Forestville
Forestville packs 1,400 residents into 0.56 square kilometres, producing a density of 2,496.4 people per square kilometre in a compact inner-south setting. Its most distinctive profile is highly educated but slow-growing: 54.4% have university qualifications, 24.3 percentage points above the national comparison, while annual growth is 0.37%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, yet the trajectory is labelled "Declining young". Housing is mixed, with 53.6% separate houses, 26.1% semi-detached dwellings and 20.2% apartments. Compared with nearby Goodwood and Clarence Park, Forestville’s small footprint makes dwelling type, parking and street-level access especially important.
Local council: Unley
Population
1,400
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,981/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
18
Forestville suits buyers who value a compact, established address and varied dwelling formats. Separate houses account for 53.6%, semi-detached homes 26.1% and apartments 20.2%; 2-bedroom dwellings lead at 44.2%, above the 37.9% share of 3-bedroom homes. This broadens entry points, but buyers should compare like with like because maintenance, parking and resale considerations differ by format. Mortgage costs are $1,733 per month, equal to 20.2% of household income, and mortgage stress is not flagged. Compared with nearby Goodwood and Clarence Park, inspect the individual street and property carefully. Rent is $340 a week, useful for testing affordability before committing.
For Buyers
Forestville suits buyers who value a compact, established address and varied dwelling formats. Separate houses account for 53.6%, semi-detached homes 26.1% and apartments 20.2%; 2-bedroom dwellings lead at 44.2%, above the 37.9% share of 3-bedroom homes. This broadens entry points, but buyers should compare like with like because maintenance, parking and resale considerations differ by format. Mortgage costs are $1,733 per month, equal to 20.2% of household income, and mortgage stress is not flagged. Compared with nearby Goodwood and Clarence Park, inspect the individual street and property carefully. Rent is $340 a week, useful for testing affordability before committing.
For Investors
Forestville has a renter base of 32.2%, weekly rent of $340 and vacancy of 5.5%, giving investors an established-market rental profile. The dwelling mix supports different tenant segments: 2-bedroom homes account for 44.2%, compared with 37.9% for 3-bedroom homes, while apartments make up 20.2%. Rent growth is 30.9%, far higher than the 0.37% annual population trend, so recent rental momentum should not be treated as a guarantee of capital growth. Sixteen development applications in 12 months indicate ongoing small-scale change rather than a large pipeline. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver. Compared with a high-growth strategy, assess purchase price, dwelling quality, vacancy risk and tenant demand carefully because no suburb median sale price is available.
Development Activity
Total DAs
159
Last 12 Months
18
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-69.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Forestville has a median age of 39, one year below the national comparison, and an average household size of 2.3 people, 0.2 below the national figure. That points to a compact household structure because couples without children represent 41.7% of families, compared with 40.6% for couples with children; one-parent families account for 15.6%. University attainment is a major differentiator at 54.4%, or 24.3 percentage points above the national comparison. English, Scottish, German and Irish are the leading named ancestries, while Greek is the most common listed non-English language at 37 speakers, followed by Italian at 15 and Mandarin at 12. Residential stability is also notable: 78.0% stayed at the same address, versus a 22.0% turnover rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
53.6%
Houses
26.1%
Townhouse
20.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Forestville’s housing market is defined more by tenure and dwelling variety than by a single house-price benchmark. Ownership is split between 30.2% owned outright and 35.9% with a mortgage, while 32.2% rent. Separate houses make up 53.6%, but semi-detached dwellings at 26.1% and apartments at 20.2% create a meaningful attached-home segment. Two-bedroom homes are the largest category at 44.2%, higher than 3-bedroom homes at 37.9%; 14.9% have 4 or more bedrooms and 3.0% have 0 or 1 bedroom. Mortgage repayments of $1,733 monthly equal 20.2% of household income, compared with a rent-to-income measure of 17.2%; neither stress flag is raised. A current median house price is not available, so buyers should compare recent sales by dwelling type and bedroom count.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$340
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,042
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.5%
Unoccupied
35
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.6%
Couples with children
41.7%
Couples, no children
15.6%
Single parent
379
Total families
Economy & Employment
