Montacute vs Forest Range

Forest Range is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 46 in Montacute. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Montacute, most households are couple families. In Forest Range, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Montacute: a median of $1.15 million, against $815,000 in Forest Range, and rent is higher there too. Montacute is closer to the city centre: 19.8 km, against 32 km. On these figures, Montacute tends to suit people living alone, while Forest Range suits families with children and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Montacute

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 2)
  • carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 42/100)

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

First-home buyers

Forest Range

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($815,407 vs $1,150,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 28%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Forest Range

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($330/wk vs $370/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Montacute

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (19.8 km vs 32 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Montacute

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 42/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (21% vs 16%)

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

Investors

Forest Range

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (22.9% vs 12.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Montacute Forest Range
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.

Montacute Forest Range
Walkability 0 / 0
Montacute — Walkability: 0/100 Forest Range — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 88 / 58
Montacute — Safety: 88/100 Forest Range — Safety: 58/100
Low fire risk 17 / 35
Montacute — Low fire risk: 17/100 Forest Range — Low fire risk: 35/100

Demographics

Montacute skews older (46 vs 38); Forest Range has higher household incomes ($108,628 vs $96,200).

Montacute Forest Range
Population 332
+13% vs other
 290
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +12.9% +22.9%
Median age 46 38
Median household income $96,200/yr $108,628/yr
+13% vs other
Median weekly rent $370/wk
+11% vs other
 $330/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Montacute Forest Range
0-4 5.1% / 5.9%
Montacute — 0-4: 5.1% Forest Range — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 13.0% / 17.6%
Montacute — 5-14: 13.0% Forest Range — 5-14: 17.6%
15-19 7.8% / 5.9%
Montacute — 15-19: 7.8% Forest Range — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 5.4% / 3.8%
Montacute — 20-24: 5.4% Forest Range — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 6.9% / 8.3%
Montacute — 25-34: 6.9% Forest Range — 25-34: 8.3%
35-44 9.6% / 13.8%
Montacute — 35-44: 9.6% Forest Range — 35-44: 13.8%
45-54 14.8% / 8.3%
Montacute — 45-54: 14.8% Forest Range — 45-54: 8.3%
55-64 15.7% / 16.9%
Montacute — 55-64: 15.7% Forest Range — 55-64: 16.9%
65-74 14.5% / 10.7%
Montacute — 65-74: 14.5% Forest Range — 65-74: 10.7%
75-84 3.0% / 3.8%
Montacute — 75-84: 3.0% Forest Range — 75-84: 3.8%
85+ 3.3% / 1.0%
Montacute — 85+: 3.3% Forest Range — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Montacute 61.3% couple families
Montacute — Couple Families: 61.3% Montacute — Lone Person: 30.7% Montacute — One Parent Families: 8.0% Montacute — Group Household: 0.0%
Forest Range 51.4% couple families
Forest Range — Couple Families: 51.4% Forest Range — Lone Person: 20.0% Forest Range — One Parent Families: 22.9% Forest Range — Group Household: 5.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Montacute 8.1% renting
Montacute — Owned Outright: 52.5% Montacute — Mortgage: 39.4% Montacute — Renting: 8.1%
Forest Range 13.3% renting
Forest Range — Owned Outright: 48.0% Forest Range — Mortgage: 38.8% Forest Range — Renting: 13.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Montacute Forest Range
Bachelor Degree 14.2% / 15.2%
Montacute — Bachelor Degree: 14.2% Forest Range — Bachelor Degree: 15.2%
Certificate III & IV 10.2% / 13.8%
Montacute — Certificate III & IV: 10.2% Forest Range — Certificate III & IV: 13.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.7% / 8.3%
Montacute — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7% Forest Range — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 8.7% / 3.1%
Montacute — Postgraduate Degree: 8.7% Forest Range — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.8% / 2.8%
Montacute — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.8% Forest Range — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.2%).

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.

