Forest Hill
Public administration accounts for 34.0% of local industry employment, an unusually strong concentration that reflects Forest Hill's role within the Wagga Wagga area. Its 3,081 residents have a median age of 25, which is 15 years below the national average, while 89.9% of dwellings are separate houses. For buyers comparing Forest Hill with Wagga Wagga, the 45.3% mortgage tenure share and 42.8% proportion of four-bedroom-plus homes point to a young mortgage-belt market rather than an apartment-led one. Household income of $1,788 per week sits at the 63.3 percentile. Forecast growth is established and slow at 0.41% annually, with overseas migration the primary driver.
Local council: Wagga Wagga
Population
3,081
Median Age
25.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,788/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
50
Homebuyers will find a detached-house market shaped by larger households and a strong mortgage presence. Separate houses account for 89.9% of dwellings, while 42.8% have four or more bedrooms and 44.3% have three bedrooms, giving families more choice than in apartment-heavy areas. The stated monthly mortgage figure is $1,300, with mortgage costs equal to 16.8% of income, below the 17.3% rent-to-income measure. A mortgage share of 45.3% is higher than the 35.8% renting share, suggesting established owner demand. Average household size is 2.8 people, 0.3 above the national average, because couples with children make up 49.8% of families.
For Buyers
Homebuyers will find a detached-house market shaped by larger households and a strong mortgage presence. Separate houses account for 89.9% of dwellings, while 42.8% have four or more bedrooms and 44.3% have three bedrooms, giving families more choice than in apartment-heavy areas. The stated monthly mortgage figure is $1,300, with mortgage costs equal to 16.8% of income, below the 17.3% rent-to-income measure. A mortgage share of 45.3% is higher than the 35.8% renting share, suggesting established owner demand. Average household size is 2.8 people, 0.3 above the national average, because couples with children make up 49.8% of families.
For Investors
Forest Hill presents a moderate rental opportunity rather than a tight, high-pressure market. Weekly rent is $310 and vacancy is 6.3%, so investors should allow for more leasing competition than in lower-vacancy locations. Renting accounts for 35.8% of households, below the 45.3% mortgage share, which indicates that owner-occupiers remain the larger tenure group. Development activity reached 56 matters over 12 months, including new houses and a two-dwelling dual-occupancy example, creating a need to monitor future supply. Rent growth of 27.3% is higher than the 0.41% annual growth trend, while overseas migration is the primary forecast driver. Gentrification remains at an early-signs stage with a score of 20.
Development Activity
Total DAs
181
Last 12 Months
50
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+4.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Forest Hill
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Forest Hill has a distinctly young population, with a median age of 25, or 15 years below the national average. University attainment is 17.3%, which is 12.8 percentage points below the national figure, and 11.8% of residents were born overseas, 9.8 points below the national comparison. English ancestry is reported by 1,101 people, followed by Scottish ancestry at 279 and Irish ancestry at 275. Christianity accounts for 1,345 residents and no religion for 1,264, while Punjabi is recorded by 12 people. The 54.2% male share and 43.6% turnover rate suggest a mobile resident base, although 56.4% stayed at the same address, helping explain the mix of young workers and longer-term households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.9%
Houses
1.0%
Townhouse
7.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached, with separate houses representing 89.9% of dwellings, higher than the 7.9% apartment share and well above the 1.0% semi-detached share. The most common formats are three-bedroom homes at 44.3% and four-bedroom-plus homes at 42.8%, so Forest Hill is more suited to space-seeking households than compact-unit buyers. Tenure is led by mortgages at 45.3%, followed by renting at 35.8% and outright ownership at 17.9%. Mortgage costs equal 16.8% of income, below the 17.3% rent-to-income figure, and neither tenure group is flagged for stress. This combination supports a conventional mortgage-belt profile because larger dwellings attract households averaging 2.8 people.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $310.
