Median house price
$575k
+18% change
NSW · Wagga Wagga Council
Forest Hill, 2651
Est. population · Jun 2025
3,210
Growth (1 yr)
+0.7%
Growth (5 yr)
+9.1%
Median age
25
Median income
$1,788/wk
Employment rate
68.9%
Median house price · October to December 2025
$575,000
Languages at home
10.1%non-English
Most common: Vietnamese, Punjabi, Tagalog
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
- Education hub
- National parks
Suburb profile
Forest Hill is a regional mid-sized suburb in Wagga Wagga Council, oriented around local life rather than the metro orbit of Sydney. A younger crowd gives the area energy, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Local shops, markets and community spots keep everyday life grounded in the town itself.
Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls. Reasonably walkable — many errands reachable on foot or by bus, with buses linking the suburb to surrounding areas. Buyers typically pay more than the metro middle for a home here.
Reported crime has been rising recently. Infill and new builds are slowly updating the area without overwhelming its existing character.
The overall desirability read is around average, pulled by softer schools and education, plus local dining and lifestyle amenities compared with similar regional towns, though housing affordability and growth momentum remain brighter spots.
At a glance
Forest Hill snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$505/wk
Population (ERP)
3,210
+0.7% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
6.3%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#32
among Country & regional · Emerging
Safety
34th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
56th
percentile in NSW
Advantage (IRSAD)
4/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
21st
percentile among schools with ICSEA
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 48.4/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 34% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 2375th in Australia
- State rank
- 710th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #32 among Country & regional · Emerging suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #135 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 89%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $515
- Median house price (October to December 2025)
- $575,000
- Median price change
- +17.6%
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent and sales tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · January to March 2026; October to December 2025 · Updated · Quarterly releases
Population
Estimated resident population
3,210(June 2025)
+0.7% annual · +9.1% over 5 years · 56th percentile in NSW
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +0.7%
- 5-year growth
- +9.1%
- Change in 1 year
- +22
- Change in 5 years
- +268
- Growth rank in NSW
- 56th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~3,500), extrapolated at +1.9% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 3,081
- Median age
- 25
- Median household income / week
- $1,788
- Dwelling vacancy
- 6.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 56 of 890
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,300
- Employment rate
- 68.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 747 / 8 / 66 (+ 10 other)
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 174
- Against the person
- 58
- Against property
- 77
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 54.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 53 residents
- State safety percentile
- 34.3th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +35.3%
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order14
- Break And Enter Dwelling13
- Domestic Violence Related Assault17
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment20
- Malicious Damage To Property24
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated · Rolling 12-month windows
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 941
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 21th
School list
- Forest Hill Public SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 941 · 21th percentile · LBOTE 13% · 159 students · Top SEA quarter 6% · 0.4 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Public transport
46 public transport stops in this suburb
- Allonby Av After Banner St
- Elizabeth Av After Brunskill Av
- Fife St Opp Forest Hill Shops
- Mangrove Cres At Melaleuca Dr
- Melaleuca Dr At Boree Av
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · current · Updated · Nightly GTFS feed
Amenities
82 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 supermarkets · 4 playgrounds · 3 swimming pools · 1 ev charging · 1 post offices
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Reasonably walkable — many errands reachable on foot or by bus
- Great for outdoor family life — 5 parks mapped in suburb, 4 playgrounds nearby
- Well connected by public transport — 46 public transport stops
- Strong local sport and recreation — 9 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 55/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 1.62
Shopping(1)
- Supermarket
Community(1)
- Forest Hill Public SchoolSchool
Forest Hill
Sport & outdoors(15)
- Clive Brunskill Memorial ParkPark
- Park (3)
- RAAF Wagga Gate GuardiansPark
- Picnic area
- Playground (4)
- Forest Hill Skate ParkSports field
- Sports field
- Swimming pool (3)
Entertainment(1)
- RAAF Wagga Aviation Heritage CentreMuseum
Sturt Highway, Forest Hill
Transport(22)
22 bus stops
Other(22)
- Liquor Legends Forest HillAlcohol
Unit 2 34 Allonby Avenue, Forest Hill
- Artwork
- ATM
- CAC CA-30 Macchi MB-326H (A7-004)Attraction
- Dassault Mirage III (A3-41)Attraction
- English Electric Canberra (A84-235)Attraction
- F-111 (A8-142)Attraction
- Gloster Meteor F.8 (A77-871)Attraction
- Bbq
- Airport Tourist ParkCamp Site
- Airport Tourist ParkCaravan Site
- Drinking water
- Tesla Destination ChargerEV charging
- Forest Hill Rural Fire BrigadeFire station
82-84 Elizabeth Avenue, Forest Hill
- Garden
- Forest Hill Shopping CentreMall
- Parking (21)
- Wagga Wagga City CouncilParking
- RAAF Wagga Military PolicePolice
- Australia PostPost office
- Public toilets
- Shelter
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Parks & reserves
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Clive Brunskill Memorial ParkPark
- RAAF Wagga Gate GuardiansPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 14
- Parks (OSM)
- 5
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Wagga Wagga Base Hospital (10.1 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Public hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 91
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 28.3
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 31° / 14°
- Rainfall
- 159 mm · ~20 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 9°
- Rainfall
- 170 mm · ~21 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 14° / 2°
- Rainfall
- 225 mm · ~28 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 21° / 7°
- Rainfall
- 210 mm · ~26 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal.
