Suburb report · QLD 4078
Forest Lake
Prepared by the property strategists at Chase Wealth Australia
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Population
23,828
Forest Lake suburb profile
Who lives in Forest Lake
At 17km from the Brisbane CBD, Forest Lake belongs to the middle suburbs of Brisbane. With 23,828 residents, Forest Lake is in the largest fifth of Queensland suburbs, well above the 4,480 of the median suburb. By population it is number 3 of 317 suburbs within 40km of the Brisbane CBD. A median age of 37 places Forest Lake at the 35th percentile of Queensland suburbs, on the younger side. Of the 317 suburbs within 40km of the Brisbane CBD, 156 have a younger median age. In the other suburb of the Forest Lake-Ellen Grove statistical area the median age is 30, so Forest Lake runs 7 years older than its statistical-area neighbours.
Income and home ownership
Households earn a median $110,600 a year, above the $98,100 of the median Queensland suburb. The other suburb of the Forest Lake-Ellen Grove statistical area has $78,000, putting Forest Lake 41.8% above its statistical-area neighbours. Among the 317 suburbs within 40km of the Brisbane CBD, 175 report a higher median household income. Owner-occupiers make up 73.4% of households, leaving 26.6% renting, in the upper band for Queensland. Among suburbs within 40km of the Brisbane CBD, 200 have a lower share of owner-occupiers than Forest Lake. In the other suburb of the Forest Lake-Ellen Grove statistical area the ownership share is 30.4%, 43 points lower than in Forest Lake.
Household mix
At the 2021 Census, 7,731 households lived in Forest Lake, more than in 99% of Queensland suburbs. The household mix leans to families: families with children 54.6%, couples without children 24%, people living alone 19.2% and group households 2.2%. Among suburbs within 40km of the Brisbane CBD, 231 of 317 have a smaller share of families with children than Forest Lake. The share of families with children, 54.6%, is higher than in 83% of Queensland suburbs. Couples without children make up 24%, below most Queensland suburbs. The rest of the Forest Lake-Ellen Grove statistical area averages 56.8% families with children, 2.2 points above Forest Lake.
Housing supply
9 new dwellings were approved across the Forest Lake-Ellen Grove statistical area in the year to June 2025, 76% below its 2020 to 2024 average of 38 a year. The Forest Lake-Ellen Grove statistical area had 24,080 residents in 2025 and closely matches Forest Lake. That is 0.4 approvals per 1,000 residents of that area, a lighter pipeline than 96% of Queensland statistical areas. Over the 6 years to June 2025, annual approvals ranged from 7 in 2024 to 80 in 2022.
Population trend
From 2020 to 2025, the Forest Lake-Ellen Grove statistical area expanded its population by 5.2%, against 9.7% for Queensland as a whole. Over those 5 years a typical Queensland statistical area added 6.3%, putting this area 1.1 points behind. It ranks at the 41st percentile of Queensland statistical areas for population growth over the period. The fastest single year was to 2023, at 2.5%, and the slowest to 2021, at 0.1%.
Against its neighbours
The sharpest contrast among the nearby suburbs is Inala, where the median household income is $57,700 compared with $110,600 here. On the median age, Parkinson comes closest to Forest Lake: 38 against 37. Goodna sits 7km away, with a median household income of $76,600 against $110,600 here.
Location
Demographics
ABS Data by Region to 2025, on ABS Census 2021 suburb baselineHousehold Mix Census 2021
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Reading this report
Every figure in the Forest Lake data table is dated at its source. Supply and population change cover the Forest Lake-Ellen Grove statistical area, whose boundary differs from Forest Lake's, and our guide to reading a suburb report explains how our buyers agents weigh them.
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This report is market intelligence prepared by Chase Wealth Australia for general information only. Figures are statistical estimates for the suburb, not valuations of any individual property, and do not constitute financial or credit advice. Consider your circumstances and seek professional advice before acting. Demographic figures are sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census 2021 (licensed CC BY 4.0) where available.