Parkinson vs Forestdale

Parkinson is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 43 in Forestdale. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Forestdale: a median of $1.8 million, against $1.36 million in Parkinson, and rent is higher there too. Parkinson is closer to the city centre: 29.1 km, against 33.8 km. On these figures, Parkinson tends to suit 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

Forestdale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (99% vs 86%)

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

First-home buyers

Parkinson

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,358,000 vs $1,800,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Parkinson

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (20% vs 6%)
  • has cheaper rent ($450/wk vs $500/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Parkinson

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (29.1 km vs 33.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Parkinson has more units and townhouses to downsize into (14% vs 1%)
  • Forestdale has more residents already 65 and over (18% vs 12%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Parkinson Forestdale
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.

Parkinson Forestdale
Walkability 29 / 23
Parkinson — Walkability: 29/100 Forestdale — Walkability: 23/100
Safety 58 / 49
Parkinson — Safety: 58/100 Forestdale — Safety: 49/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Parkinson — Low fire risk: 100/100 Forestdale — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Parkinson has more residents (11,148 vs 2,560); Forestdale has higher household incomes ($139,100 vs $113,776).

Parkinson Forestdale
Population 11,148
+77% vs other
 2,560
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.5% +1.1%
Median age 37 43
Median household income $113,776/yr $139,100/yr
+22% vs other
Median weekly rent $450/wk $500/wk
+11% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Parkinson Forestdale
0-4 5.9% / 3.9%
Parkinson — 0-4: 5.9% Forestdale — 0-4: 3.9%
5-14 15.7% / 13.6%
Parkinson — 5-14: 15.7% Forestdale — 5-14: 13.6%
15-19 7.1% / 7.3%
Parkinson — 15-19: 7.1% Forestdale — 15-19: 7.3%
20-24 5.9% / 6.8%
Parkinson — 20-24: 5.9% Forestdale — 20-24: 6.8%
25-34 11.3% / 8.0%
Parkinson — 25-34: 11.3% Forestdale — 25-34: 8.0%
35-44 16.0% / 11.7%
Parkinson — 35-44: 16.0% Forestdale — 35-44: 11.7%
45-54 13.9% / 15.3%
Parkinson — 45-54: 13.9% Forestdale — 45-54: 15.3%
55-64 12.0% / 15.7%
Parkinson — 55-64: 12.0% Forestdale — 55-64: 15.7%
65-74 7.3% / 13.6%
Parkinson — 65-74: 7.3% Forestdale — 65-74: 13.6%
75-84 3.1% / 3.5%
Parkinson — 75-84: 3.1% Forestdale — 75-84: 3.5%
85+ 1.8% / 0.4%
Parkinson — 85+: 1.8% Forestdale — 85+: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Parkinson 68.1% couple families
Parkinson — Couple Families: 68.1% Parkinson — Lone Person: 13.9% Parkinson — One Parent Families: 14.5% Parkinson — Group Household: 2.3% Parkinson — Other Families: 1.2%
Forestdale 71.3% couple families
Forestdale — Couple Families: 71.3% Forestdale — Lone Person: 13.8% Forestdale — One Parent Families: 12.6% Forestdale — Group Household: 1.7% Forestdale — Other Families: 0.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Parkinson 20.2% renting
Parkinson — Owned Outright: 27.4% Parkinson — Mortgage: 52.4% Parkinson — Renting: 20.2%
Forestdale 5.8% renting
Forestdale — Owned Outright: 46.1% Forestdale — Mortgage: 48.1% Forestdale — Renting: 5.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Parkinson Forestdale
Bachelor Degree 16.0% / 14.6%
Parkinson — Bachelor Degree: 16.0% Forestdale — Bachelor Degree: 14.6%
Certificate III & IV 11.2% / 16.5%
Parkinson — Certificate III & IV: 11.2% Forestdale — Certificate III & IV: 16.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.5% / 8.4%
Parkinson — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5% Forestdale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Postgraduate Degree 6.6% / 3.8%
Parkinson — Postgraduate Degree: 6.6% Forestdale — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.8%
Parkinson — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Forestdale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

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

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.

