Forrestfield
Forrestfield is more house-heavy than many Perth foothills addresses: 88.6% of dwellings are separate houses and only 0.2% are apartments. Unlike the rail-focused story around nearby High Wycombe, its pattern is car-based because 90.1% drive to work and just 3.4% use public transport. Household income sits at the 53.1 percentile, slightly above the midpoint, while 30.5% born overseas is above the national share by 8.9 percentage points.
Population
13,181
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,614/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$440K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Homebuyers should read Forrestfield as a land-first market because 88.6% of homes are separate houses and 45.5% have 4 or more bedrooms. A current median house price is not available, so recent comparable sales matter more than suburb-wide price shorthand. Housing costs look manageable on local incomes, with mortgage payments at $1,733 a month and mortgage-to-income at 24.8%, below stress settings. Apartment choice is thin at 0.2%, so downsizers may have fewer options.
For Buyers
Homebuyers should read Forrestfield as a land-first market because 88.6% of homes are separate houses and 45.5% have 4 or more bedrooms. A current median house price is not available, so recent comparable sales matter more than suburb-wide price shorthand. Housing costs look manageable on local incomes, with mortgage payments at $1,733 a month and mortgage-to-income at 24.8%, below stress settings. Apartment choice is thin at 0.2%, so downsizers may have fewer options.
For Investors
Investors get a relatively owner-occupied base: renting is 23.3%, lower than the 47.7% of homes with a mortgage. Weekly rent is $350 and the vacancy rate is 6.1%, so leasing assumptions should be more conservative than in tighter inner Perth markets. There were 0 development approvals in the past 12 months, which limits new supply pressure, while rent growth of 9.1% and overseas migration of 278 people a year support tenant demand.
Schools in Forrestfield iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
HillSide Christian College
PP-12 · 432 students
Heritage College Perth
PP-12 · 123 students
Dawson Park Primary School
K-6 · 494 students
Woodlupine Primary School
K-6 · 279 students
Darling Range Sports College
7-12 · 1144 students
Demographics
Forrestfield has 13,181 residents with a median age of 38, which is 2 years below the national benchmark. The suburb is more overseas-born than Australia overall, with 30.5% born overseas and an 8.9 percentage point gap above the national share. University attainment is 21.0%, below national by 9.1 points, which fits the practical job mix. English ancestry leads at 5,323 people, while Hindi, Mandarin and Punjabi add smaller language communities.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.6%
Houses
9.1%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached stock defines Forrestfield: 88.6% separate houses compares with only 9.1% semi-detached dwellings and 0.2% apartments. Bedroom supply is family-sized because 45.4% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 45.5% have 4 or more. Ownership is deeper than renting, with 29.0% owned outright, 47.7% mortgaged and 23.3% rented. Mortgage costs at $1,733 a month equal 24.8% of income, while rent at $350 a week equals 21.7%.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$810
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.1%
Unoccupied
329
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.2%
Couples, no children
10,261
Total families
Economy & Employment
Forrestfield's workforce leans practical and service-based. Healthcare is the largest industry at 15.4%, followed by construction at 10.4%, mining at 9.1%, education at 8.9% and transport at 7.0%. The SEIFA pattern explains the income mix: economic resources sit in decile 7, higher than education and occupation in decile 4, because mining, driving and construction roles can lift earnings without high university attainment. IRSD and IRSAD both sit at decile 5.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
12,877
Unemployed
565
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.9%
Part-time
26.2%
Participation
60.0%
Employed
6,032
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.0%
Postgraduate
3.7%
Born Overseas
30.5%
Dwellings
5,093
Transport to Work
Daily convenience is car-led: 90.1% drive to work, far above the 3.4% using public transport and 1.3% walking or cycling. Education access is a strength for families because 6 local schools cover government and independent sectors, with ICSEA scores from 949 to 1039. HillSide Christian College and Heritage College Perth lead the independent options, while Dawson Park Primary adds a larger government primary choice. IRSAD decile 5 points to middle-ranking advantage nationally.
Drive
90.1%
Public Transport
3.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.77%/yr
(+404 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth forecasts point to steady expansion rather than a sudden reset. The trend rate is 1.77% a year, or about 404 people annually, with the medium series reaching 24,976 by 2031. Overseas migration is the primary driver at 278 people a year, higher than net internal migration of 125. The gentrification score is 37 with an Early signs stage, while the aging trajectory shows seniors up 3.2 points and working-age share down 1.8 points.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+278
Net Internal / yr
+125
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +35% since 2011, Net internal migration +125/yr, Strong overseas inflow +278/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Forrestfield compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Forrestfield a good suburb to live in?
Forrestfield suits buyers wanting space, schools and a foothills setting. It has 88.6% separate houses, 6 local schools and a household income position at the 53.1 percentile, but daily life is strongly car-dependent with 90.1% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Forrestfield?
A current median house price is not available for Forrestfield. For context, recorded housing costs include a $1,733 monthly mortgage, $350 weekly rent and 88.6% separate houses, so recent settled sales should guide price decisions.
What schools are in Forrestfield?
Forrestfield has 6 schools across independent and government sectors. ICSEA scores range from 949 to 1039, with HillSide Christian College, Heritage College Perth, Dawson Park Primary School and Darling Range Sports College among the local options.
Is Forrestfield safe?
A suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 is not available for Forrestfield, so current WA Police maps should be checked before deciding. Local context includes IRSD decile 5 and 5.3% of residents needing assistance.
Is Forrestfield good for property investment?
Forrestfield has investment positives and risks. Rent is $350 a week, renting sits at 23.3%, and there were 0 development approvals in the past 12 months, but the 6.1% vacancy rate means investors should allow for leasing buffers.
How is Forrestfield's population changing?
Forrestfield is forecast to grow at 1.77% a year, adding about 404 people annually. The medium trend path reaches 24,976 by 2031, with overseas migration the main driver at 278 people a year.
What languages are spoken in Forrestfield?
English dominates, but Forrestfield has a meaningful overseas-born share at 30.5%, which is 8.9 percentage points above the national share. Recorded non-English languages include Hindi with 63 speakers, Mandarin with 52 and Punjabi with 44.
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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