Moving to Forde ACT 2914
What the official numbers say about living in Forde — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $590 a week, against a median household income of $3,553 a week.
About 77% of homes are owner-occupied and 23% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Forde grew 91% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (2,324 → 4,435 people).
Around 87% of households are families, averaging 3.2 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: India, China, England; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Hindi, Croatian.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Forde sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (81% of workers), while 15% work from home.
Nearest light rail stop: Manning Clark North, 2 km south.
Nearest bus interchange: Gungahlin Bus Station, 2.1 km south-west.
Nearest airport: Canberra Airport, 15.7 km south.
The Canberra CBD is roughly 12 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 22 schools · 40 cafes & restaurants · 9 supermarkets · 11 parks — see them all on the Forde profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Burgmann Anglican School - Forde Campus 300 m · Neville Bonner Primary School 900 m · Busy Bees 1.5 km · Nido Early School 1.5 km · Amaroo School 1.7 km · Good Shepherd Primary School 2 km · Gungahlin College 2.4 km · Burgmann Anglican School Valley Campus 2.9 km
Groceries: Spar 450 m · Woolworths 1.1 km · Bharat International 1.3 km · ALDI 1.4 km · Coles 1.4 km · Discount Grocery Gunghalin 1.9 km · Woolworths 2.1 km · Coles 2.2 km
Parks and reserves: Forde Hill Playground 50 m · Heritage Park 850 m · Reiger Park 1.4 km · Yerrabi Pond District Park 1.5 km · Gungahlin Place 2.2 km · Carrick Park 2.4 km · Gubur Dhaura 2.5 km · Joey Park 2.7 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Forde, most often seen first: Sulphur-crested Cockatoo · Australian Magpie · Galah · Magpie-lark · Australian Raven · Crimson Rosella.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Forde, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forde here | 4,435 | — | 10/10 | 1% |
| Bonner | 7,339 | — | 10/10 | 6% |
| Amaroo | 6,129 | — | 10/10 | 3% |
| Gungahlin | 8,586 | — | 9/10 | 2% |
| Jacka | 712 | — | 8/10 | 16% |
| Throsby | 2,405 | — | 10/10 | 0% |
| Franklin | 7,484 | — | 10/10 | 1% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Unincorporated ACT — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Fenner — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2914 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Forde profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $590 a week, and about 23% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 91% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 2,324 people to 4,435. It sits about 12 km from the Canberra CBD in a straight line. Local government is Unincorporated ACT council, and the federal seat is Fenner.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Forde vs Bonner · Forde vs Amaroo.
Nearby guides: Bonner · Amaroo · Gungahlin · Jacka · Throsby · Franklin.
Keep an eye on Forde
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