Forest Hill, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Forest Hill NSW is 3,081 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Forest Hill is $932 per week ($48,464 per year). Median rent in Forest Hill is $310 per week ($1,343 per month). Forest Hill has a median age of 25 years, younger than the national median of 38. Forest Hill has a population density of 89 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Forest Hill is Philippines. The most common religion is No religion (41.0% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Vietnamese. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Forest Hill is $1,300.

There were 32 recorded offences in Forest Hill in 2025-26, a rate of 10 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (10 offences).

Population
3,081
Census 2021
Median income
$932/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$310/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
25years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Forest Hill vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Forest Hill is $932 a week, 22% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 516th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $310 a week, $75 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 17.3% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 25, 18 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureForest HillTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$932/wk$765/wk +22%$766/wk
Household income$1,788/wk$1,704/wk +5%$1,637/wk
Rent$310/wk$385/wk −19%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,300/mo$1,965/mo −34%$1,733/mo
Median age2543 −18 yrs42
Rent share of household income17.3%22.6% −5.3 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Forest Hill, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Forest Hill Population

3,081 residents at the 2021 Census.

Forest Hill Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$932/wk
$48,464 per year
Ranked 1,788 of 14,663
Median Rent
$310/wk
$1,343 per month
Ranked 4,328 of 14,663
Median Age
25years
13 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,300/mo
Avg household size: 2.8 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Forest Hill Rent Prices & Affordability

17% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,788/wk
Median rent $310/wk
Rent to income 17.3%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Forest Hill against your income

About $7,748 a month
Median rent $310/wk
Left after rent $1,478/wk
Rent share 17.3%

Forest Hill Schools

1
schools nearby
1
government
941
avg ICSEA score
159
total students
Forest Hill Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 159 students
941
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Forest Hill, with a map

Forest Hill Map

Forest Hill, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Forest Hill

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 54.3% (1,670) Female 45.7% (1,408)

Population Density

89
people per km²
3,081 people · 34.6 km²

Households

2.8
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,031
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

Philippines
1.3%
India
1.3%
England
1.0%
South Africa
0.8%
New Zealand
0.7%
Vietnam
0.6%
Nepal
0.6%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Vietnamese
0.7%
Punjabi
0.6%
Tagalog
0.6%
Nepali
0.6%
Hindi
0.4%
Spanish
0.4%
Greek
0.3%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Australian
41.4%
English
35.7%
Scottish
9.1%
Irish
8.9%
Australian Aboriginal
8.0%
German
4.2%
Italian
2.4%
Dutch
1.8%
Filipino
1.8%
Indian
1.3%
Chinese
0.9%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
41.0%
Catholic
18.8%
Anglican
12.4%
Not stated
10.7%
Uniting Church
2.7%
Christian (other)
2.7%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.3%
Hinduism
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

8.1%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
33.7% 814
Separated
3.4% 82
Divorced
5.9% 142
Widowed
2.3% 56
Never married
54.7% 1,323

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
52.1%
Couple: no children
18.3%
One parent: children under 15
12.8%
Couple: no children under 15
11.7%
One parent: no children under 15
5.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
19.5%
2 persons
30.5%
3 persons
18.4%
4 persons
20.1%
5 persons
6.7%
6+ persons
4.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Forest Hill

Housing Tenure

Of the 831 occupied private dwellings in Forest Hill at the 2021 Census, 35.5% were rented, 17.8% owned outright and 45.0% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.0% 8 dwellings
Owned outright
17.8% 148 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
45.0% 374 dwellings
Rented
35.5% 295 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.1% 9 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
98.9%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
2.7%
2 bedrooms
10.2%
3 bedrooms
44.3%
4 bedrooms
38.5%
5 bedrooms
3.7%
6+ bedrooms
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
2.6%
$300-$449/mo
1.7%
$450-$599/mo
1.4%
$600-$799/mo
7.2%
$800-$999/mo
11.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
32.1%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
26.0%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
14.2%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
2.0%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
2.6%
1 vehicle
32.3%
2 vehicles
45.6%
3 vehicles
13.2%
4+ vehicles
6.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Forest Hill