2026· 26 proposals
August 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure20 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Under Assessment
July 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah (screened enclosures)18 COX AVENUE FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure31 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure32 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure28 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure12 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure8 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure46 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure7 MOONAH STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure10 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
June 2026
- Signage; Advertising and signage; Advertising structure; Supporting Development304 BRAEHOUR ROAD FOREST HILL 2651Under Assessment
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 MOONAH STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure16 SMITH STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Shed; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure43 BRUNSKILL AVENUE FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure34 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure16 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure22 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure18 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation2 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation22 FLINTWOOD STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
February 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure8 LYONS CRESCENT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Shed; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure43 BRUNSKILL AVENUE FOREST HILL 2651Determined
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation14 SILKWOOD STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation12 SILKWOOD STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation9 MOONAH STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure40 COX AVENUE FOREST HILL 2651Determined
2025· 24 proposals
November 2025
- Subdivision1 SILKWOOD STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure35 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure31 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure4 SILKWOOD STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure10 SILKWOOD STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure31 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure33 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah2 BRUNSKILL AVENUE FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Rainwater tanks; Manufactured home304 BRAEHOUR ROAD FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure43 BRUNSKILL AVENUE FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure35 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation42 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure16 SILKWOOD STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure20 HAZELWOOD DRIVE FOREST HILL 2651Determined
July 2025
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure2 SILKWOOD STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space9 BEECH STREET FOREST HILL 2651Withdrawn
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support23 PAPERBARK DRIVE FOREST HILL 2651Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure7 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Car park; Community facility3185 STURT HIGHWAY FOREST HILL 2651Rejected
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure40 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure16 SILKWOOD STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation36 BLACKWOOD CIRCUIT FOREST HILL 2651Determined
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure44 DUNN AVENUE FOREST HILL 2651Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure18 SILKWOOD STREET FOREST HILL 2651Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · 2026 · Updated · Daily feed (from Oct 2018)
Roadworks & transport
1 active roadworks / incidents
- RoadworksSturt Highway, Fife Street01 Mar 2026 – 01 Nov 2026
Data sources & freshness
- Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · current · Updated
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Riverina
- Member of Parliament
- Michael McCORMACK (The Nationals)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 128,537
- Turnout (2025)
- 92.8%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- -2.9 pp toward Coalition
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 62.6%Labor 37.4%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 9.2 km away).
Coalition 58.8%Labor 41.2%
3.8 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +0.2 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- Forest HillLabor 41.2% · Coalition 58.8% TPP (2025)1.0 km away
- Kooringal NorthLabor 49.3% · Coalition 50.7% TPP (2025)7.7 km away
- KooringalLabor 46.6% · Coalition 53.4% TPP (2025)8.0 km away
- LadysmithLabor 20.3% · Coalition 79.7% TPP (2025)8.7 km away
- Lake AlbertLabor 37.7% · Coalition 62.3% TPP (2025)8.7 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 4/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Wagga Wagga Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.