Forde
Forde stands out for its combination of high household incomes, large homes and rapid regional growth. Its 4,435 residents occupy just 1.97 sq km, creating a density of 2,251.6 people per sq km, while household income sits at the 99.1st percentile, well above the national profile. Housing is strongly family-oriented, with 70.0% of dwellings containing 4 or more bedrooms and 60.2% owned with a mortgage. For buyers comparing Forde with nearby Amaroo and Bonner, the suburb presents a more established mortgage-belt profile than a unit-led market.
Population
4,435
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,553/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Forde suits buyers seeking detached, family-sized housing rather than compact apartments. Separate houses account for 84.9% of dwellings, compared with 1.8% apartments, and 70.0% have 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage commitments average $2,481 per month, while mortgage payments represent 16.1% of income, below the 16.6% rent-to-income share. With 60.2% of households carrying a mortgage and only 16.6% owning outright, purchasing demand is closely tied to established family households. Compared with a higher-density suburb, buyers should allow for greater maintenance and transport costs, then test each property's land, school-zone and renovation prospects.
For Buyers
Forde suits buyers seeking detached, family-sized housing rather than compact apartments. Separate houses account for 84.9% of dwellings, compared with 1.8% apartments, and 70.0% have 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage commitments average $2,481 per month, while mortgage payments represent 16.1% of income, below the 16.6% rent-to-income share. With 60.2% of households carrying a mortgage and only 16.6% owning outright, purchasing demand is closely tied to established family households. Compared with a higher-density suburb, buyers should allow for greater maintenance and transport costs, then test each property's land, school-zone and renovation prospects.
For Investors
Forde has a relatively owner-focused rental market: 23.0% of households rent, lower than the 60.2% mortgage-held share. Weekly rent is $590 and vacancy is 2.5%, giving investors a useful combination of established tenant demand and limited short-term supply. The local employment base is concentrated in public administration, which accounts for 39.7% of jobs, while overseas migration is the primary growth driver. A regional growth trend of 4.13% annually is stronger than a stagnant-market setting, but only 1 development application was recorded in the past 12 months. Investors should prioritise dwelling quality, tenant suitability and ongoing holding costs over speculative redevelopment assumptions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
9
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Forde
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Burgmann Anglican School Forde Campus
Demographics
Forde has a median age of 35, which is 5.0 years below the national figure, although the area's trajectory is gradually aging. University attainment is 57.9%, or 27.8 percentage points above the national level, and 31.9% of residents were born overseas, 10.3 points above the national share. Average household size is 3.2 people, 0.7 above the national figure, while 63.5% of families are couples with children. English is the leading ancestry at 1,209 people, followed by Other at 707, Irish at 374, Chinese at 364 and Indian at 350. Christianity counts 2,054 residents and no religion 1,557, creating a more varied profile than a single-ancestry reading suggests.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.9%
Houses
13.3%
Townhouse
1.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Forde's housing stock is detached and spacious by comparison with apartment-heavy suburbs. Separate houses make up 84.9% of dwellings, versus 1.8% apartments and 13.3% semi-detached homes. Four or more bedrooms account for 70.0% of stock, compared with 22.4% for three-bedroom homes, which helps explain the average household size of 3.2 people. Tenure is mortgage-led: 60.2% of households have a mortgage, compared with 16.6% owning outright and 23.0% renting. Weekly rent is $590 and the average monthly mortgage is $2,481. This structure supports family occupancy, but it also leaves the suburb more exposed to borrowing-cost changes than a higher outright-ownership area.
Mortgage / mo
$2,481
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$590
Census 2021
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,548
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.5%
Unoccupied
36
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
63.5%
Couples with children
25.3%
Couples, no children
10.4%
Single parent
1,222
Total families
Economy & Employment
Forde has a highly educated, full-time employment base centred on government and professional services. Public administration employs 773 people, or 39.7% of workers, followed by professional and technical services at 270 people and 13.9%, education at 201 and 10.3%, healthcare at 185 and 9.5%, and construction at 98 and 5.0%. Professionals number 835 and managers 561, both higher than the local trades count of 185. Labour-force participation is 79.8%, full-time employment is 70.4% and unemployment is 2.7%, supporting household income of $3,553 per week. All four SEIFA measures sit in decile 10, placing Forde above most areas on economic resources and below the national disadvantage profile.
Unemployment
2.7%
Labour Force
2,595
Unemployed
70
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.4%
Part-time
25.6%
Participation
79.8%
Employed
2,525
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.9%
Postgraduate
22.6%
Born Overseas
31.9%
Dwellings
1,370
Transport to Work
Forde is primarily car-oriented: 75.4% of workers drive as car passengers or drivers, compared with 2.6% using public transport and 1.4% walking or cycling. A further 14.6% work from home, which can reduce daily commuting pressure. One local school is Burgmann Anglican School Forde Campus, a non-government school classified as Other; families should check exact enrolment zones and transport routes because school access can cross suburb boundaries. An IRSAD decile of 10 indicates socioeconomic conditions above the national disadvantage profile, while volunteering is 17.4%. For safety decisions, compare current ACT Police incident information and inspect the exact street at different times rather than relying only on suburb-wide impressions.
Drive
75.4%
Public Transport
2.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
14.6%
Population Forecast
+4.13%/yr
(+184 people/yr)
High GrowthForde is classified as high growth, with an annual trend of 4.13% driven primarily by overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 91.3% over 10 years, a stronger expansion signal than a stable-growth setting. At the same time, the shift trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share has risen 3.4 percentage points, while the working share has fallen 3.8 points and the young share has declined 2.8 points. That demographic direction is older than the high-growth label alone suggests. Gentrification has a score of 0 and a stage of Not gentrifying. Rent growth is 13.5%, while real income growth is -0.2%, so growth is being shaped more by migration and housing demand than by rapid income gains.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+50
Net Internal / yr
-78
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Forde compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Forde a good suburb to live in?
Forde suits households wanting large homes, strong incomes and a family setting. Median age is 35, 70.0% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and household income is at the 99.1st percentile, above the national profile. Car dependence is high at 75.4%, so transport preferences matter.
What is the median house price in Forde?
Check recent comparable sales by dwelling type, land size and street before forming a price view. Forde is dominated by separate houses at 84.9%, and 70.0% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, so like-for-like comparisons are more useful than applying a single figure across all properties.
What schools are in Forde?
Burgmann Anglican School Forde Campus is the named local school. It is classified as Other and operates in the non-government sector. Families should confirm enrolment zones, year-level availability and travel times because school access can differ across addresses, while 84.9% of homes are separate houses.
Is Forde safe?
Check current ACT Police incident information and visit the exact street at different times before deciding. Forde has 4,435 residents, so conditions can vary by pocket and a broad suburb impression should not replace an address-level check. Compare recent patterns rather than relying on a single anecdote.
Is Forde good for property investment?
Forde has a 23.0% renter share, $590 weekly rent and a 2.5% vacancy rate, while annual growth is forecast at 4.13%. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver. The suburb recorded 1 development application in 12 months, so investors should focus on tenant appeal and holding costs rather than assuming major redevelopment upside.
How is Forde's population changing?
Growth across the wider area is forecast at 4.13% annually, with overseas migration the primary driver and 91.3% population change over 10 years. The demographic trajectory is Aging: the senior share is up 3.4 percentage points while the young share is down 2.8 points.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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