Employment

Employed full-time
57.9% 1,179 people
Employed part-time
19.0% 388 people
Unemployed
2.1% 43 people
Not in labour force
21.0% 427 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Community & Personal Service
24.8%
Technicians & Trade Workers
24.6%
Professionals
17.8%
Managers
9.3%
Clerical & Administrative
8.8%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
5.1%
Sales Workers
5.0%
Labourers
4.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
0.9%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
0.4%
$300-$399/wk
1.4%
$400-$499/wk
3.5%
$500-$649/wk
3.8%
$650-$799/wk
5.2%
$800-$999/wk
7.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
10.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
8.3%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
17.1%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
11.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.8%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.0%
$4,000+/wk
4.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.1%
$1-$149/wk
2.8%
$150-$299/wk
2.9%
$300-$399/wk
2.4%
$400-$499/wk
2.1%
$500-$649/wk
2.6%
$650-$799/wk
10.4%
$800-$999/wk
18.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
18.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
10.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.9%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
5.7%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.6%
$3,500+/wk
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
57.0%
Walked only
23.4%
Did not go to work
8.9%
Car (passenger)
5.1%
Other
3.2%
Truck
0.8%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.7%
Bicycle
0.3%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.3%
Bus
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
62.4%
Year 10 or equivalent
24.4%
Year 11 or equivalent
8.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
5.1%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
51.1%
Bachelor Degree
19.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
19.2%
Certificate I/II
4.1%
Postgraduate Degree
3.4%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Engineering
25.7%
Management & Commerce
20.5%
Society & Culture
15.0%
Health
10.5%
Education
8.2%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
6.4%
Architecture & Building
4.6%
Creative Arts
3.8%
Agriculture & Environment
2.6%
Information Technology
1.9%
Natural & Physical Sciences
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
29.2%
Vocational Education
23.6%
Secondary: Government
18.7%
Pre-school
11.6%
Primary: Catholic
4.7%
Secondary: Catholic
4.4%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
4.0%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
87.0%
Has need for assistance
4.0%
Need for assistance not stated
9.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
285
Asthma
149
Arthritis
72
Diabetes
52
Lung condition
44
Heart disease
25
Cancer
22
Kidney disease
19
Stroke
18

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
10.5% 221
Did not provide
89.5% 1,893

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
12.0% 254
Not a volunteer
88.0% 1,862

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
25.5% 545
Current ADF: Reserves
0.9% 19
Previously served
3.5% 74
Never served
70.1% 1,499

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
38.2%
1 child
12.3%
2 children
26.1%
3 children
14.0%
4 children
6.5%
5+ children
2.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

1951: 1960
4
1961: 1970
20
1971: 1980
15
1981: 1990
12
1991: 2000
18
2001: 2010
110
2011: 2015
79
2016
10
2017
14
2018
14
2019
12
2020
11

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

29.7%
moved in the last year
61.4%
moved in the last 5 years
2.6%
unemployment rate (Census)
70.7%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,929
Moved from NSW
338
Moved from QLD
181
Moved: same area (SA2)
100
Moved from VIC
58
Moved from SA
45
Moved from WA
27
Moved from NT
23
Moved from ACT
16
Moved from overseas
10
Moved from TAS
8

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
20.0%
5: 14 hours
25.8%
15: 29 hours
10.6%
30+ hours
8.5%
Did not do domestic work
35.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
79.5%
Step family: no other children
10.7%
Blended family: no other children
8.9%
Other couple: children only
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Forest Hill Crime Statistics

32 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
10
Assault
6
Property Damage
5
Other Against Property
5
Sexual Offences
4
Robbery
1
Other Against Person
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Forest Hill

The closest suburb to Forest Hill is Lake Albert (NSW), 7.5 km away.

Lake Albert (NSW)
7.5 km away · income $907/wk · rent $340/wk
Kooringal (NSW)
8.4 km away · income $777/wk · rent $270/wk
Turvey Park
9.8 km away · income $912/wk · rent $338/wk
Mount Austin
10.0 km away · income $612/wk · rent $250/wk
Tatton
10.1 km away · income $1,009/wk · rent $385/wk
Wagga Wagga
10.3 km away · income $819/wk · rent $295/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Forest Hill

What is the population of Forest Hill NSW?

The population of Forest Hill NSW is 3,081 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 89 people per km². Forest Hill is ranked #2,365 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Forest Hill?

The median personal income in Forest Hill NSW is $932 per week, or $48,464 per year. The median household income is $1,788 per week. Family income is $2,031 per week. Forest Hill is ranked #1,788 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Forest Hill?

Median rent in Forest Hill NSW is $310 per week ($1,343 per month). Rent represents 17.3% of household income, which is considered affordable. Forest Hill ranks #4,328 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Forest Hill?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Forest Hill NSW is $1,300. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Forest Hill?

The median age in Forest Hill NSW is 25 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Forest Hill a good suburb to live in?

Forest Hill is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 3,081. The median income is $932/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (17.3% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 11547. All dollar figures in AUD.