Forrest vs Griffith

Griffith is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 47 in Forrest. In both, most households own their home, about half of homes are flats or apartments, and about half of households are people living alone. Units cost more in Forrest: a median of $685,000, against $626,000 in Griffith, and rent is higher there too. Forrest is closer to the city centre: 6.9 km, against 8.3 km.

Forrest is a smaller, more affluent enclave with a median household income of $174,876 compared to Griffith's $132,184, though it comes with significantly higher property prices—median houses at $4,052,500 versus $2,225,000. Griffith is more densely populated at 5,328 people and offers better walkability (88 versus 81), while Forrest sits slightly closer to the CBD at 6.9 km and has a notably lower crime risk score of 53 compared to Griffith's 69. Both are high socio-economic areas with no bushfire or flood risk; your choice largely depends on whether you prioritise Forrest's proximity and lower crime against Griffith's affordability and walkability.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

  • Forrest carries lower crime risk (53/100 vs 69/100)
  • Griffith has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Griffith

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($2,225,000 vs $4,052,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Griffith

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (41% vs 31%)
  • has cheaper rent ($462/wk vs $570/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Forrest

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 16%)
  • carries lower crime risk (53/100 vs 69/100)

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

Investors

Griffith

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.3% vs 4.6%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Forrest Griffith
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.

Forrest Griffith
Walkability 81 / 88
Forrest — Walkability: 81/100 Griffith — Walkability: 88/100
Safety 47 / 31
Forrest — Safety: 47/100 Griffith — Safety: 31/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Forrest — Low fire risk: 100/100 Griffith — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Forrest — Low flood risk: 100/100 Griffith — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Griffith has more residents (5,328 vs 1,827); Forrest has higher household incomes ($174,876 vs $132,184).

Forrest Griffith
Population 1,827 5,328
+192% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.1% +16.5%
Median age 47 38
Median household income $174,876/yr
+24% vs other
 $132,184/yr
Median weekly rent $570/wk
+19% vs other
 $462/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Forrest Griffith
0-4 2.4% / 3.7%
Forrest — 0-4: 2.4% Griffith — 0-4: 3.7%
5-14 8.9% / 9.4%
Forrest — 5-14: 8.9% Griffith — 5-14: 9.4%
15-19 5.1% / 5.4%
Forrest — 15-19: 5.1% Griffith — 15-19: 5.4%
20-24 5.2% / 6.0%
Forrest — 20-24: 5.2% Griffith — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 15.2% / 20.6%
Forrest — 25-34: 15.2% Griffith — 25-34: 20.6%
35-44 10.2% / 13.3%
Forrest — 35-44: 10.2% Griffith — 35-44: 13.3%
45-54 15.4% / 13.5%
Forrest — 45-54: 15.4% Griffith — 45-54: 13.5%
55-64 14.8% / 12.0%
Forrest — 55-64: 14.8% Griffith — 55-64: 12.0%
65-74 13.1% / 8.4%
Forrest — 65-74: 13.1% Griffith — 65-74: 8.4%
75-84 8.2% / 4.9%
Forrest — 75-84: 8.2% Griffith — 75-84: 4.9%
85+ 2.0% / 2.9%
Forrest — 85+: 2.0% Griffith — 85+: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Forrest 46.4% lone person
Forrest — Lone Person: 46.4% Forrest — Couple Families: 38.0% Forrest — One Parent Families: 8.2% Forrest — Group Household: 6.8% Forrest — Other Families: 0.6%
Griffith 50.3% lone person
Griffith — Lone Person: 50.3% Griffith — Couple Families: 31.2% Griffith — One Parent Families: 9.2% Griffith — Group Household: 7.9% Griffith — Other Families: 1.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Forrest 31.3% renting
Forrest — Owned Outright: 38.6% Forrest — Mortgage: 30.0% Forrest — Renting: 31.3%
Griffith 41.4% renting
Griffith — Owned Outright: 25.6% Griffith — Mortgage: 33.0% Griffith — Renting: 41.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Forrest Griffith
Bachelor Degree 27.0% / 28.2%
Forrest — Bachelor Degree: 27.0% Griffith — Bachelor Degree: 28.2%
Postgraduate Degree 21.3% / 19.2%
Forrest — Postgraduate Degree: 21.3% Griffith — Postgraduate Degree: 19.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.7% / 6.0%
Forrest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7% Griffith — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 6.0% / 5.3%
Forrest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 6.0% Griffith — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.3%
Certificate III & IV 3.6% / 4.9%
Forrest — Certificate III & IV: 3.6% Griffith — Certificate III & IV: 4.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.2%).

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.

