Forrestdale

Schools in Forrestdale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Demographics

Forrestdale's median age of 41 sits one year above the national figure, slightly older than typical high-growth corridors. Overseas-born residents account for 24.8% of the population, which is 3.2 percentage points above the national average, with Italian heritage forming a minor but notable secondary group alongside the dominant English, Scottish, Irish and Australian ancestry profile. University qualifications reach 22.0%, which is 8.1 points below the national rate, consistent with a trades and services workforce rather than a knowledge-economy one. The average household size is 2.7, slightly above the national average, reflecting the family-oriented demographic that 4-plus bedroom houses attract. Couples with children make up the largest family type at 320 households, compared to 219 couples without children.

The housing stock in Forrestdale is almost entirely detached: 98.8% separate houses, with no meaningful apartment or semi-detached component recorded. Four-bedroom-plus homes account for 57% of all dwellings and three-bedroom homes another 37.2%, so the market is firmly family-sized. Tenure leans heavily to owner-occupiers, with 47.4% carrying a mortgage and 33.8% owning outright, leaving renters at just 18.8%. That low renter share is below the national average and reflects both the suburb's relative affordability and its family composition. Rent-to-income at 18.7% and mortgage-to-income at 21.3% both sit comfortably below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs consume a manageable share of household income compared to inner-city equivalents. The $440,000 median is an estimate derived from rental data because transaction volumes are limited.

Community Profile

Economy & Employment

Construction leads employment at 12.9% of workers, which makes sense for a suburb within one of Perth's fastest-growing corridors. Healthcare (11.9%) and Education (9.2%) follow, industries that expand alongside residential population and suggest local services are developing as the area matures. Professional/Technical roles account for 7.1%, below what the income decile might suggest, pointing to residents who commute to knowledge-sector jobs elsewhere rather than work locally. Unemployment runs at 5.7% and the full-time employment rate is 63%, with 84.3% of workers commuting by car. The IRSAD decile of 8 and IRSD decile of 9 both place Forrestdale in the upper advantage tier nationally, above average on both relative disadvantage and advantage measures. The IER decile of 10 is the strongest signal: economic resources in the suburb rank in the top 10% nationally, driven by high home ownership and low debt ratios.

Transport to Work

Car dependence is near-total: 84.3% of residents drive to work, public transport carries just 3.0%, and the suburb's 31.69 km2 spread across Perth's southern fringe means walking is rarely a practical option. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families depend on facilities in neighbouring Armadale corridor suburbs. IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 9 both confirm that Forrestdale sits in the upper advantage tier nationally, with very low levels of relative disadvantage. Only 5.8% of residents need daily assistance, compared to the national rate of around 5.1%. Volunteering is active at 19.2% of residents, above the national average, which reflects an engaged and owner-occupier-heavy community. The rent-to-income ratio of 18.7% means renters face minimal housing stress relative to most Australian suburbs.

Population Forecast

Population growth in the Forrestdale SA2 is among the most dramatic in Western Australia. A 339.3% increase over the decade puts the area well above the national average, fuelled by internal migration averaging 681 net arrivals annually and overseas migration adding 284 more each year. Historical population moved from 19,361 in 2023 to 21,815 in 2025, and medium forecasts project 27,785 by 2031 at roughly 5% annual growth. The gentrification stage is classified as new development rather than established-area gentrification, meaning the growth driver is greenfield land release rather than capital-price compression. The young share of the population rose 8.3 points over the decade as families move in, while the senior share held flat, confirming the suburb is getting younger on average as the wider corridor fills out.

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Forrestdale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions