Forbes vs Paytens Bridge

Paytens Bridge is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 42 in Forbes. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Forbes, about half of households are people living alone. In Paytens Bridge, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Forbes tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Paytens Bridge suits families with children and 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

Forbes

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (36 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (7 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 0)
  • But Paytens Bridge is already more of a family suburb (66% vs 50%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Paytens Bridge

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (5% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $230/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Paytens Bridge

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (363.9 km vs 385.4 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (298 min vs 310 min)
  • But Forbes is more walkable (18/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Forbes

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (18/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 11%)

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

Investors

Paytens Bridge

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (4.8% vs -3.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Forbes Paytens Bridge
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.

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Walkability 18 / 0
Forbes — Walkability: 18/100 Paytens Bridge — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 10 / 15
Forbes — Safety: 10/100 Paytens Bridge — Safety: 15/100
Low fire risk 77 / 85
Forbes — Low fire risk: 77/100 Paytens Bridge — Low fire risk: 85/100

Demographics

Forbes has more residents (8,157 vs 109); Paytens Bridge has higher household incomes ($143,000 vs $63,492).

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Population 8,157
+99% vs other
 109
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.3% +4.8%
Median age 42 36
Median household income $63,492/yr $143,000/yr
+125% vs other
Median weekly rent $230/wk
+43% vs other
 $130/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Forbes Paytens Bridge
0-4 5.7% / 9.2%
Forbes — 0-4: 5.7% Paytens Bridge — 0-4: 9.2%
5-14 13.7% / 16.5%
Forbes — 5-14: 13.7% Paytens Bridge — 5-14: 16.5%
15-19 5.7% / 2.8%
Forbes — 15-19: 5.7% Paytens Bridge — 15-19: 2.8%
20-24 5.4% / 3.7%
Forbes — 20-24: 5.4% Paytens Bridge — 20-24: 3.7%
25-34 10.8% / 15.6%
Forbes — 25-34: 10.8% Paytens Bridge — 25-34: 15.6%
35-44 10.6% / 16.5%
Forbes — 35-44: 10.6% Paytens Bridge — 35-44: 16.5%
45-54 11.1% / 6.4%
Forbes — 45-54: 11.1% Paytens Bridge — 45-54: 6.4%
55-64 12.8% / 12.8%
Forbes — 55-64: 12.8% Paytens Bridge — 55-64: 12.8%
65-74 12.2% / 8.3%
Forbes — 65-74: 12.2% Paytens Bridge — 65-74: 8.3%
75-84 8.7% / 2.8%
Forbes — 75-84: 8.7% Paytens Bridge — 75-84: 2.8%
85+ 3.3% / —
Forbes — 85+: 3.3% Paytens Bridge — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Forbes 32.0% couple families
Forbes — Couple Families: 32.0% Forbes — Lone Person: 45.2% Forbes — One Parent Families: 18.1% Forbes — Group Household: 3.3% Forbes — Other Families: 1.3%
Paytens Bridge 51.4% couple families
Paytens Bridge — Couple Families: 51.4% Paytens Bridge — Lone Person: 34.3% Paytens Bridge — One Parent Families: 14.3% Paytens Bridge — Group Household: 0.0% Paytens Bridge — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Forbes 29.4% renting
Forbes — Owned Outright: 39.0% Forbes — Mortgage: 31.6% Forbes — Renting: 29.4%
Paytens Bridge 30.6% renting
Paytens Bridge — Owned Outright: 41.7% Paytens Bridge — Mortgage: 27.8% Paytens Bridge — Renting: 30.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Forbes 88.6% houses
Forbes — Houses: 88.6% Forbes — Townhouses: 4.9% Forbes — Flats / Apartments: 6.6%
Paytens Bridge 91.9% houses
Paytens Bridge — Houses: 91.9% Paytens Bridge — Townhouses: 10.8% Paytens Bridge — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Certificate III & IV 16.3% / 10.1%
Forbes — Certificate III & IV: 16.3% Paytens Bridge — Certificate III & IV: 10.1%
Bachelor Degree 7.1% / 15.6%
Forbes — Bachelor Degree: 7.1% Paytens Bridge — Bachelor Degree: 15.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.3% / 11.0%
Forbes — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3% Paytens Bridge — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.0%
Postgraduate Degree 1.4% / 2.8%
Forbes — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4% Paytens Bridge — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.0% / —
Forbes — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0% Paytens Bridge — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

Property market

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Median house price $475,000 —
Median unit price $395,000 —
Median land price $212,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 62 days
from 58 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Rural and farming 96% 100%
Residential 3% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Forbes Paytens Bridge
New dwellings approved 31
across Forbes
same for both
Approvals change year on year +125%
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.

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Houses 3.9%
$440/wk on $580K
 —
Units 4.0%
$380/wk on $500K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Forbes Paytens Bridge
House price Higher than 13% of NSW —
Income Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Schools Higher than 47% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 35% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 85% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 3% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 70% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 22% of NSW —

Liveability

Forbes is more walkable (18 vs 0).

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Grade D —
Score 29/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Bushfire Low
23/100
 Low
15/100
Crime High
90/100
 High
85/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Inside the suburb 5 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 2 0

Schools in Forbes

  • Red Bend Catholic College Independent · Secondary above peers
  • Forbes Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Laurence's Parish School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Forbes High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Forbes North Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Paytens Bridge

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

Amenities in the suburb

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 8 0
Parks & reserves 36 0
Childcare 7 0
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Hospitals 2 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 4 0
Fuel stations 5 0
Waterways 36 7

Mobility

Forbes sits further from the CBD (385.4 km vs 363.9 km).

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Walkability score 18/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 385.4 km
+6% vs other
 363.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 310 min 298 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 2871
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 48
postcode 2871
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.

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Car (driver) 79.4% / 59.3%
Forbes — Car (driver): 79.4% Paytens Bridge — Car (driver): 59.3%
Worked from Home 9.2% / 24.1%
Forbes — Worked from Home: 9.2% Paytens Bridge — Worked from Home: 24.1%
Walked Only 4.2% / 11.1%
Forbes — Walked Only: 4.2% Paytens Bridge — Walked Only: 11.1%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / 5.6%
Forbes — Car (passenger): 6.2% Paytens Bridge — Car (passenger): 5.6%
Bus 0.5% / —
Forbes — Bus: 0.5% Paytens Bridge — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.4%).

Setting

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Elevation 235 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 274 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Connectivity score 55/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 24%
4,208 premises
 0%
60 premises

Council rates

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Average residential rate $957/yr
same for both
Council Forbes
same for both

Federal electorate

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Division Parkes
same for both
Member Jamie Chaffey
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Forbes Paytens Bridge
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Forbes

Affordable Rural

Paytens Bridge

Family Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Forbes

Forbes vs Eugowra Forbes vs Bogan Gate Forbes vs Bedgerabong Forbes vs Wirrinya Forbes vs Tichborne Forbes vs Gunningbland

Other comparisons with Paytens Bridge

Paytens Bridge vs Eugowra Paytens Bridge vs Gooloogong Paytens Bridge vs Warraderry
Full data on Forbes Full data on Paytens Bridge
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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