Barton vs Forrest

Barton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 47 in Forrest. In Barton, about half of households rent, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. In Forrest, most households own their home, about half of homes are flats or apartments, and about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Barton tends to suit renters, young adults, and people living alone.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Forrest

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (36% vs 6%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (46% vs 21%)
  • But Barton has more parks and reserves (7 vs 2)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Barton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($981,052 vs $4,052,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Barton

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (48% vs 31%)
  • has cheaper rent ($525/wk vs $570/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Forrest

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 70/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Forrest

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 17%)
  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 70/100)
  • But Barton has more units and townhouses to downsize into (94% vs 64%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Barton

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (35.2% vs 13.1%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on units (6.0% vs 4.6%)

Weighs unit yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Barton and Forrest drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Barton Forrest
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Barton Forrest
Walkability 70 / 81
Barton — Walkability: 70/100 Forrest — Walkability: 81/100
Safety 42 / 47
Barton — Safety: 42/100 Forrest — Safety: 47/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Barton — Low fire risk: 100/100 Forrest — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 14 / 100
Barton — Low flood risk: 14/100 Forrest — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Forrest has higher household incomes ($174,876 vs $128,024); Forrest skews older (47 vs 39).

Barton Forrest
Population 1,946
+6% vs other
 1,827
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +35.2% +13.1%
Median age 39 47
Median household income $128,024/yr $174,876/yr
+37% vs other
Median weekly rent $525/wk $570/wk
+9% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Barton Forrest
0-4 2.8% / 2.4%
Barton — 0-4: 2.8% Forrest — 0-4: 2.4%
5-14 4.6% / 8.9%
Barton — 5-14: 4.6% Forrest — 5-14: 8.9%
15-19 2.0% / 5.1%
Barton — 15-19: 2.0% Forrest — 15-19: 5.1%
20-24 6.6% / 5.2%
Barton — 20-24: 6.6% Forrest — 20-24: 5.2%
25-34 26.6% / 15.2%
Barton — 25-34: 26.6% Forrest — 25-34: 15.2%
35-44 15.0% / 10.2%
Barton — 35-44: 15.0% Forrest — 35-44: 10.2%
45-54 13.5% / 15.4%
Barton — 45-54: 13.5% Forrest — 45-54: 15.4%
55-64 12.4% / 14.8%
Barton — 55-64: 12.4% Forrest — 55-64: 14.8%
65-74 12.0% / 13.1%
Barton — 65-74: 12.0% Forrest — 65-74: 13.1%
75-84 4.5% / 8.2%
Barton — 75-84: 4.5% Forrest — 75-84: 8.2%
85+ 0.6% / 2.0%
Barton — 85+: 0.6% Forrest — 85+: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Barton 70.3% lone person
Barton — Lone Person: 70.3% Barton — Couple Families: 16.6% Barton — Group Household: 7.9% Barton — One Parent Families: 4.7% Barton — Other Families: 0.6%
Forrest 46.4% lone person
Forrest — Lone Person: 46.4% Forrest — Couple Families: 38.0% Forrest — Group Household: 6.8% Forrest — One Parent Families: 8.2% Forrest — Other Families: 0.6%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Barton 48.0% renting
Barton — Owned Outright: 23.2% Barton — Mortgage: 28.8% Barton — Renting: 48.0%
Forrest 31.3% renting
Forrest — Owned Outright: 38.6% Forrest — Mortgage: 30.0% Forrest — Renting: 31.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Barton Forrest
Bachelor Degree 29.6% / 27.0%
Barton — Bachelor Degree: 29.6% Forrest — Bachelor Degree: 27.0%
Postgraduate Degree 24.2% / 21.3%
Barton — Postgraduate Degree: 24.2% Forrest — Postgraduate Degree: 21.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.1% / 6.7%
Barton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1% Forrest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 6.3% / 6.0%
Barton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 6.3% Forrest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 6.0%
Certificate III & IV 3.8% / 3.6%
Barton — Certificate III & IV: 3.8% Forrest — Certificate III & IV: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.6%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Barton Forrest
England 4.2% / 3.0%
Barton — England: 4.2% Forrest — England: 3.0%
China 1.8% / 1.6%
Barton — China: 1.8% Forrest — China: 1.6%
India 1.3% / 2.1%
Barton — India: 1.3% Forrest — India: 2.1%
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.6%
Barton — New Zealand: 1.6% Forrest — New Zealand: 1.6%
Malaysia 0.9% / 1.0%
Barton — Malaysia: 0.9% Forrest — Malaysia: 1.0%
Sri Lanka — / 1.1%
Barton — Sri Lanka: not among its largest Forrest — Sri Lanka: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Barton 90.8% flats / apartments
Barton — Flats / Apartments: 90.8% Barton — Houses: 6.3% Barton — Townhouses: 3.0%
Forrest 46.6% flats / apartments
Forrest — Flats / Apartments: 46.6% Forrest — Houses: 36.5% Forrest — Townhouses: 16.9%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Barton Forrest
Median house price $981,052 $4,052,500
Median unit price $677,500 $685,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 120 days
from 8 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Barton Forrest
1 bed $560K / $555K
Barton — 1 bed: $560K (32 sales) Forrest — 1 bed: $555K (15 sales)

