New South Wales · Postcode 2535
Back Forest postcode and suburb data
New South Wales · Phone area code 02 · 119 km from Sydney
Suburb snapshot
Back Forest at a glance vs NSW
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against NSW
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Where Back Forest ranks: SEIFA decile 9 puts it in the top 20% of Australia for socio-economic advantage.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
Back Forest vs the NSW average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Back Forest | NSW avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $1,374 -NSW | $1,931 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $252 -NSW | $445 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $4,768 +NSW | $2,247 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 56 | 45.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 9/10 +NSW | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 0.0% -NSW | 5.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the NSW average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
Back Forest is a locality 119 km from Sydney in New South Wales, classified as inner regional by the ABS. The postcode is 2535. It falls within the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven region. The local government area is Shoalhaven.
According to the 2021 Census, Back Forest has a population of 91 with a median age of 56. The median weekly household income is $1,374, below the NSW average. The Indigenous population is 3 (3.3% of residents).
Housing in Back Forest includes a median weekly rent of $252, median monthly mortgage repayment of $4,768, with 32 total dwellings. These housing costs sit above the NSW average. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 100.0% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Back Forest scores in decile 9 out of 10, which is well above the national average.
Back Forest is part of the Shoalhaven statistical area in New South Wales.
Back Forest details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 2535 |
| State | New South Wales (NSW) |
| Phone Area Code | 02 |
| Population (2021) | 91 |
| Median Age | 56 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $1,374/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $632/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $252 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $4,768 |
| Average Household Size | 2.9 persons |
| Area | 6.0 km² |
| Population Density | 15/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 32 |
| Australian Citizens | 96.7% |
| Indigenous Population | 3 (3.3%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 0.0% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 9/10 (well above average) |
| Latitude | -34.8414464 |
| Longitude | 150.6778693 |
| Distance from Sydney | 119 km |
| Region (SA4) | Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven |
| Area (SA3) | Shoalhaven |
| Local Government | Shoalhaven |
| Federal Electorate | Gilmore |
| State Electorate | Kiama |
| Time Zone | AEST (UTC+10), Australia/Sydney (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 19 (20.9%) |
| 15–24 years | 9 (9.9%) |
| 25–44 years | 17 (18.7%) |
| 45–64 years | 32 (35.2%) |
| 65+ years | 21 (23.1%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Arthritis | 15 (16.5%) |
| Asthma | 5 (5.5%) |
| Lung Condition | 5 (5.5%) |
| Cancer | 4 (4.4%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 0 (0.0%) |
| 1 vehicle | 5 (17.2%) |
| 2 vehicles | 10 (34.5%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 14 (48.3%) |
Suburbs Near Back Forest
Same Postcode (2535)
More Back Forest Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.