Forreston vs Cromer

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Forreston, most households are couple families. In Cromer, about half of households are couple families. Forreston is closer to the city centre: 39.9 km, against 52.5 km. On these figures, Forreston tends to suit couples, while Cromer suits people living alone.

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

Forreston

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (72% vs 61%)

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

Forreston

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (12% vs 21%)
  • has cheaper rent ($258/wk vs $335/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Forreston

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (39.9 km vs 52.5 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (50 min vs 65 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Cromer

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (15.0% vs 4.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Forreston Cromer
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.

Forreston Cromer
Walkability 4 / 0
Forreston — Walkability: 4/100 Cromer — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 76 / 84
Forreston — Safety: 76/100 Cromer — Safety: 84/100
Low fire risk 23 / 100
Forreston — Low fire risk: 23/100 Cromer — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Forreston has more residents (407 vs 215); Cromer rents higher ($335/wk vs $258/wk).

Forreston Cromer
Population 407
+47% vs other
 215
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.9% +15.0%
Median age 48 49
Median household income $108,108/yr
+22% vs other
 $84,500/yr
Median weekly rent $258/wk $335/wk
+30% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Forreston Cromer
0-4 3.4% / 3.3%
Forreston — 0-4: 3.4% Cromer — 0-4: 3.3%
5-14 10.3% / 10.7%
Forreston — 5-14: 10.3% Cromer — 5-14: 10.7%
15-19 8.6% / 10.2%
Forreston — 15-19: 8.6% Cromer — 15-19: 10.2%
20-24 4.7% / 3.7%
Forreston — 20-24: 4.7% Cromer — 20-24: 3.7%
25-34 10.1% / 4.2%
Forreston — 25-34: 10.1% Cromer — 25-34: 4.2%
35-44 9.1% / 7.4%
Forreston — 35-44: 9.1% Cromer — 35-44: 7.4%
45-54 14.7% / 24.7%
Forreston — 45-54: 14.7% Cromer — 45-54: 24.7%
55-64 17.2% / 14.4%
Forreston — 55-64: 17.2% Cromer — 55-64: 14.4%
65-74 13.3% / 14.9%
Forreston — 65-74: 13.3% Cromer — 65-74: 14.9%
75-84 6.9% / 9.3%
Forreston — 75-84: 6.9% Cromer — 75-84: 9.3%
85+ 0.7% / —
Forreston — 85+: 0.7% Cromer — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Forreston 64.8% couple families
Forreston — Couple Families: 64.8% Forreston — Lone Person: 23.1% Forreston — One Parent Families: 7.7% Forreston — Group Household: 4.4%
Cromer 54.5% couple families
Cromer — Couple Families: 54.5% Cromer — Lone Person: 38.6% Cromer — One Parent Families: 6.8% Cromer — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Forreston 9.6% renting
Forreston — Owned Outright: 46.3% Forreston — Mortgage: 44.1% Forreston — Renting: 9.6%
Cromer 9.6% renting
Cromer — Owned Outright: 39.7% Cromer — Mortgage: 50.7% Cromer — Renting: 9.6%
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.

Forreston Cromer
England 6.1% / 7.4%
Forreston — England: 6.1% Cromer — England: 7.4%
South Africa — / 1.4%
Forreston — South Africa: not among its largest Cromer — South Africa: 1.4%
Scotland — / 1.4%
Forreston — Scotland: not among its largest Cromer — Scotland: 1.4%
Netherlands 1.0% / —
Forreston — Netherlands: 1.0% Cromer — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.4%).

Qualifications

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

Forreston Cromer
Certificate III & IV 20.4% / 17.7%
Forreston — Certificate III & IV: 20.4% Cromer — Certificate III & IV: 17.7%
Bachelor Degree 9.3% / 14.0%
Forreston — Bachelor Degree: 9.3% Cromer — Bachelor Degree: 14.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.6% / 3.7%
Forreston — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6% Cromer — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 3.7%
Forreston — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Cromer — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7%
Postgraduate Degree 2.0% / 2.3%
Forreston — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0% Cromer — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Forreston 102.2% houses
Forreston — Houses: 102.2% Forreston — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Cromer 92.3% houses
Cromer — Houses: 92.3% Cromer — Flats / Apartments: 7.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Forreston Cromer
Median house price $980,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Forreston Cromer
Rural and farming 100% 97%
Environmental 0% 3%
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

Forreston Cromer
New dwellings approved 95
across Adelaide Hills
 180
across Barossa
Approvals change year on year +53% -48%

Ranking within SA

Forreston Cromer
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 85% of SA Higher than 61% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 60% of SA Higher than 31% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 68% of SA Higher than 43% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of SA Higher than 60% of SA

Liveability

Forreston Cromer
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
same for both

Risk profile

Forreston carries more bushfire risk (77 vs 0).

Forreston Cromer
Bushfire High
77/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
24/100
 Low
16/100
Flood —
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

Forreston Cromer
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Forreston Cromer
Parks & reserves 4 3
Waterways 2 6

Mobility

Cromer sits further from the CBD (52.5 km vs 39.9 km).

Forreston Cromer
Walkability score 4/100 0/100
Distance to Adelaide 39.9 km 52.5 km
+32% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 50 min 65 min
Electric vehicle share 0.8%
postcode 5233
 0.4%
postcode 5235
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 82
postcode 5233
 78
postcode 5235

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.

Forreston Cromer
Car (driver) 75.7% / 70.7%
Forreston — Car (driver): 75.7% Cromer — Car (driver): 70.7%
Worked from Home 19.0% / 15.2%
Forreston — Worked from Home: 19.0% Cromer — Worked from Home: 15.2%
Car (passenger) 2.1% / 8.1%
Forreston — Car (passenger): 2.1% Cromer — Car (passenger): 8.1%
Walked Only 3.2% / 6.1%
Forreston — Walked Only: 3.2% Cromer — Walked Only: 6.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.7%).

Setting

Forreston Cromer
Elevation 364 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 444 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 31.3 km 38.5 km

NBN connectivity

Forreston Cromer
Connectivity score 33/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
160 premises
 0%
84 premises

Climate

Forreston Cromer
Annual rainfall 921 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Forreston Cromer
PM2.5 5.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 18.7 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.31 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Forreston Cromer
Average residential rate $2,727/yr $2,247/yr
Council Adelaide Hills Barossa

Federal electorate

Forreston Cromer
Division Mayo Barker
Member Rebekha Sharkie Tony Pasin
Party Centre Alliance Liberal

First Home Owner Grant

Forreston Cromer
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Forreston

Outer

Cromer

Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Forreston

Forreston vs Birdwood Forreston vs Kersbrook Forreston vs Gumeracha Forreston vs Mount Crawford

Other comparisons with Cromer

Cromer vs Birdwood Cromer vs Mount Pleasant Cromer vs Mount Crawford
Full data on Forreston Full data on Cromer
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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