suburb.guide

QLD · Brisbane Council

Forest Lake, 4078

Est. population · Jun 2025

25,117

Growth (1 yr)

+1.1%

Growth (5 yr)

+10.8%

Median age

37

Median income

$1,921/wk

Employment rate

62.9%

University qualified

24.9%

Work from home

15.5%

Languages at home

33.2%non-English

Most common: Vietnamese, Mandarin, Samoan

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

51.8/100
Average

Top 21% of Queensland's suburbs

Verified 93% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Walkable
What Forest Lake is known for: Walkable

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Forest Lake, QLD suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Forest Lake, QLD Suburb Guide”, updated 2 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/qld/forest-lake

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Suburb profile

Forest Lake is a middle-ring metropolitan suburb of Brisbane, in Brisbane Council. It is primarily residential, without a particularly distinct commercial centre or landmark identity.

Shops and everyday services are easier to access than in most comparable places. Health-facility access is stronger than in comparable places, with health access 75% above the peer median. Rents sit a little below those in comparable places. Population has been growing faster than in comparable places, with population growth 94% above the peer median. Trade-offs centre on thinner mapped green cover within the suburb boundary and thinner park access, with green cover 77% below the peer median.

Forest Lake's appeal is better explained by housing, access and location than by a strong standalone precinct or destination.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Middle-ring metropolitan suburb · compared with middle-ring metropolitan suburbs in Queensland (110)

Strengths

  • Shops and everyday services are easier to access than in most comparable places
  • Population has been growing faster than in comparable places
  • Rents sit a little below those in comparable places
  • Health-facility access is stronger than in comparable places

Weaknesses

  • Mapped green cover within the suburb boundary is below comparable suburbs
  • Park access is thinner than in comparable places

What stands out

  • Overseas-born and multilingual community

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Budget buyers

Housing, growth and risk

How Forest Lake compares

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

$625/wk

Population (ERP)

25,117

+1.1% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

3.6%

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

#33

among Metro Brisbane · Growth area

Crime rate

22nd

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

50th

percentile in QLD

Rented dwellings

27%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

6/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

57th

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
51.8/100 — Average
State standing
Top 21% of Queensland's suburbs
National rank
1679th in Australia
State rank
313th in QLD
Peer rank
#33 among Metro Brisbane · Growth area suburbs
Cohort rank
#191 among Metro Brisbane suburbs
Data confidence
93%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Housing

All types (Mar 2026)
$625

Median weekly rent from Queensland RTA rental bond data. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (10%) · Future Growth (6%)

Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

25,117(June 2025)

+1.1% annual · +10.8% over 5 years · 50th percentile in QLD

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+1.1%
5-year growth
+10.8%
Change in 1 year
+282
Change in 5 years
+2,452
Growth rank in QLD
50th 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 (~27,150), extrapolated at +1.6% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
22,676
Median age
37
Median household income / week
$1,921
Dwelling vacancy
3.6%
Unoccupied private dwellings
288 of 8,022
Median monthly mortgage
$1,690
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$390
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
25.4% / 48% / 26.6%
Employment rate
62.9%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
15.5% / 3.7% / 66.3%
Walked or cycled to work
1.2%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
7,337 / 266 / 125

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted 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

Qualifications

24.9% of adults have a university degree, compared with 21.9% across Queensland. 16.2% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified24.9% · 21.9% QLD
  • Diploma qualified10.3% · 9.4% QLD
  • Trade / vocational16.2% · 18.9% QLD
  • Year 12 or below48.5% · 49.8% QLD

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Management and commerce24%
  • Engineering and related technologies17.1%
  • Society and culture14.5%
  • Health12.1%
  • Education8.9%
  • Food, hospitality and personal services5.9%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$58,938

66th percentile in QLD · 0% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$64,279

65th percentile in QLD · -1% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
11.0%

53rd percentile in QLD · -20% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$52,644

24th percentile in QLD · -17% vs Australia

Residents with business income
9.0%

34th percentile in QLD · -13% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 4078 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
16,716
Taxpayers reporting net rent
1,810
Median net rent
-$1,924
Taxpayers reporting business income
1,487
Taxable income vs state median
+6%
Salary / wages vs state median
+5%
Rental investment vs state median
0%
Super vs state median
-24%
Business income vs state median
-10%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in QLD, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Community & culture

33.2% speak a language other than English at home; 39.8% born overseas

Language at home
14,690 English only · 7,286 other
Non-English at home
33.2%
Born overseas
8,785 (39.8%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
425 (1.9%)
Australian citizens
18,913
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
36

Top languages other than English

Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).

