Black Forest
SA 5035 · Unley
1,982 (2021) → 2,059 est. (2025) · Stable
Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.
Black Forest is a stable suburb in Unley, SA 5035, about 4km from Adelaide CBD. Its median house price of $1.50M is more expensive than the SA average. The suburb has 1 school, a transport score of 94/100, and is a short drive from the coast. Black Forest has an overall score of 88/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 36/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
Top countries of birth: India (3.83%), England (3.58%), Nepal (2.62%), China (1.87%), Greece (1.51%)
Top languages: Greek (3.53%), Nepali (2.42%), Mandarin (2.07%), Punjabi (1.36%), Vietnamese (0.91%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Property
Median price history
Source: Land Services SA + SA Housing Authority · Updated Q1 2026
Residential Safety
Small population (under 3,000) — crime rates may be volatile due to low sample size.
Nightlife hub. This suburb has a high concentration of licensed venues. Crime figures include incidents involving visitors to the nightlife area, not just residents.
Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:
Includes street and public-place assaults — supplementary context, not part of the safety score.
Residential incidents over time
Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.
Area crime context
This suburb has a high concentration of licensed venues. These totals include incidents involving visitors to the nightlife area, not just residents.
An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.
Source: SA Police / OCSAR (suburb-level) · Updated 2025
Schools
Outstanding school access
Top 20% nationally — strong, high-ICSEA schools nearby with genuine choice. An excellent suburb for families prioritising education.
Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1082 (above the national average of 1000).
In suburb
- Black Forest Primary SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 1113
Nearby (within 10km)
- St Anthony's SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 1.1kmICSEA 1096
- Aspect Treetop SchoolCombined · Independent · 1.1kmICSEA 1065
- SEDA College SA - Glandore Recreation CentreSecondary · Independent · 1.1km
- Cabra Dominican CollegeCombined · Catholic · 1.2kmICSEA 1061
- Goodwood Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.5kmICSEA 1131
- St Thomas' SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 1.6kmICSEA 1123
- Westbourne Park Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.7kmICSEA 1133
- Plympton Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.8kmICSEA 1071
- Richmond Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.9kmICSEA 1115
- Warriappendi SchoolSecondary · Government · 2kmICSEA 750
- Emmaus Christian CollegeCombined · Independent · 2kmICSEA 1113
- Edwardstown Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.1kmICSEA 1093
Source: ACARA 2023
Transport
Source: TfNSW GTFS
Liveability
Amenities within 2–3km
Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.
Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap
Fitness
Fitness paradise
Top 20% nationally — gyms, leisure centres, pools and sports fields all close by. Easy to stay active without travelling far.
Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Outdoors
Outdoor paradise
Top 20% nationally — abundant parks and green space, plus trails, bike paths and places to enjoy the outdoors.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Culture
Cultural hotspot
Top 20% nationally — theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and landmarks all within reach. A genuinely vibrant cultural scene.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Culture Score is a national percentile weighting theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and arts centres most heavily.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Entertainment Scene
Entertainment paradise
A seriously impressive licensed venue scene — top 20% nationally for density of pubs, bars, clubs and dining.
Nightlife hub. High licensed-venue density drives a significant evening economy here — incidents near the venues are recorded by location, so crime figures include visitors, not just residents.
Government liquor register data is not yet available for SA. Venue counts are estimated from OpenStreetMap within 2km of the suburb centre.
View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →
Source: OpenStreetMap
Childcare
Strong options nearby
Well above average for childcare services — good choice and quality, with most families finding a place without a long drive.
View childcare centres on the map →
Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register
Population & Growth
StableSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Unley
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Frequently asked questions about Black Forest
Is Black Forest safe?
Black Forest has a residential safety score of 36/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 4,238 per 100,000 across all categories.
What are property prices in Black Forest?
In Black Forest, the median house price is $1.50M. Median weekly house rent is $635.
How far is Black Forest from Adelaide CBD?
Black Forest is about 4.2 km from Adelaide CBD, an estimated 16 minutes by public transport.
What schools are in Black Forest?
Black Forest has 1 school, with an average ICSEA of 1113 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in Black Forest?
Black Forest has a transport score of 94/100, including 2 train stations and 4 bus stops.