Montacute Forest Range
England 7.2% / 5.9%
Montacute — England: 7.2% Forest Range — England: 5.9%
New Zealand 1.5% / 1.0%
Montacute — New Zealand: 1.5% Forest Range — New Zealand: 1.0%
Germany 2.1% / —
Montacute — Germany: 2.1% Forest Range — Germany: not among its largest
South Africa 1.5% / —
Montacute — South Africa: 1.5% Forest Range — South Africa: not among its largest
Malaysia — / 1.4%
Montacute — Malaysia: not among its largest Forest Range — Malaysia: 1.4%
Thailand 1.2% / —
Montacute — Thailand: 1.2% Forest Range — Thailand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Montacute 100.0% houses
Montacute — Houses: 100.0%
Forest Range 100.0% houses
Forest Range — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Property market

Montacute Forest Range
Median house price $1,150,000 $815,407
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Forest Range has more rural and farming land (93% vs 35%); Montacute has more land zoned for conservation (65% vs 7%).

Montacute Forest Range
Rural and farming 35% 93%
Environmental 65% 7%
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

Montacute Forest Range
New dwellings approved 95
across Adelaide Hills
same for both
Approvals change year on year +53%
same for both

Ranking within SA

Montacute Forest Range
House price Higher than 33% of SA Higher than 18% of SA
Income Higher than 74% of SA Higher than 86% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 52% of SA Higher than 49% of SA
Affordability Higher than 87% of SA Higher than 95% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 96% of SA Higher than 95% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 33% of SA Higher than 67% of SA

Liveability

Montacute Forest Range
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Forest Range carries more crime risk (42 vs 12); Montacute carries more bushfire risk (83 vs 65).

Montacute Forest Range
Bushfire High
83/100
 Moderate
65/100
Crime Low
12/100
 Moderate
42/100
Flood Low
15/100
 —
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Montacute Forest Range
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
Universities within 10 km 1
Adelaide University, Magill Campus, 7.9 km
 None

Amenities in the suburb

Montacute Forest Range
Parks & reserves 10 2
Waterways 4 0

Mobility

Forest Range sits further from the CBD (32 km vs 19.8 km).

Montacute Forest Range
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Adelaide 19.8 km 32 km
+62% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 41 min 37 min
Electric vehicle share 2.4%
postcode 5134
 2.1%
postcode 5139
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 83
postcode 5134
 98
postcode 5139

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.

Montacute Forest Range
Car (driver) 77.5% / 79.7%
Montacute — Car (driver): 77.5% Forest Range — Car (driver): 79.7%
Worked from Home 16.9% / 17.1%
Montacute — Worked from Home: 16.9% Forest Range — Worked from Home: 17.1%
Car (passenger) 3.5% / —
Montacute — Car (passenger): 3.5% Forest Range — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only — / 3.3%
Montacute — Walked Only: not among its largest Forest Range — Walked Only: 3.3%
Bus 2.1% / —
Montacute — Bus: 2.1% Forest Range — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.7%).

Setting

Montacute Forest Range
Elevation 364 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 494 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 20.6 km 26.4 km

NBN connectivity

Montacute Forest Range
Connectivity score 22/100 30/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
61 premises
 0%
109 premises

Climate

Montacute Forest Range
Annual rainfall 921 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Montacute Forest Range
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ 0.51 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Montacute Forest Range
Average residential rate $2,727/yr
same for both
Council Adelaide Hills
same for both

Federal electorate

Montacute Forest Range
Division Mayo
same for both
Member Rebekha Sharkie
same for both
Party Centre Alliance
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Montacute Forest Range
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Montacute

Middle-Ring Professionals

Forest Range

Family Middle-Ring

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Montacute

Montacute vs Athelstone Montacute vs Rostrevor Montacute vs Highbury Montacute vs Woodforde Montacute vs Norton Summit Montacute vs Lenswood

Other comparisons with Forest Range

Forest Range vs Balhannah Forest Range vs Lenswood Forest Range vs Carey Gully Forest Range vs Basket Range Forest Range vs Cherryville
Full data on Montacute Full data on Forest Range
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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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