Forestville
Household income at the 92nd percentile ($2,507/week) and university qualifications at 51.4% (21.3 points above national) place Forestville firmly in Sydney's Northern Beaches elite. All four SEIFA indices sit at decile 10, the maximum possible. The $2,320,000 median house price rose 7.0% from $2,255,000 to $2,412,500 in one year. Despite the premium pricing, 92 development applications in 12 months show an active renovation and rebuild pipeline, not unusual when individual lot values justify demolish-and-rebuild economics.
Population
8,659
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,507/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
95
Median House
$2.3M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $2,320,000 median (PSI-derived) climbed 7.0% from $2,255,000 in 2024 to $2,412,500 in 2025. Detached houses at 80.4% dominate, with 4+ bedrooms at 48.5% and 3-bedrooms at 31.7%. Monthly mortgage of $3,250 produces a 29.9% mortgage-to-income ratio, near the stress boundary even at 92nd-percentile incomes. Semi-detached at 13.1% and apartments at 6.5% offer more affordable entry points. The 83.8% residential stability (lowest turnover in this section) indicates owners hold long-term. Schools are exceptional: all 3 score ICSEA above 1,140, well above the 1,000 national average.
For Buyers
The $2,320,000 median (PSI-derived) climbed 7.0% from $2,255,000 in 2024 to $2,412,500 in 2025. Detached houses at 80.4% dominate, with 4+ bedrooms at 48.5% and 3-bedrooms at 31.7%. Monthly mortgage of $3,250 produces a 29.9% mortgage-to-income ratio, near the stress boundary even at 92nd-percentile incomes. Semi-detached at 13.1% and apartments at 6.5% offer more affordable entry points. The 83.8% residential stability (lowest turnover in this section) indicates owners hold long-term. Schools are exceptional: all 3 score ICSEA above 1,140, well above the 1,000 national average.
For Investors
The 20.4% renter share provides a moderate tenant pool, with weekly rent at $650. Gross yield is roughly 1.5% ($650 on $2,320,000), typical of prestige Northern Beaches where capital growth, not yield, drives returns. The 4.9% vacancy rate is manageable. With 92 DAs in 12 months, most activity is demolish-rebuild and alterations rather than new supply that would dilute the market. Population turnover at 16.2% is very low, meaning rental stock turns over infrequently. Overseas migration is the primary driver of new arrivals, but the established-wealth profile limits large-scale investor play.
Development Activity
Total DAs
423
Last 12 Months
95
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+17.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Forestville iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Forestville Montessori School
K-6 · 49 students
Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 282 students
Forestville Public School
K-6 · 462 students
Demographics
University qualifications at 51.4% are 21.3 points above national, consistent with all SEIFA indices at decile 10. English ancestry dominates (3,012), with Chinese (760) as the largest non-European group. Born-overseas at 33.2% sits 11.6 points above national. Cantonese (138) and Mandarin (100) are the top non-English languages, followed by French (97) and Japanese (54), reflecting an affluent international mix. The median age of 43 is 3 years above national, and average household size of 2.9 indicates family-dominant composition. Professionals (1,282) and Managers (851) make up 59% of workers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.4%
Houses
13.1%
Townhouse
6.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Owned outright at 41.1% and mortgaged at 38.5% account for 79.6% of tenure, both above national averages. The median house price rose from $2,255,000 to $2,412,500 over the latest year (7.0% growth). Detached homes at 80.4% define the streetscape, with semi-detached (13.1%) providing some medium-density stock. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.9% approaches stress at 92nd-percentile incomes ($2,507/week), reflecting just how high Northern Beaches prices have climbed. Rent-to-income at 25.9% is moderate. IRSAD decile 10 confirms this is among the most advantaged suburbs nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,250
Rent / wk
$650
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$936
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.9%
Unoccupied
149
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.2%
Couples, no children
7,467
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional/Tech (16.8%, 502 workers) leads employment, followed by Healthcare (14.1%, 421), Education (12.3%, 367) and Finance (10.1%, 302). This white-collar concentration is consistent with the 51.4% university qualification rate. Construction at 8.4% reflects the active renovation market. Professionals (1,282) and Managers (851) together comprise 59% of occupations, higher than even most premium suburbs. Full-time rate at 62.5% is average, with the participation rate of 54.8% dragged lower by the 2,434 not-in-labour-force (likely including wealthy retirees and stay-at-home parents). Unemployment at 3.5% is below national.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.5%
Part-time
34.0%
Participation
54.8%
Employed
3,620
Occupations
Top Industries
University
51.4%
Postgraduate
14.3%
Born Overseas
33.2%
Dwellings
2,893
Transport to Work
Three schools score exceptionally: Forestville Montessori (Independent, ICSEA 1,171, 49 students), Our Lady of Good Counsel (Catholic, ICSEA 1,145, 282 students) and Forestville Public School (Government, ICSEA 1,141, 462 students). All three exceed the national benchmark by 141+ points, placing them in the top tier nationally. Public transport at 6.4% with 83.2% driving is typical for non-rail Northern Beaches suburbs. Walking/cycling at 4.2% is above average. Need-for-assistance at 4.6% and volunteering at 20.0% reflect a well-resourced community.
Drive
83.2%
Public Transport
6.4%
Walk / Cycle
4.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Forestville compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Forestville a good suburb to live in?
Forestville ranks at SEIFA decile 10 across all four indices, the highest possible. University qualifications at 51.4% are 21.3 points above national. All 3 schools score ICSEA above 1,140. The tradeoff is the $2,320,000 median and near-stress mortgage ratios (29.9%) even at 92nd-percentile incomes.
What is the median house price in Forestville?
The median house price is $2,320,000 (PSI-derived, 2024-2025), rising from $2,255,000 to $2,412,500, a 7.0% increase. Monthly mortgage of $3,250 produces a 29.9% mortgage-to-income ratio. Weekly rent sits at $650. The market is dominated by detached houses (80.4%) with 4+ bedrooms (48.5%).
What schools are in Forestville?
Forestville has 3 schools, all scoring exceptionally. Forestville Montessori (Independent, ICSEA 1,171, 49 students) leads, 171 points above benchmark. Our Lady of Good Counsel (Catholic, ICSEA 1,145, 282 students) and Forestville Public School (Government, ICSEA 1,141, 462 students) follow closely.
Is Forestville safe?
Crime data is not available for Forestville in the current dataset. However, all 4 SEIFA indices at decile 10 indicate the lowest possible disadvantage. Unemployment at 3.5% is below national, and the need-for-assistance rate of 4.6% is moderate. These indicators correlate with below-average crime nationally.
Is Forestville good for property investment?
Gross yield is approximately 1.5% ($650/week on $2,320,000), typical of premium Sydney suburbs where capital growth drives returns. The 7.0% price increase over one year is strong. With 92 DAs in 12 months (mostly renovations), the market is active. The 20.4% renter share provides a moderate tenant pool.
How is Forestville's population changing?
Forestville is demographically stable with 83.8% residential stability, the highest in this analysis. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, with 33.2% born overseas. The established-wealth profile (IRSAD decile 10) has been entrenched for years. The 92 DAs reflect property upgrades rather than population expansion.
What languages are spoken in Forestville?
With 33.2% born overseas (11.6 points above national), Forestville has a cosmopolitan but primarily English-speaking profile. Cantonese (138 speakers) and Mandarin (100) lead non-English languages. French (97) and Japanese (54) reflect an affluent international mix. Chinese ancestry (760) is the largest non-European group.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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