% of the community, though the number of people using another language at home rose to 8.6% since 2011. Very few people speak little or no English (0.8%).
A large portion of the community now reports no religion (42.8%), a figure that rose 27 points since 2011. Christianity is also common at 41.6%.
More than half of residents (52.6%) have completed Year 12, a figure that rose 26 points since 2011. However, the 11.3% with a bachelor degree or higher is far below the state average.
Typical weekly personal income is $922, which is a little above the national figure. While typical household incomes have risen since 2011, only 4.5% of people earn $2,000 or more a week.
The community is generally healthy, with a lower rate of long-term health conditions (24.9%) and a lower need for help with daily activities (4.2%) than most areas.
Forest Hill has a very high proportion of Defence Force veterans at 27.6%. A quarter of the population provides unpaid childcare, though volunteering has fallen since 2011.
Homes are often full, with an average of 2.8 people per household. One-parent families are more common here (19.2%) than in the rest of the state.
Most people live in separate houses, and 87% of homes have three or more bedrooms. Renting is more common here than in most areas, affecting 36.1% of households.
Cars are the primary way to get around, with 45.3% of homes owning two vehicles. Very few people use public transport for commuting (0.2%) or work from home (5.1%).
The population is highly mobile, with 52.4% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals also rose to 15.2% since 2011.
Jobs are strong here, with a very low unemployment rate of 2.4%. Many residents work in public administration and safety (38.5%) or as technicians and tradespeople (25.9%).
Almost everyone lives within a short walk of a park or public transport, though health services are not walkable. The overall walkability score is 4.3, which is well below the state average.