Urban Centre · Area profile
Forth
1 km²
An aging population defines Forth, where the typical resident is now 45 and the number of seniors has risen sharply since 2011. This small community of 398 people is increasingly a place of established homeowners and high qualifications, with many adults holding university degrees. While the population has shrunk slightly over the last decade, it has become more diverse through a significant increase in recent overseas arrivals. The area is almost entirely made up of detached houses and car-dependent households.
Explore Forth by topic
The community is noticeably older than the state and national figures, with one in four residents now aged 65 or over. This shift is reflected in a shrinking population, which fell by about 63 people since 2011.
While most residents were born in Australia, there has been a sharp increase in people born overseas, which rose to 14.8% by 2021. English and Australian ancestries remain the most common.
English is the primary language for 91.2% of the community. Those using another language at home make up 4.3%, which is well below the Tasmanian average.
A majority of residents now report no religion, a figure that rose 15 points since 2011 to reach 52.5%. This is far above the national figure.
The area is highly qualified, with 27.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Over half of residents completed Year 12, which is well above the state average.
Incomes are generally higher than the state average, with typical weekly family earnings of $1,924. About 18.2% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, a figure that has risen since 2011.
Residents are less likely to need help with daily activities than most other areas. However, 32.2% live with a long-term health condition, which is well above the national average.
Unpaid work is common here, with 29.6% of people doing 15 or more hours of housework weekly. This is well above both state and national figures.
Family sizes are slightly larger than usual, with 2.4 people per home. One-parent families are much less common here than in other areas, making up only 8.4% of households.
Housing is almost exclusively separate houses, with 47.4% owned outright—far above the national figure. Renting is very rare, accounting for only 9.7% of homes.
The area is entirely dependent on cars, as every single home has at least one motor vehicle. No one in the community commutes by public transport.
Movement into the area has been striking, with 35.6% of residents being recent arrivals from overseas. This is far above the state and national averages.
More adults are working or looking for work here than in most similar areas. The local workforce is concentrated in health care, retail, and education.
The area is mostly car-dependent, as there are no grocery stores, parks, or health services within a 15-minute walk. Only schools are relatively accessible.