Forbes vs Wirrinya

Wirrinya is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 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 Wirrinya, most households are couple families. On these figures, Forbes tends to suit people living alone, while Wirrinya 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 Wirrinya carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 90/100)

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

First-home buyers

Wirrinya

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($16,544 vs $212,500)

Weighs land prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Wirrinya

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (9% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($150/wk vs $230/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Forbes

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (18/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (385.4 km vs 489.3 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (310 min vs 341 min)

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 18%)
  • But Wirrinya carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 90/100)

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

Investors

Wirrinya

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (3.4% vs -3.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Forbes and Wirrinya 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 Wirrinya
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 Wirrinya
Walkability 18 / 0
Forbes — Walkability: 18/100 Wirrinya — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 10 / 57
Forbes — Safety: 10/100 Wirrinya — Safety: 57/100
Low fire risk 77 / 65
Forbes — Low fire risk: 77/100 Wirrinya — Low fire risk: 65/100

Demographics

Forbes has more residents (8,157 vs 92); Forbes rents higher ($230/wk vs $150/wk).

Forbes Wirrinya
Population 8,157
+99% vs other
 92
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.3% +3.4%
Median age 42 33
Median household income $63,492/yr $84,500/yr
+33% vs other
Median weekly rent $230/wk
+35% vs other
 $150/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Forbes Wirrinya
0-4 5.7% / 15.2%
Forbes — 0-4: 5.7% Wirrinya — 0-4: 15.2%
5-14 13.7% / 18.5%
Forbes — 5-14: 13.7% Wirrinya — 5-14: 18.5%
15-19 5.7% / 4.3%
Forbes — 15-19: 5.7% Wirrinya — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 5.4% / 5.4%
Forbes — 20-24: 5.4% Wirrinya — 20-24: 5.4%
25-34 10.8% / 14.1%
Forbes — 25-34: 10.8% Wirrinya — 25-34: 14.1%
35-44 10.6% / 19.6%
Forbes — 35-44: 10.6% Wirrinya — 35-44: 19.6%
45-54 11.1% / 12.0%
Forbes — 45-54: 11.1% Wirrinya — 45-54: 12.0%
55-64 12.8% / 14.1%
Forbes — 55-64: 12.8% Wirrinya — 55-64: 14.1%
65-74 12.2% / 14.1%
Forbes — 65-74: 12.2% Wirrinya — 65-74: 14.1%
75-84 8.7% / 4.3%
Forbes — 75-84: 8.7% Wirrinya — 75-84: 4.3%
85+ 3.3% / —
Forbes — 85+: 3.3% Wirrinya — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.6%).

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%
Wirrinya 72.2% couple families
Wirrinya — Couple Families: 72.2% Wirrinya — Lone Person: 27.8% Wirrinya — One Parent Families: 0.0% Wirrinya — Group Household: 0.0% Wirrinya — 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%
Wirrinya 0.0% renting
Wirrinya — Owned Outright: 52.9% Wirrinya — Mortgage: 47.1% Wirrinya — Renting: 0.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Forbes 88.6% houses
Forbes — Houses: 88.6% Forbes — Flats / Apartments: 6.6% Forbes — Townhouses: 4.9%
Wirrinya 90.6% houses
Wirrinya — Houses: 90.6% Wirrinya — Flats / Apartments: 9.4% Wirrinya — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Qualifications

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

Forbes Wirrinya
Certificate III & IV 16.3% / 10.9%
Forbes — Certificate III & IV: 16.3% Wirrinya — Certificate III & IV: 10.9%
Bachelor Degree 7.1% / 10.9%
Forbes — Bachelor Degree: 7.1% Wirrinya — Bachelor Degree: 10.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.3% / 6.5%
Forbes — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3% Wirrinya — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5%
Postgraduate Degree 1.4% / —
Forbes — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4% Wirrinya — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.0% / —
Forbes — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0% Wirrinya — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

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

Property market

Forbes Wirrinya
Median house price $475,000 —
Median unit price $395,000 —
Median land price $212,500 $16,544
Typical days to sell (houses) 62 days
from 58 sales
 —

Zoning mix

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

Ranking within NSW

Forbes Wirrinya
House price Higher than 13% of NSW —
Income Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW
Schools Higher than 47% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 37% 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 19% 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 Wirrinya
Grade D —
Score 29/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Forbes carries more crime risk (90 vs 43); Wirrinya carries more bushfire risk (35 vs 23).

Forbes Wirrinya
Bushfire Low
23/100
 Low
35/100
Crime High
90/100
 Moderate
43/100
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 Wirrinya
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 Wirrinya

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

Amenities in the suburb

Forbes Wirrinya
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 8

Mobility

Wirrinya sits further from the CBD (489.3 km vs 385.4 km).

Forbes Wirrinya
Walkability score 18/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 385.4 km 489.3 km
+27% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 310 min 341 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 Wirrinya
Car (driver) 79.4% / 61.2%
Forbes — Car (driver): 79.4% Wirrinya — Car (driver): 61.2%
Worked from Home 9.2% / 32.7%
Forbes — Worked from Home: 9.2% Wirrinya — Worked from Home: 32.7%
Walked Only 4.2% / 6.1%
Forbes — Walked Only: 4.2% Wirrinya — Walked Only: 6.1%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / —
Forbes — Car (passenger): 6.2% Wirrinya — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 0.5% / —
Forbes — Bus: 0.5% Wirrinya — Bus: not among its largest

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

Setting

Forbes Wirrinya
Elevation 235 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 220 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Forbes Wirrinya
Connectivity score 55/100 15/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 24%
4,208 premises
 0%
18 premises

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Forbes

Affordable Rural

Wirrinya

Affordable Family Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Forbes

Forbes vs Eugowra Forbes vs Bogan Gate Forbes vs Bedgerabong Forbes vs Paytens Bridge Forbes vs Tichborne Forbes vs Gunningbland

Other comparisons with Wirrinya

Wirrinya vs Caragabal Wirrinya vs Garema Wirrinya vs Jemalong Wirrinya vs Corinella Wirrinya vs Back Creek Wirrinya vs Pullabooka
Full data on Forbes Full data on Wirrinya
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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