Forestville’s economic profile is professional and service-led. Healthcare is the largest industry at 22.9% with 153 workers, followed by Education at 14.2% and 95, Professional/Tech at 11.5% and 77, Public Administration at 11.2% and 75, and Construction at 4.9% and 33. This concentration helps explain the high qualification level: 54.4% have university qualifications, 24.3 percentage points above the national comparison, while household income sits at the 74.4th percentile. Labour participation is 71.7%, unemployment is 3.7% and full-time work is 59.9%, supporting a strong employment base. Compared within the occupation mix, Professionals number 331, above Managers at 109 and Clerical/Admin at 96. Only 15.0% work from home, while 58.2% drive, so commuting remains important.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
849
Unemployed
31
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.9%
Part-time
34.7%
Participation
71.7%
Employed
818
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
54.4%
Postgraduate
16.5%
Born Overseas
23.8%
Dwellings
593
Transport to Work
Forestville’s livability case rests on compact access and a settled residential base, not on a large suburban footprint. The suburb covers 0.56 square kilometres and has a density of 2,496.4 people per square kilometre, so daily trips may be shorter than in lower-density districts, although parking and traffic can matter more. Public transport is used by 13.3% of residents, 58.2% drive, 10.6% walk or cycle and 15.0% work from home, giving households different travel patterns. Families should check enrolment zones, nearby primary and secondary options, sector, year levels and travel times against the exact address. Compared with the raw total of 72 recorded offences, the rate of 51.4 per 1,000 residents gives more useful safety context. Volunteering is 22.3%, adding a local participation signal.
Drive
58.2%
Public Transport
13.3%
Walk / Cycle
10.6%
Work from Home
15.0%
Growth Outlook
Forestville is an established, slow-growth suburb: the annual trend is 0.37%, while population change across the wider area runs at 7.1% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, which may refresh demand without producing the rapid household turnover associated with a new estate. The shift trajectory is labelled "Declining young", with the young share down 2.1 percentage points and the working share down 0.5 points. Real income growth is 13.9% and rent growth is 30.9%, while the affordability trend is labelled "Improving", with indicators of 79.0 in 2011 and 73.8 in 2021. The gentrification forecast stage is "Not gentrifying" with a score of 0, while a separate shift indicator records "Early signs" and 32. Compared with a high-growth corridor, Forestville is more likely to evolve through incremental redevelopment than a sudden population surge.
Population trend: Unley council area
Forestville sits in the Unley council area. These are the council area's residents, not Forestville's.
Residents 2025
40,731
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.6%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
72
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
51.4
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
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 can suit residents who prefer a compact, established setting. It has 1,400 residents across 0.56 square kilometres, while 13.3% use public transport and 10.6% walk or cycle. Housing is mixed, with 53.6% separate houses and 20.2% apartments, so the right choice depends on parking, noise and dwelling type.
What is the median house price in Forestville?
A current median house price is not available for Forestville. The stock mix matters: 53.6% of dwellings are separate houses, 26.1% are semi-detached and 20.2% are apartments. Compare recent sales by dwelling type and bedroom count rather than applying one figure across all housing formats.
What schools are in Forestville?
School choice should be checked against the exact address, enrolment zone and travel route. Forestville’s travel patterns include 13.3% public transport use, 58.2% driving and 10.6% walking or cycling, so access can differ by family routine. Confirm current primary and secondary options, sector and year levels before buying or renting.
Is Forestville safe?
The recorded crime rate is 51.4 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 72 total incidents. Compared with the raw count, the rate gives better context for a suburb of 1,400 people. Buyers and renters should still inspect the exact street, lighting, parking activity and route home because conditions can vary within a compact 0.56-square-kilometre area.
Is Forestville good for property investment?
Forestville may suit an investor seeking established rental demand rather than a high-growth strategy. Rent is $340 a week, vacancy is 5.5% and 32.2% of households rent. Annual population growth is forecast at 0.37%, while rent growth is 30.9%, so purchase price, dwelling condition and tenant demand matter more than assuming recent rental momentum will continue.
How is Forestville's population changing?
Forestville’s population is 1,400 today. The annual growth trend is 0.37%, and population change across the wider area is 7.1% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the trajectory is labelled "Declining young", with the young share down 2.1 percentage points. Compared with rapid-growth areas, this points to gradual change rather than expansion at estate scale.
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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