  • Vietnamese846 · 28.9%
  • Mandarin253 · 8.6%
  • Samoan222 · 7.6%
  • Sinhalese166 · 5.7%
  • Punjabi163 · 5.6%
  • Hindi149 · 5.1%
  • Gujarati112 · 3.8%
  • Spanish112 · 3.8%

Religion

44.5%Most common religion · Christianity

Christianity is the most common response at 44.5%, while 35.6% reported no religion. Buddhism is more prevalent locally than across the state.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion35.6%40.7%
Christianity44.5%45.7%
Hinduism4.1%1.3%
Islam3%1.2%
Buddhism5.8%1.4%
Other / not stated7%9.6%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic17.7%18.6%
Anglican9%11.3%
Christian (not further defined)3.9%3.1%
Uniting Church3.1%3.6%
Baptist2.5%1.7%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Offence counts are estimated for this suburb from postcode 4078, which is shared with other suburbs.

Reported offences are running higher than the same point last year.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (Jan 2026 to Sep 2026)
872
Against the person
125
Against property
536
Rate per 1,000 residents (annualised)
46.4
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 181 residents
State crime-rate percentile
22.4th (higher = more crime)
Increase (daily rate, partial year)
+1.6%

Most common offence types

  • Drug Offences105
  • Other Property Damage70
  • Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)284
  • Traffic And Related Offences76
  • Unlawful Entry85

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

  • QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Sep 2026; Jan 2026 to Sep 2026 · Updated · Calendar-year aggregates

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
4
Median school ICSEA (4 schools)
1,024
Median ICSEA percentile
57th
Primary catchments overlapping suburb
6
Secondary catchments overlapping suburb
2
School list
  • Grand Avenue State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1033 · 61th percentile · LBOTE 58% · 917 students · Top SEA quarter 17% · 0.7 km awayView on My School →
  • Forest Lake State High SchoolSecondary · Government · ICSEA 969 · 33th percentile · LBOTE 52% · 1,673 students · Top SEA quarter 6% · 0.8 km awayView on My School →
  • St John's Anglican CollegeCombined · Independent · ICSEA 1118 · 89th percentile · LBOTE 56% · 1,329 students · Top SEA quarter 47% · 0.8 km awayView on My School →
  • Forest Lake State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1015 · 53th percentile · LBOTE 46% · 738 students · Top SEA quarter 14% · 1.0 km awayView on My School →
School catchments
  • Carole Park SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Forest Lake SHSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Forest Lake SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Glenala SHSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Grand Avenue SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Pallara SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Richlands East SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Serviceton South SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment

Government school intake zones that overlap this suburb boundary. Living in a catchment does not guarantee enrolment; check the education authority.

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts

Data sources & freshness

Childcare

2 childcare services from OpenStreetMap

  • Forest Lake Child Care CentreWoogaroo Streetkindergarten
  • Milestones Early LearningCarnarvon Closekindergarten

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Childcare centres per 1,000 residents

Data sources & freshness

  • Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · current · Updated

Public transport

43 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Grand Ave East near Ascot Ave
  • Grand Ave at Grand Avenue Cascade
  • Grand Ave at Grand Avenue Cascade
  • Grand Ave at Grand Avenue Lake
  • Grand Ave at Grand Avenue Lake

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

260 mapped amenities

1 restaurants · 2 cafes · 1 pubs · 3 supermarkets · 1 pharmacies · 5 fast food · 2 bakeries · 26 playgrounds

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Highly walkable for shops and everyday services
  • Great for outdoor family life — 21 parks mapped in suburb, 26 playgrounds nearby
  • Well connected by public transport — 43 public transport stops
  • Strong local sport and recreation — 30 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
Walkability proxy
92/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0.09
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0.49
Parks per 1,000 residents
0.93
Food & drink(11)
  • Forest Lake BakeryBakery
  • Lee's BakeryBakery
  • Simple BlissCafe
  • The Coffee ClubCafe
  • Domino'sFast food

    200 Grand Avenue, Forest Lake

  • Forest CourtFast food
  • McDonald'sFast food
  • Red RoosterFast food
  • SubwayFast food
  • Pub

    245 Forest Lake Boulevard

  • Grace of IndiaRestaurant
Shopping(8)
  • Star LiquorBottle shop
  • IGA X-pressConvenience store
  • KmartDepartment store
  • Forest Lake Shopping CentreShopping centre

