Forest Hill vs Lawes

Lawes is the younger of the two, with a median age of 21 against 41 in Forest Hill. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Forest Hill, most households own their home. In Lawes, the large majority of households rent. On these figures, Lawes tends to suit renters, young adults, and share households.

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 Hill

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 86/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (46% vs 36%)

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

Renters

Lawes

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (100% vs 28%)
  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $300/wk)

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 75 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (82.3 km vs 87.5 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 86/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Forest Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (-3.4% vs -68.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Forest Hill and Lawes 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 Lawes
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 Lawes
Walkability 14 / 0
Forest Hill — Walkability: 14/100 Lawes — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 37 / 14
Forest Hill — Safety: 37/100 Lawes — Safety: 14/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Forest Hill — Low fire risk: 100/100 Lawes — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Forest Hill has more residents (935 vs 105); Forest Hill skews older (41 vs 21).

Forest Hill Lawes
Population 935
+89% vs other
 105
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.4% -68.0%
Median age 41 21
Median household income $68,536/yr
+15% vs other
 $58,500/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+17% vs other
 $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Forest Hill Lawes
0-4 4.6% / 6.7%
Forest Hill — 0-4: 4.6% Lawes — 0-4: 6.7%
5-14 10.5% / 13.3%
Forest Hill — 5-14: 10.5% Lawes — 5-14: 13.3%
15-19 6.0% / 23.8%
Forest Hill — 15-19: 6.0% Lawes — 15-19: 23.8%
20-24 11.9% / 19.0%
Forest Hill — 20-24: 11.9% Lawes — 20-24: 19.0%
25-34 10.1% / 16.2%
Forest Hill — 25-34: 10.1% Lawes — 25-34: 16.2%
35-44 9.5% / 14.3%
Forest Hill — 35-44: 9.5% Lawes — 35-44: 14.3%
45-54 13.0% / —
Forest Hill — 45-54: 13.0% Lawes — 45-54: not among its largest
55-64 16.5% / —
Forest Hill — 55-64: 16.5% Lawes — 55-64: not among its largest
65-74 12.1% / —
Forest Hill — 65-74: 12.1% Lawes — 65-74: not among its largest
75-84 4.0% / —
Forest Hill — 75-84: 4.0% Lawes — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 2.1% / —
Forest Hill — 85+: 2.1% Lawes — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.8%).

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 — Group Household: 17.5% Forest Hill — One Parent Families: 17.9% Forest Hill — Other Families: 1.6%
Lawes 36.4% couple families
Lawes — Couple Families: 36.4% Lawes — Lone Person: 27.3% Lawes — Group Household: 36.4% Lawes — One Parent Families: 0.0% Lawes — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person Group Household One Parent Families 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%
Lawes 100.0% renting
Lawes — Owned Outright: 0.0% Lawes — Mortgage: 0.0% Lawes — Renting: 100.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Forest Hill Lawes
Certificate III & IV 19.7% / —
Forest Hill — Certificate III & IV: 19.7% Lawes — Certificate III & IV: not among its largest
Bachelor Degree 5.8% / 13.3%
Forest Hill — Bachelor Degree: 5.8% Lawes — Bachelor Degree: 13.3%
Postgraduate Degree 1.0% / 10.5%
Forest Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0% Lawes — Postgraduate Degree: 10.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.9% / 4.8%
Forest Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.9% Lawes — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / —
Forest Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Lawes — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

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

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 Lawes
India — / 6.7%
Forest Hill — India: not among its largest Lawes — India: 6.7%
Sri Lanka — / 6.7%
Forest Hill — Sri Lanka: not among its largest Lawes — Sri Lanka: 6.7%
Indonesia — / 6.7%
Forest Hill — Indonesia: not among its largest Lawes — Indonesia: 6.7%
Myanmar — / 5.7%
Forest Hill — Myanmar: not among its largest Lawes — Myanmar: 5.7%
Vietnam 0.5% / 3.8%
Forest Hill — Vietnam: 0.5% Lawes — Vietnam: 3.8%
England 3.3% / —
Forest Hill — England: 3.3% Lawes — England: not among its largest
New Zealand 2.4% / —
Forest Hill — New Zealand: 2.4% Lawes — New Zealand: not among its largest
Philippines 0.4% / —
Forest Hill — Philippines: 0.4% Lawes — Philippines: not among its largest
Fiji 0.4% / —
Forest Hill — Fiji: 0.4% Lawes — Fiji: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Forest Hill 98.3% houses
Forest Hill — Houses: 98.3% Forest Hill — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Forest Hill — Townhouses: 1.7%
Lawes 90.9% houses
Lawes — Houses: 90.9% Lawes — Flats / Apartments: 9.1% Lawes — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

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

Ranking within QLD

Forest Hill Lawes
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 35% of QLD Higher than 21% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 76% of QLD Higher than 10% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 42% of QLD Higher than 33% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of QLD Higher than 75% of QLD

Liveability

Forest Hill is more walkable (14 vs 0).

Forest Hill Lawes
Grade C —
Score 40/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Lawes carries more crime risk (86 vs 63).

Forest Hill Lawes
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
63/100
 High
86/100
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 Lawes
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 Lawes

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

Amenities in the suburb

Forest Hill Lawes
Cafes & restaurants 3 2
Parks & reserves 1 3
Childcare 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 9 2

Mobility

Lawes sits further from the CBD (87.5 km vs 82.3 km).

Forest Hill Lawes
Walkability score 14/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 82.3 km 87.5 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 66 min 75 min
Public transport score 24/100
Bus
 25/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 1.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 2.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 31.5 min
scheduled, not actual
 31 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4342
 0.2%
postcode 4343
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 86
postcode 4342
 83
postcode 4343

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 Lawes
Car (driver) 82.3% / 42.4%
Forest Hill — Car (driver): 82.3% Lawes — Car (driver): 42.4%
Worked from Home 10.2% / 21.2%
Forest Hill — Worked from Home: 10.2% Lawes — Worked from Home: 21.2%
Car (passenger) 4.7% / 24.2%
Forest Hill — Car (passenger): 4.7% Lawes — Car (passenger): 24.2%
Walked Only 2.0% / 12.1%
Forest Hill — Walked Only: 2.0% Lawes — Walked Only: 12.1%
Train 0.9% / —
Forest Hill — Train: 0.9% Lawes — Train: not among its largest

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

Setting

Forest Hill Lawes
Elevation 88 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 91 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Forest Hill Lawes
Connectivity score 57/100 65/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the building
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 34%
449 premises
 0%
96 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

Forest Hill Lawes
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 Lawes
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

Lawes

Multicultural 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 Glen Cairn Forest Hill vs Crowley Vale

Other comparisons with Lawes

Lawes vs Gatton Lawes vs Lake Clarendon Lawes vs Glen Cairn Lawes vs College View
Full data on Forest Hill Full data on Lawes
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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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