$535
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $545
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$932
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.3%
Unoccupied
56
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
49.8%
Couples with children
29.3%
Couples, no children
19.3%
Single parent
658
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration is the dominant industry at 34.0%, representing 329 people, followed by healthcare at 16.0% and 155 people. Education contributes 6.9%, construction 6.2% and manufacturing 5.9%, giving the local economy a public-sector and essential-services base with additional trade and production work. Labour-force participation is 70.4%, unemployment is 2.5%, and 71.0% of employed residents work full time, or 1,181 people compared with 386 part-time workers. The SEIFA pattern is uneven: education and occupation ranks in decile 8, above economic resources in decile 5, while IRSAD is decile 7 and disadvantage is decile 6. That gap may reflect solid public-sector occupations without uniformly high household resources.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
1,706
Unemployed
43
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
71.0%
Part-time
23.2%
Participation
70.4%
Employed
1,663
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.3%
Postgraduate
2.8%
Born Overseas
11.8%
Dwellings
831
Transport to Work
Daily travel is strongly car-oriented: 62.3% of residents drive, compared with only 0.2% using public transport. Walking or cycling accounts for 25.9% and working from home for 6.0%, so local errands may be practical without a car, but longer trips are likely to depend on driving. One local government primary school is identified, providing basic primary access; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can affect eligibility. Forest Hill's IRSAD decile is 7, above its IRSD decile of 6, while education and occupation reaches decile 8 and economic resources sits at decile 5. This mixed profile suggests reasonable amenity and workforce capacity, but safety decisions should still use current police incident information and an on-site visit.
Drive
62.3%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
25.9%
Work from Home
6.0%
Growth Outlook
Forest Hill follows an established, Stable growth trajectory rather than a rapid expansion cycle. The annual forecast trend is 0.41%, while population change across the wider area is 7.2% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, which can gradually refresh the resident base even as the young share has declined by 0.9 points and the senior share has increased by 0.1 points. Rent growth of 27.3% is higher than the 0.41% annual trend, putting housing costs under more pressure than population growth alone would suggest. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with scores of 20 and 24 across the two measures. The area also recovered from a 3.0% COVID dip, with 2.9% recovery recorded.
Population trend: Wagga Wagga council area
Forest Hill sits in the Wagga Wagga council area. These are the council area's residents, not Forest Hill's.
Residents 2025
69,108
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.5%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.0%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Forest Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Forest Hill a good suburb to live in?
Forest Hill can suit households wanting detached homes, practical local living and access to the Wagga Wagga area. The median age is 25, 89.9% of dwellings are separate houses and 25.9% of residents walk or cycle. Car dependence is high at 62.3%, so transport needs should be considered.
What is the median house price in Forest Hill?
Check recent comparable sales to establish the current median. Forest Hill is 89.9% separate houses, with 44.3% three-bedroom and 42.8% four-bedroom-plus homes, so dwelling size and condition can materially affect the result. The weekly rent figure is $310, but that is not a house-price measure.
What schools are in Forest Hill?
Forest Hill has one identified local school, Forest Hill Public School, a government primary school. Families should confirm the enrolment zone and current intake arrangements before signing a lease or contract. Average household size is 2.8 people, which supports demand from both families and shared households.
Is Forest Hill safe?
Use current police incident information, recent local reports and an address visit when assessing safety. Forest Hill has 3,081 residents across 34.62 square kilometres, but safety can vary by street, activity and time of day. A direct inspection is especially useful for checking lighting, access and surrounding activity.
Is Forest Hill good for property investment?
It may suit investors seeking a regional rental market with moderate tenant demand. Weekly rent is $310, vacancy is 6.3% and 35.8% of households rent. There were 56 development matters over 12 months, while rent growth reached 27.3%. Those figures support demand, but vacancy and new supply need monitoring.
How is Forest Hill's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 7.2% over 10 years, with a forecast annual trend of 0.41%. Overseas migration is the primary driver and the trajectory is Stable. The young share has fallen 0.9 points, while the senior share has risen 0.1 points, indicating gradual demographic change rather than rapid turnover.
What development is occurring in Forest Hill?
Development activity includes new dwelling houses, demolition and replacement work, and a dual-occupancy example involving 2 dwellings. The total reached 56 matters over 12 months. This level of activity is worth tracking because additional detached homes can improve choice while also adding competition for established rentals.
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).
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