32 vs 15 sales

2 bed $830K / $720K
Barton — 2 bed: $830K (41 sales) Forrest — 2 bed: $720K (22 sales)

41 vs 22 sales

3 bed $1.27M / $985K
Barton — 3 bed: $1.27M (10 sales) Forrest — 3 bed: $985K (9 sales)

10 vs 9 sales

Development activity

Barton Forrest
New dwellings approved 3,750
across Unincorporated ACT
same for both
Approvals change year on year -48%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Barton Forrest
Houses — 1.8%
$1,400/wk on $4.04M
Units 6.0%
$695/wk on $602K
 4.6%
$680/wk on $765K

Ranking within ACT

Barton Forrest
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 59% of ACT Higher than 96% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 64% of ACT Higher than 87% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 78% of ACT Higher than 90% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 69% of ACT Higher than 68% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 1% of ACT
Rental yield (units) Higher than 44% of ACT Higher than 12% of ACT

Liveability

Forrest scores higher overall (91 vs 68); Forrest is more walkable (81 vs 70).

Barton Forrest
Grade A A+
Score 68/100 91/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Barton carries more flood risk (86 vs 0).

Barton Forrest
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
53/100
Flood High
86/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 6
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Barton Forrest
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
UNSW Canberra, 0.0 km
 3
UNSW Canberra, 1.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.9% 2.3%

Schools in Barton

  • Telopea Park School Government · Combined

Schools in Forrest

  • Forrest Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Barton Forrest
Cafes & restaurants 14 3
Parks & reserves 7 2
Childcare 5 3
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 2 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Barton Forrest
Walkability score 70/100 81/100
Distance to Canberra 6.6 km 6.9 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 13 min 14 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 74.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 35.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 4.2%
postcode 2600
 4.6%
postcode 2603
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 29
postcode 2600
 25
postcode 2603

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Barton Forrest
Car (driver) 41.2% / 54.3%
Barton — Car (driver): 41.2% Forrest — Car (driver): 54.3%
Walked Only 29.2% / 15.1%
Barton — Walked Only: 29.2% Forrest — Walked Only: 15.1%
Worked from Home 13.8% / 20.3%
Barton — Worked from Home: 13.8% Forrest — Worked from Home: 20.3%
Bus 7.7% / 3.5%
Barton — Bus: 7.7% Forrest — Bus: 3.5%
Car (passenger) 4.0% / 3.8%
Barton — Car (passenger): 4.0% Forrest — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Bicycle 4.2% / 3.1%
Barton — Bicycle: 4.2% Forrest — Bicycle: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (54.3%).

Setting

Barton Forrest
Elevation 559 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 588 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Barton Forrest
Connectivity score 72/100 70/100
Most common technology Fibre to the building Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 22%
1,616 premises
 24%
1,171 premises

Climate

Barton Forrest
Annual rainfall 622 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 0.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Barton Forrest
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Barton Forrest
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Barton Forrest
Division Canberra
same for both
Member Alicia Payne
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Barton Forrest
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Barton

Apartments Inner Parks Premium Professionals

Forrest

Apartments Inner Parks Premium Professionals

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Barton

Barton vs Kingston Barton vs Campbell Barton vs Griffith Barton vs Fyshwick

Other comparisons with Forrest

Forrest vs Griffith Forrest vs Red Hill Forrest vs Deakin
Full data on Barton Full data on Forrest
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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