Ellen Grove vs Forest Lake

Ellen Grove is the younger of the two, with a median age of 30 against 37 in Forest Lake. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Ellen Grove, most households rent. In Forest Lake, most households own their home and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Forest Lake: a median of $970,000, against $800,000 in Ellen Grove, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Ellen Grove tends to suit renters, young adults, and families with children, while Forest Lake suits couples.

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

Forest Lake

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (59 vs 8)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (6 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (9 vs 3)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Ellen Grove has cheaper houses ($800,000 vs $970,000)
  • Forest Lake leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 25%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Ellen Grove

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (70% vs 27%)
  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $390/wk)
  • But Forest Lake leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 26%)

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

Commuting to the city

Forest Lake

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (82/100 vs 47/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Forest Lake

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (82/100 vs 47/100)
  • But Ellen Grove has more units and townhouses to downsize into (39% vs 5%)

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

Investors

Ellen Grove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (23.4% vs -1.0%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
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.

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Walkability 47 / 82
Ellen Grove — Walkability: 47/100 Forest Lake — Walkability: 82/100
Safety 35 / 38
Ellen Grove — Safety: 35/100 Forest Lake — Safety: 38/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Ellen Grove — Low fire risk: 100/100 Forest Lake — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Forest Lake has more residents (22,676 vs 3,586); Forest Lake has higher household incomes ($99,892 vs $70,356).

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Population 3,586 22,676
+532% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +23.4% -1.0%
Median age 30 37
Median household income $70,356/yr $99,892/yr
+42% vs other
Median weekly rent $350/wk $390/wk
+11% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
0-4 8.8% / 6.0%
Ellen Grove — 0-4: 8.8% Forest Lake — 0-4: 6.0%
5-14 15.5% / 14.2%
Ellen Grove — 5-14: 15.5% Forest Lake — 5-14: 14.2%
15-19 7.1% / 7.5%
Ellen Grove — 15-19: 7.1% Forest Lake — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 9.0% / 6.0%
Ellen Grove — 20-24: 9.0% Forest Lake — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 17.5% / 12.3%
Ellen Grove — 25-34: 17.5% Forest Lake — 25-34: 12.3%
35-44 14.2% / 13.7%
Ellen Grove — 35-44: 14.2% Forest Lake — 35-44: 13.7%
45-54 10.4% / 15.2%
Ellen Grove — 45-54: 10.4% Forest Lake — 45-54: 15.2%
55-64 8.8% / 11.9%
Ellen Grove — 55-64: 8.8% Forest Lake — 55-64: 11.9%
65-74 6.1% / 7.8%
Ellen Grove — 65-74: 6.1% Forest Lake — 65-74: 7.8%
75-84 2.1% / 4.1%
Ellen Grove — 75-84: 2.1% Forest Lake — 75-84: 4.1%
85+ 0.5% / 1.2%
Ellen Grove — 85+: 0.5% Forest Lake — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Ellen Grove 37.0% couple families
Ellen Grove — Couple Families: 37.0% Ellen Grove — One Parent Families: 31.4% Ellen Grove — Lone Person: 23.8% Ellen Grove — Group Household: 5.5% Ellen Grove — Other Families: 2.2%
Forest Lake 52.1% couple families
Forest Lake — Couple Families: 52.1% Forest Lake — One Parent Families: 18.7% Forest Lake — Lone Person: 24.8% Forest Lake — Group Household: 2.8% Forest Lake — Other Families: 1.5%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Ellen Grove 69.6% renting
Ellen Grove — Owned Outright: 11.3% Ellen Grove — Mortgage: 19.1% Ellen Grove — Renting: 69.6%
Forest Lake 26.6% renting
Forest Lake — Owned Outright: 25.4% Forest Lake — Mortgage: 48.0% Forest Lake — Renting: 26.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Certificate III & IV 12.4% / 13.0%
Ellen Grove — Certificate III & IV: 12.4% Forest Lake — Certificate III & IV: 13.0%
Bachelor Degree 8.2% / 13.1%
Ellen Grove — Bachelor Degree: 8.2% Forest Lake — Bachelor Degree: 13.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.0% / 8.2%
Ellen Grove — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0% Forest Lake — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 3.0% / 4.8%
Ellen Grove — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0% Forest Lake — Postgraduate Degree: 4.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.8% / 2.0%
Ellen Grove — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8% Forest Lake — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.1%).

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.

