Forestville
With a $1,340,000 median house price recorded in early 2025 and household income in the 74th percentile nationally, Forestville packs considerable economic weight into just 0.56 square kilometres. The suburb's most distinctive trait is its professional concentration: 54.4% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 24.3 percentage points above the national average. At 2,496 residents per square kilometre, it sits among Adelaide's denser inner suburbs, yet separate houses still account for 53.6% of dwellings. Both mortgage stress and rent stress sit well below stress thresholds, at 20.2% and 17.2% of income respectively.
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
16
The single recorded median house price for Forestville is $1,340,000 from the first quarter of 2025. Separate houses make up 53.6% of dwellings, with semi-detached properties at 26.1% and apartments at 20.2%, giving buyers a range of price points. The dominant dwelling size is 2-bedroom at 44.2%, followed by 3-bedroom at 37.9%, so larger family homes are less common. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and mortgage-to-income sits at 20.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Of all households, 36.6% are actively paying off a mortgage and 30.7% own outright, suggesting a mix of established owners and newer entrants. The low mortgage burden relative to income is partly explained by the 74th-percentile household income of $1,981 per week.
For Buyers
The single recorded median house price for Forestville is $1,340,000 from the first quarter of 2025. Separate houses make up 53.6% of dwellings, with semi-detached properties at 26.1% and apartments at 20.2%, giving buyers a range of price points. The dominant dwelling size is 2-bedroom at 44.2%, followed by 3-bedroom at 37.9%, so larger family homes are less common. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and mortgage-to-income sits at 20.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Of all households, 36.6% are actively paying off a mortgage and 30.7% own outright, suggesting a mix of established owners and newer entrants. The low mortgage burden relative to income is partly explained by the 74th-percentile household income of $1,981 per week.
For Investors
Renters make up 32.8% of Forestville households, with weekly rent at $340, which is modest against the $1,340,000 median house price. The implied gross yield is near 1.3%, so this is primarily a capital-growth market rather than a yield play. Vacancy sits at 5.5%, above the typical healthy market threshold of around 3%, suggesting some softness in rental demand at current asking rates. Development activity is light, with 14 applications in the past 12 months, including at least one land division from one lot into two, which hints at incremental densification rather than large-scale development. The 22.3% volunteering rate and 78% residential stability suggest a settled community, which tends to support long-term property values.
Development Activity
Total DAs
154
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-80.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Forestville's population of approximately 1,400 has a median age of 39, one year below the national figure. The most striking demographic fact is education: 54.4% hold university qualifications, which is 24.3 percentage points above the national average. Overseas-born residents account for 23.8% of the population, 2.2 points above national. Ancestry follows an Anglo-Celtic pattern, led by English (551), Scottish (156), German (137) and Irish (137). Household size averages 2.3 persons, 0.2 below the national average, consistent with a mix of couples without children (30.2% of families) and couples with children (404 families). Only 4.6% of residents need daily assistance.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
53.6%
Houses
26.1%
Townhouse
20.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Forestville's housing stock leans toward separate houses at 53.6%, with semi-detached dwellings at 26.1% and apartments at 20.2%. Tenure divides into outright owners at 30.7%, mortgage holders at 36.6% and renters at 32.8%, a reasonably balanced split by national standards. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 44.2%, followed by 3-bedroom at 37.9% and 4-plus bedroom at 14.9%. The single available price point is $1,340,000 for 1Q 2025. Rent runs $340 per week and mortgage repayments average $1,733 per month. Neither renters nor mortgage holders face stress by standard measures: rent-to-income is 17.2% and mortgage-to-income is 20.2%, both below the 30% benchmark that defines housing cost pressure.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$340
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
30.2%
Couples, no children
1,046
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 22.9% (153 workers), well above national workforce shares for this sector, followed by Education at 14.2% (95 workers), Professional/Technical Services at 11.5% (77) and Public Administration at 11.2% (75). This concentration in public-sector-adjacent industries reflects a suburb that punches above average in knowledge work. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 331 workers, with Managers second at 109. The unemployment rate is 3.9% and the labour force participation rate is 68.0%, with 63.3% of employed residents working full time. Personal weekly income averages $1,042, consistent with a highly qualified workforce, and household income sits in the 74th percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.3%
Part-time
32.8%
Participation
68.0%
Employed
774
Occupations
Top Industries
University
54.4%
Postgraduate
16.5%
Born Overseas
23.8%
Dwellings
593
Transport to Work
Car use is predominant at 75.5% of commuters, but 13.8% walk or cycle, a meaningful share that reflects the suburb's compact 0.56 km2 footprint and inner location. Public transport use is lower at 7.0%. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in adjacent areas. Crime totals 72 reported incidents, producing a rate of 51.4 per 1,000 residents; comparable inner-Adelaide suburbs typically range between 40 and 80 per 1,000, placing Forestville at the middle of that band. Volunteering is strong at 22.3% of residents, above the national average, and housing cost stress is low: rent-to-income at 17.2% and mortgage-to-income at 20.2% both sit well below the 30% threshold that defines affordability pressure.
Drive
75.5%
Public Transport
7.0%
Walk / Cycle
13.8%
Work from Home
N/A
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 performs well on key liveability indicators. Household income sits in the 74th percentile nationally, university qualifications reach 54.4% of residents (24.3 points above national), and neither mortgage stress at 20.2% nor rent stress at 17.2% exceeds the 30% threshold. The compact 0.56 km2 area keeps most daily amenities within walking distance for the 13.8% who choose to walk or cycle.
What is the median house price in Forestville?
The most recent recorded median house price is $1,340,000 from the first quarter of 2025. Weekly rent averages $340 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.2%, which is below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Forestville?
No schools are recorded within the Forestville suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Despite this, the local population is highly educated, with 54.4% holding university qualifications, which is 24.3 percentage points above the national average.
Is Forestville safe?
Forestville recorded 72 crimes in the reference period, a rate of 51.4 per 1,000 residents. This places the suburb in the middle of the range typical for inner-Adelaide suburbs, which generally fall between 40 and 80 per 1,000. The 74th-percentile household income and low housing stress are indirect indicators of a stable residential environment.
Is Forestville good for property investment?
The $1,340,000 median against $340 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 1.3%, making this a capital-growth market rather than a high-yield one. Vacancy sits at 5.5%, slightly above a healthy market threshold, and only 14 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months. The strong professional base and 74th-percentile income profile support long-term demand.
How is Forestville's population changing?
Forestville has a population of approximately 1,400 within a 0.56 km2 area, giving a density of 2,496 per km2. Residential stability is high: 78% of residents remained in the same address over the reference period, with a turnover rate of 22%. The suburb's small footprint means population growth is driven by gradual densification rather than new land release.
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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