Forbes (NSW)
NSWForbes (NSW) is a declining suburb in NSW with 8,157 residents.
- SAL code
- 11539
- SA2
- 103021065
- Population
- 8,157
Forbes (NSW), NSW had 8,157 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 1.9% decline over the last five years. The predominant age group is 5-14 years, and the median age sits at 42. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,257 a month. Around 70.6% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned outright at 39.0%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 90.0% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 37 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Population
?8,157
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
-1.9%
3yr: -0.4% · 10yr: -3.3%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,221/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
42
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?3/10
SA2 · more disadvantaged
Unemployment
?3.3%
SA4 · Q4 2025
Schools
3
2 primary, 1 secondary
Hospitals
?1
Within suburb
Childcare services
?6
5 long day, 2 OSHC
Parks & green space
?37
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?1
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
No data for this suburb
Median Weekly Rent
Based on NSW rental bond lodgements, aggregated at postcode level. All SALs sharing this postcode show the same median.
Median House Sale Price
Source: state Valuer-General (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Population over time — Forbes (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Forbes (NSW) suburb alone is ~8,157 (Census 2021).
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 10,785 to 10,019 over 24 years, averaging -0.3% per year.
Schools
3 in suburbGovernment school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Forbes PS57.5%
- Forbes NPS 39.1%
- Bogan Gate PS 2.8%
- Bedgerabong PS 0.6%
- Eugowra PS 0.0%
Secondary
Forbes HS97.2%
- Trundle CS 2.8%
Source: NSW Department of Education — School Intake Zones. Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 4.2%Almost entirely detached houses (90%), owner-occupied (71%), built for families (46% are 3 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire & flood risk
Bushfire
Hazard data is not yet available for this state.
Flood
Source: NSW Planning Portal EPI Flood
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped hazard polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Planning zones
9 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| RU1 | ZoneRural | 95.6% | 845.34 km² |
| R5 | ZoneResidential | 1.9% | 17.12 km² |
| SP2 | ZoneSpecial use | 0.9% | 8.33 km² |
| R1 | ZoneResidential | 0.7% | 6.16 km² |
| RU4 | ZoneRural | 0.2% | 2.14 km² |
| RE2 | ZoneRecreation | 0.1% | 1.20 km² |
| RE1 | ZoneRecreation | 0.1% | 1.10 km² |
| E4 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.1% | 1.04 km² |
| E3 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.1% | 1.03 km² |
Source: NSW DPHI EPI Land Zoning (ZONE_NSW/2026-04-29/1eccf1a530fa1be5) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.