Moving to Forest Hill VIC 3131
What the official numbers say about living in Forest Hill — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $1,200,000 for a median house or $806,500 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 66% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $396 a week, against a median household income of $1,658 a week.
About 72% of homes are owner-occupied and 26% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Forest Hill grew 7% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (10,052 → 10,780 people).
Around 70% of households are families, averaging 2.5 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: China, India, Malaysia; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Cantonese, Greek.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Forest Hill sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 8 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (56% of workers), while 39% work from home.
Nearest train station: Nunawading, 2.1 km north.
Nearest tram stop: Stop 73: Springvale Road, 1.8 km south.
Nearest railway halt: Box Hill, 6.4 km north-west.
Nearest bus interchange: Glen Waverley Station, 4.5 km south.
Nearest airport: Moorabbin Airport, 16.8 km south.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 18 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 55 schools · 62 cafes & restaurants · 10 supermarkets · 69 parks — see them all on the Forest Hill profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Parkmore Primary School 750 m · Emmaus College 1 km · Burwood Heights Primary School 1.2 km · St Timothy's Primary School 1.2 km · Forest Hill College 1.3 km · Blackburn Lake Primary School 1.4 km · Mount Pleasant Road Primary School 1.5 km · Vermont South Special School 1.5 km
Groceries: KFL Supermarkets 550 m · Woolworths 650 m · Coles 750 m · Coles 2 km · Aldi 2.1 km · Thai Sun Food Market 2.1 km · Canton Asian Grocery 2.1 km · ALDI 2.4 km
Parks and reserves: Forest Hill Reserve 500 m · Glen Valley Reserve 700 m · Mock Street Reserve 700 m · Parkland Place Reserve 750 m · Davy Lane Reserve 750 m · Mahoneys Reserve 900 m · Jean-Lake Reserve 950 m · Anjaya Court Reserve 1.1 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Forest Hill, most often seen first: Little Raven · Rainbow Lorikeet · Noisy Miner · Common Myna · Pacific Black Duck · Southern Victoria Australian Magpie.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Forest Hill, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Hill here | 10,780 | $1,200,000 | 8/10 | 15% |
| Vermont South | 11,954 | $1,482,500 | 10/10 | 19% |
| Nunawading | 12,413 | $1,152,500 | 9/10 | 13% |
| Blackburn South | 10,939 | $1,350,000 | 9/10 | 15% |
| Blackburn | 14,478 | $1,517,000 | 10/10 | 25% |
| Burwood East | 10,675 | $1,285,500 | 9/10 | 11% |
| Vermont | 10,993 | $1,288,000 | 9/10 | 19% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Whitehorse — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Deakin — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3131 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Forest Hill profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Forest Hill has a median sale price of $1,200,000 (2024 sales), and a unit $806,500. Renters pay a median $396 a week, and about 26% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 7% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 10,052 people to 10,780. It sits about 18 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line, and Nunawading station is roughly 2.1 km away. Local government is Whitehorse council, and the federal seat is Deakin.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Forest Hill vs Vermont South · Forest Hill vs Nunawading.
Nearby guides: Vermont South · Nunawading · Blackburn South · Blackburn · Burwood East · Vermont.
Keep an eye on Forest Hill
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