Parkinson Forestdale
China 9.4% / 1.0%
Parkinson — China: 9.4% Forestdale — China: 1.0%
England 2.9% / 5.1%
Parkinson — England: 2.9% Forestdale — England: 5.1%
New Zealand 4.3% / 3.4%
Parkinson — New Zealand: 4.3% Forestdale — New Zealand: 3.4%
India 5.1% / 1.7%
Parkinson — India: 5.1% Forestdale — India: 1.7%
Vietnam 1.2% / 3.3%
Parkinson — Vietnam: 1.2% Forestdale — Vietnam: 3.3%
Taiwan 1.8% / 1.5%
Parkinson — Taiwan: 1.8% Forestdale — Taiwan: 1.5%
South Africa 1.7% / 1.5%
Parkinson — South Africa: 1.7% Forestdale — South Africa: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Parkinson 86.0% houses
Parkinson — Houses: 86.0% Parkinson — Townhouses: 13.8% Parkinson — Flats / Apartments: 0.2%
Forestdale 98.9% houses
Forestdale — Houses: 98.9% Forestdale — Townhouses: 0.0% Forestdale — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Parkinson Forestdale
Median house price $1,358,000 $1,800,000
Median unit price $740,000 —
Median land price — $1,700,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 121 sales
 —

House price by bedroom count

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

Parkinson Forestdale
4 bed $1.31M / $1.79M
Parkinson — 4 bed: $1.31M (114 sales) Forestdale — 4 bed: $1.79M (8 sales)

114 vs 8 sales

5 bed $1.49M / $1.87M
Parkinson — 5 bed: $1.49M (43 sales) Forestdale — 5 bed: $1.87M (13 sales)

43 vs 13 sales

Development activity

Parkinson Forestdale
New dwellings approved 9,382
across Brisbane
 4,950
across Logan
Approvals change year on year +9% -8%

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.

Parkinson Forestdale
Houses 3.0%
$860/wk on $1.47M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Parkinson Forestdale
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 85% of QLD Higher than 95% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 82% of QLD Higher than 80% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 93% of QLD Higher than 80% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of QLD Higher than 86% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 12% of QLD —

Liveability

Parkinson Forestdale
Grade A
same for both
Score 73/100
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Parkinson Forestdale
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
42/100
 Moderate
51/100
Flood — Not mapped
no mapped data here
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Parkinson Forestdale
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Parkinson

  • Y Schools Queensland - Brisbane South (Parkinson Campus) Independent · Secondary

Schools in Forestdale

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

Amenities in the suburb

Parkinson Forestdale
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 10
same for both
Childcare 2 1
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Fuel stations 1
same for both

Mobility

Forestdale sits further from the CBD (33.8 km vs 29.1 km).

Parkinson Forestdale
Walkability score 29/100 23/100
Distance to Brisbane 29.1 km 33.8 km
+16% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 29 min 33 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 31/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 126.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 4.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 2.0%
postcode 4115
 1.0%
postcode 4118
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 80
postcode 4115
 78
postcode 4118

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.

Parkinson Forestdale
Car (driver) 71.0% / 72.6%
Parkinson — Car (driver): 71.0% Forestdale — Car (driver): 72.6%
Worked from Home 17.3% / 18.7%
Parkinson — Worked from Home: 17.3% Forestdale — Worked from Home: 18.7%
Car (passenger) 5.0% / 5.4%
Parkinson — Car (passenger): 5.0% Forestdale — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Bus 5.5% / 1.0%
Parkinson — Bus: 5.5% Forestdale — Bus: 1.0%
Train 0.8% / 1.1%
Parkinson — Train: 0.8% Forestdale — Train: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.6%).

Setting

Parkinson Forestdale
Elevation 37 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 51 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 24.6 km 28.1 km

NBN connectivity

Parkinson Forestdale
Connectivity score 98/100 75/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 95%
3,863 premises
 41%
875 premises

Climate

Parkinson Forestdale
Annual rainfall 1,032 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Parkinson Forestdale
PM2.5 5.3 µg/m³ 4.9 µg/m³
PM10 14.6 µg/m³ 13.1 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.48 pphm 0.27 pphm

Council rates

Parkinson Forestdale
Average residential rate $1,519/yr $1,681/yr
Council Brisbane Logan

Federal electorate

Parkinson Forestdale
Division Rankin Wright
Member Jim Chalmers Scott Buchholz
Party Australian Labor Party Liberal National Party of Queensland

First Home Owner Grant

Parkinson Forestdale
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Parkinson

Large Blocks Middle-Ring Multicultural

Forestdale

Acreage Outer Parks Premium

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Parkinson

Parkinson vs Calamvale Parkinson vs Algester Parkinson vs Browns Plains Parkinson vs Hillcrest Parkinson vs Drewvale Parkinson vs Pallara

Other comparisons with Forestdale

Forestdale vs Greenbank Forestdale vs Boronia Heights Forestdale vs Hillcrest Forestdale vs Heathwood
Full data on Parkinson Full data on Forestdale
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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