Forrest Griffith
England 3.0% / 4.2%
Forrest — England: 3.0% Griffith — England: 4.2%
India 2.1% / 1.9%
Forrest — India: 2.1% Griffith — India: 1.9%
China 1.6% / 1.7%
Forrest — China: 1.6% Griffith — China: 1.7%
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.3%
Forrest — New Zealand: 1.6% Griffith — New Zealand: 1.3%
Nepal — / 1.2%
Forrest — Nepal: not among its largest Griffith — Nepal: 1.2%
Sri Lanka 1.1% / —
Forrest — Sri Lanka: 1.1% Griffith — Sri Lanka: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Forrest 46.6% flats / apartments
Forrest — Flats / Apartments: 46.6% Forrest — Houses: 36.5% Forrest — Townhouses: 16.9%
Griffith 53.6% flats / apartments
Griffith — Flats / Apartments: 53.6% Griffith — Houses: 35.6% Griffith — Townhouses: 10.7%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Forrest Griffith
Median house price $4,052,500 $2,225,000
Median unit price $685,000 $626,250
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 120 days
from 8 sales
 43 days
from 37 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

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

Forrest Griffith
1 bed $555K / $500K
Forrest — 1 bed: $555K (15 sales) Griffith — 1 bed: $500K (45 sales)

15 vs 45 sales

2 bed $720K / $640K
Forrest — 2 bed: $720K (22 sales) Griffith — 2 bed: $640K (119 sales)

22 vs 119 sales

3 bed $985K / $895K
Forrest — 3 bed: $985K (9 sales) Griffith — 3 bed: $895K (22 sales)

9 vs 22 sales

Development activity

Forrest Griffith
New dwellings approved 3,750
across Unincorporated ACT
same for both
Approvals change year on year -48%
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.

Forrest Griffith
Houses 1.8%
$1,400/wk on $4.04M
 2.2%
$825/wk on $2M
Units 4.6%
$680/wk on $765K
 5.3%
$620/wk on $610K

Ranking within ACT

Forrest Griffith
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 96% of ACT Higher than 64% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 87% of ACT Higher than 96% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 90% of ACT Higher than 91% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 68% of ACT Higher than 63% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 1% of ACT Higher than 2% of ACT
Rental yield (units) Higher than 12% of ACT Higher than 24% of ACT

Liveability

Forrest Griffith
Grade A+
same for both
Score 91/100 88/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Griffith carries more crime risk (69 vs 53).

Forrest Griffith
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
53/100
 Moderate
69/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 6
within 5 km
 7
within 5 km

Schools

Forrest Griffith
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
UNSW Canberra, 1.7 km
 3
UNSW Canberra, 2.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.3% 2.8%

Schools in Forrest

  • Forrest Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Griffith

  • St Clare's College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • St Edmund's College Canberra Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Forrest Griffith
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 3 21
Parks & reserves 2 4
Childcare 3
same for both
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 0 3
Banks & Bank@Post 0 3
Fuel stations 0 2
EV chargers 0 2

Mobility

Forrest Griffith
Walkability score 81/100 88/100
Distance to Canberra 6.9 km 8.3 km
+20% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 14 min 17 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 35.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 72.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 4.6%
postcode 2603
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 25
postcode 2603
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.

Forrest Griffith
Car (driver) 54.3% / 58.3%
Forrest — Car (driver): 54.3% Griffith — Car (driver): 58.3%
Worked from Home 20.3% / 14.6%
Forrest — Worked from Home: 20.3% Griffith — Worked from Home: 14.6%
Walked Only 15.1% / 8.7%
Forrest — Walked Only: 15.1% Griffith — Walked Only: 8.7%
Car (passenger) 3.8% / 7.0%
Forrest — Car (passenger): 3.8% Griffith — Car (passenger): 7.0%
Bus 3.5% / 7.2%
Forrest — Bus: 3.5% Griffith — Bus: 7.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (58.3%).

Setting

Forrest Griffith
Elevation 588 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 585 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Forrest Griffith
Connectivity score 70/100 66/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 24%
1,171 premises
 22%
3,410 premises

Climate

Forrest Griffith
Annual rainfall 622 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 0.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Forrest Griffith
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Forrest Griffith
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Forrest Griffith
Division Canberra
same for both
Member Alicia Payne
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Forrest Griffith
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Forrest

Apartments Inner Parks Premium Professionals

Griffith

Apartments Cafe Culture Inner Parks Professionals

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Forrest

Forrest vs Red Hill Forrest vs Deakin Forrest vs Barton

Other comparisons with Griffith

Griffith vs Kingston Griffith vs Narrabundah Griffith vs Red Hill Griffith vs Barton Griffith vs Fyshwick
Full data on Forrest Full data on Griffith
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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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