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
New Zealand 5.7% / 6.2%
Ellen Grove — New Zealand: 5.7% Forest Lake — New Zealand: 6.2%
Vietnam 6.3% / 5.3%
Ellen Grove — Vietnam: 6.3% Forest Lake — Vietnam: 5.3%
India 4.1% / 3.6%
Ellen Grove — India: 4.1% Forest Lake — India: 3.6%
England 1.7% / 3.7%
Ellen Grove — England: 1.7% Forest Lake — England: 3.7%
Philippines 2.6% / 1.4%
Ellen Grove — Philippines: 2.6% Forest Lake — Philippines: 1.4%
China 1.2% / 1.7%
Ellen Grove — China: 1.2% Forest Lake — China: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Ellen Grove 61.2% houses
Ellen Grove — Houses: 61.2% Ellen Grove — Townhouses: 36.6% Ellen Grove — Flats / Apartments: 2.2%
Forest Lake 94.9% houses
Forest Lake — Houses: 94.9% Forest Lake — Townhouses: 3.4% Forest Lake — Flats / Apartments: 1.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Median house price $800,000 $970,000
Median unit price $546,000 $579,000
Median land price — $900,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 12 sales
 20 days
from 262 sales

House price by bedroom count

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

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
3 bed $798K / $860K
Ellen Grove — 3 bed: $798K (10 sales) Forest Lake — 3 bed: $860K (202 sales)

10 vs 202 sales

4 bed $875K / $1.05M
Ellen Grove — 4 bed: $875K (10 sales) Forest Lake — 4 bed: $1.05M (203 sales)

10 vs 203 sales

Development activity

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
New dwellings approved 9,382
across Brisbane
same for both
Approvals change year on year +9%
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.

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Houses 4.2%
$610/wk on $749K
 4.0%
$730/wk on $949K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 37% of QLD Higher than 74% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 49% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 86% of QLD Higher than 96% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 90% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of QLD Higher than 84% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 65% of QLD Higher than 55% of QLD

Liveability

Forest Lake is more walkable (82 vs 47); Forest Lake scores higher overall (63 vs 45).

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Grade C B
Score 45/100 63/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
65/100
 Moderate
62/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 20
within 5 km
 21
within 5 km

Schools

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Inside the suburb 0 6
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Ellen Grove

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Forest Lake

  • Forest Lake State High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Forest Lake State School Government · Primary at peers
  • Grand Avenue State School Government · Primary at peers
  • St John's Anglican College Independent · Secondary below peers
  • Arethusa College - Forest Lake Campus Independent · Secondary
  • St John's Anglican College - Alpine Place Campus Independent · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Supermarkets 1 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 3
Parks & reserves 8 59
Childcare 3 9
GPs 0 5
Pharmacies 0 2
Banks & Bank@Post 1 4
Waterways 3 24

Mobility

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Walkability score 47/100 82/100
Distance to Brisbane 24.6 km 25.5 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 30 min 32 min
Public transport score 77/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 58.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 288.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.5%
postcode 4078
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 67
postcode 4078
same for both

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.

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Car (driver) 73.0% / 69.0%
Ellen Grove — Car (driver): 73.0% Forest Lake — Car (driver): 69.0%
Worked from Home 10.2% / 17.8%
Ellen Grove — Worked from Home: 10.2% Forest Lake — Worked from Home: 17.8%
Car (passenger) 8.1% / 5.7%
Ellen Grove — Car (passenger): 8.1% Forest Lake — Car (passenger): 5.7%
Train 4.3% / 3.9%
Ellen Grove — Train: 4.3% Forest Lake — Train: 3.9%
Bus 2.8% / 2.3%
Ellen Grove — Bus: 2.8% Forest Lake — Bus: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.0%).

Setting

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Elevation 45 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 36 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 26.9 km 26.3 km

NBN connectivity

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Connectivity score 93/100 74/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 87%
1,422 premises
 36%
8,634 premises

Climate

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Annual rainfall 1,032 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.99 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Average residential rate $1,519/yr
same for both
Council Brisbane
same for both

Federal electorate

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Division Oxley
same for both
Member Milton Dick
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Ellen Grove Forest Lake
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Ellen Grove

Family Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks River Townhouses Young Families

Forest Lake

Middle-Ring Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Ellen Grove

Ellen Grove vs Wacol Ellen Grove vs Gailes

Other comparisons with Forest Lake

Forest Lake vs Inala Forest Lake vs Greenbank Forest Lake vs Doolandella Forest Lake vs Richlands Forest Lake vs Heathwood Forest Lake vs Wacol
Full data on Ellen Grove Full data on Forest Lake
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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