    235 Forest Lake Boulevard

  • AldiSupermarket

    M3 Forest Lake Boulevard

  • ColesSupermarket
  • WoolworthsSupermarket
Everyday services(1)
  • Petrol station
Community(5)
  • Forest Lake Community HouseCommunity centre
  • Forest Lake Child Care CentreKindergarten

    130 Woogaroo Street, Forest Lake

  • Milestones Early LearningKindergarten

    16 Carnarvon Close, Forest Lake

  • Forest Lake State SchoolSchool
  • Saint Johns Anglican CollegeSchool
Health & services(4)
  • Grand Medical CentreClinic

    200 Grand Avenue

  • Dentist
  • Horizon Family DoctorsMedical clinic
  • Discount Drug StorePharmacy
Sport & outdoors(60)
  • BBQ (8)
  • Centenary CyclewayCycling route
  • Dog park
  • Drinking water (5)
  • Argyle Place ParkPark
  • Barrier Place ParkPark
  • Boronia ParkPark
  • Collina Crescent ParkPark
  • Cook Street ParkPark
  • Glasshouse Crescent ParkPark
  • Halifax Street ParkPark
  • Heath Street ParkPark
  • Park

    19 Tarragon Place, Forest Lake

  • Park (3)
  • Pine Village ParkPark
  • Picnic area
  • Playground (26)
  • Brisbane City CouncilPublic toilets
  • Public toilets
  • Sports field
  • Swimming pool
  • Swimming pool

    22 Alexandrina Circuit, Forest Lake

Transport(31)

31 bus stops

Other(12)
  • Bench (51)
  • Best & LessClothes
  • Common (5)
  • Garden (15)
  • Forest Fair's Hair and BeautyHairdresser
  • QMLLaboratory
  • Parking (46)
  • Physiotherapist
  • Australia PostPost Box
  • Shelter (16)
  • Waste Basket (2)
  • Yes

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

14 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Argyle Place ParkPark
  • Barrier Place ParkPark
  • Boronia ParkPark
  • Collina Crescent ParkPark
  • Cook Street ParkPark
  • Elderslie Place ParkPark
  • Glasshouse Crescent ParkPark
  • Halifax Street ParkPark
  • Harrison Crescent ParkPark
  • Heath Street ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
2.3%
Woodland / forest cover
1.3%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
28
Parks (OSM)
21
Typical summer maximum
28°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics in suburb
7
Nearest hospital
Gailes Community Care Unit (4.7 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
Emergency department in suburb
Not in suburb
GP clinics in suburb
2
GPs tagged bulk billing (OSM)
0 of 2
Aged-care services
1
Residential aged-care places
151

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

  • Horizon Family DoctorsGP
  • DentistDentist
  • Discount Drug StorePharmacy
  • Forest Lake Podiatry ClinicRenoir CrescentPodiatrist
  • Grand Medical CentreGrand AvenueClinic
  • PhysiotherapistPhysiotherapist
  • QMLLaboratory
Aged-care services
  • Forest Lake LodgeFOREST LAKEResidential

Australian Government–subsidised services from the AIHW GEN list (30 June 2025), assigned to this suburb by location.

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
683
Participants per 1,000 residents
27.2

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

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
28° / 18°
Rainfall
493 mm · ~62 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
25° / 14°
Rainfall
343 mm · ~43 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
20° / 7°
Rainfall
144 mm · ~18 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
25° / 12°
Rainfall
249 mm · ~31 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
No overlay at centroid
Flood / inundation overlay
No mapped inundation on suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping. Flood cover uses floodplain overlay polygons against the suburb boundary where published.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Bushfire and flood planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Oxley
Member of Parliament
Milton DICK (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
122,449
Turnout (2025)
88.4%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+7.6 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 30.8%Labor 69.2%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 3.0 km away).

Coalition 29.1%Labor 70.9%

1.7 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +5.6 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Forest Lake EastLabor 70.8% · Coalition 29.2% TPP (2025)0.7 km away
  • Forest Lake SouthLabor 68.7% · Coalition 31.3% TPP (2025)0.8 km away
  • Forest LakeLabor 73.1% · Coalition 26.9% TPP (2025)1.1 km away
  • Ellen GroveLabor 63.8% · Coalition 36.2% TPP (2025)1.5 km away
  • DoolandellaLabor 78.9% · Coalition 21.1% TPP (2025)1.9 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

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
6/10
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 (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

Compare with

Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.

More in Brisbane Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.