Forest Hill vs Glen Cairn

Glen Cairn is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 41 in Forest Hill. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Glen Cairn, most households are couple families. On these figures, Forest Hill tends to suit people living alone, while Glen Cairn 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Forest Hill carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 85/100)
  • Glen Cairn is already more of a family suburb (74% vs 46%)

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

Forest Hill

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (28% vs 9%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $500/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (23% vs 32%)

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

Commuting to the city

Forest Hill

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (66 min vs 77 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (82.3 km vs 90.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Forest Hill

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 85/100)

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

Investors

Glen Cairn

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (24.8% vs -3.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
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.

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Walkability 14 / 0
Forest Hill — Walkability: 14/100 Glen Cairn — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 37 / 15
Forest Hill — Safety: 37/100 Glen Cairn — Safety: 15/100
Low fire risk 100 / 53
Forest Hill — Low fire risk: 100/100 Glen Cairn — Low fire risk: 53/100

Demographics

Forest Hill has more residents (935 vs 141); Glen Cairn rents higher ($500/wk vs $300/wk).

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Population 935
+85% vs other
 141
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.4% +24.8%
Median age 41 38
Median household income $68,536/yr $82,316/yr
+20% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk $500/wk
+67% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
0-4 4.6% / 7.1%
Forest Hill — 0-4: 4.6% Glen Cairn — 0-4: 7.1%
5-14 10.5% / 13.5%
Forest Hill — 5-14: 10.5% Glen Cairn — 5-14: 13.5%
15-19 6.0% / 9.9%
Forest Hill — 15-19: 6.0% Glen Cairn — 15-19: 9.9%
20-24 11.9% / 12.8%
Forest Hill — 20-24: 11.9% Glen Cairn — 20-24: 12.8%
25-34 10.1% / 2.1%
Forest Hill — 25-34: 10.1% Glen Cairn — 25-34: 2.1%
35-44 9.5% / 12.8%
Forest Hill — 35-44: 9.5% Glen Cairn — 35-44: 12.8%
45-54 13.0% / 14.9%
Forest Hill — 45-54: 13.0% Glen Cairn — 45-54: 14.9%
55-64 16.5% / 14.9%
Forest Hill — 55-64: 16.5% Glen Cairn — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 12.1% / 12.1%
Forest Hill — 65-74: 12.1% Glen Cairn — 65-74: 12.1%
75-84 4.0% / 2.1%
Forest Hill — 75-84: 4.0% Glen Cairn — 75-84: 2.1%
85+ 2.1% / 2.8%
Forest Hill — 85+: 2.1% Glen Cairn — 85+: 2.8%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Forest Hill 28.0% couple families
Forest Hill — Couple Families: 28.0% Forest Hill — Lone Person: 35.0% Forest Hill — One Parent Families: 17.9% Forest Hill — Group Household: 17.5% Forest Hill — Other Families: 1.6%
Glen Cairn 60.0% couple families
Glen Cairn — Couple Families: 60.0% Glen Cairn — Lone Person: 25.7% Glen Cairn — One Parent Families: 14.3% Glen Cairn — Group Household: 0.0% Glen Cairn — 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.

Forest Hill 28.4% renting
Forest Hill — Owned Outright: 37.4% Forest Hill — Mortgage: 34.2% Forest Hill — Renting: 28.4%
Glen Cairn 9.1% renting
Glen Cairn — Owned Outright: 47.7% Glen Cairn — Mortgage: 43.2% Glen Cairn — Renting: 9.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
New Zealand 2.4% / 5.0%
Forest Hill — New Zealand: 2.4% Glen Cairn — New Zealand: 5.0%
England 3.3% / 2.8%
Forest Hill — England: 3.3% Glen Cairn — England: 2.8%
Vietnam 0.5% / —
Forest Hill — Vietnam: 0.5% Glen Cairn — Vietnam: not among its largest
Philippines 0.4% / —
Forest Hill — Philippines: 0.4% Glen Cairn — Philippines: not among its largest
Fiji 0.4% / —
Forest Hill — Fiji: 0.4% Glen Cairn — Fiji: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.0%).

Qualifications

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

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Certificate III & IV 19.7% / 18.4%
Forest Hill — Certificate III & IV: 19.7% Glen Cairn — Certificate III & IV: 18.4%
Bachelor Degree 5.8% / 8.5%
Forest Hill — Bachelor Degree: 5.8% Glen Cairn — Bachelor Degree: 8.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.9% / 6.4%
Forest Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.9% Glen Cairn — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 5.0%
Forest Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Glen Cairn — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.0%
Postgraduate Degree 1.0% / —
Forest Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0% Glen Cairn — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Forest Hill 98.3% houses
Forest Hill — Houses: 98.3% Forest Hill — Townhouses: 1.7%
Glen Cairn 100.0% houses
Glen Cairn — Houses: 100.0% Glen Cairn — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Median house price $720,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $550,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 37 days
from 11 sales
 —

Development activity

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
New dwellings approved 352
across Lockyer Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year +103%
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 35% of QLD Higher than 53% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 76% of QLD Higher than 15% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 42% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of QLD Higher than 52% of QLD

Liveability

Forest Hill is more walkable (14 vs 0).

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Grade C —
Score 40/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Glen Cairn carries more bushfire risk (47 vs 0); Glen Cairn carries more crime risk (85 vs 63).

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
47/100
Crime Moderate
63/100
 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 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Forest Hill

  • Forest Hill State School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Glen Cairn

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

Amenities in the suburb

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 9 1

Mobility

Glen Cairn sits further from the CBD (90.2 km vs 82.3 km).

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Walkability score 14/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 82.3 km 90.2 km
+10% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 66 min 77 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4342
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 86
postcode 4342
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.

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Car (driver) 82.3% / 75.0%
Forest Hill — Car (driver): 82.3% Glen Cairn — Car (driver): 75.0%
Worked from Home 10.2% / 14.3%
Forest Hill — Worked from Home: 10.2% Glen Cairn — Worked from Home: 14.3%
Car (passenger) 4.7% / 10.7%
Forest Hill — Car (passenger): 4.7% Glen Cairn — Car (passenger): 10.7%
Walked Only 2.0% / —
Forest Hill — Walked Only: 2.0% Glen Cairn — Walked Only: not among its largest
Train 0.9% / —
Forest Hill — Train: 0.9% Glen Cairn — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.3%).

Setting

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Elevation 88 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 115 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Connectivity score 57/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 34%
449 premises
 0%
54 premises

Climate

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Annual rainfall 697 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.1°C
same for both

Council rates

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Average residential rate $1,952/yr
same for both
Council Lockyer Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Division Wright
same for both
Member Scott Buchholz
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Forest Hill Glen Cairn
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Forest Hill

Acreage Quiet River

Glen Cairn

Rural Students

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Forest Hill

Forest Hill vs Plainland Forest Hill vs Laidley Heights Forest Hill vs Glenore Grove Forest Hill vs Laidley North Forest Hill vs Crowley Vale Forest Hill vs Lawes

Other comparisons with Glen Cairn

Glen Cairn vs Gatton Glen Cairn vs Laidley Heights Glen Cairn vs Blenheim Glen Cairn vs Woodlands Glen Cairn vs Lawes
Full data on Forest Hill Full data on Glen Cairn
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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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