Forster

An assessment of population growth drivers in Forster reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Forster's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 14,984. This figure represents a growth of 275 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,709. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,926 as of June 2024 and an additional 568 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 442 persons per square kilometer. Forster's growth rate of 1.9% since the census is within 0.2 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 2.1%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 68.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, Forster is expected to increase by approximately 1,832 persons by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 11.7% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Forster among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Forster recorded approximately 117 residential properties approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25588 homes were approved, with an additional 25 approved in FY-26. The average new residents per year per dwelling constructed over this period was 0.2.

This supply meets or exceeds demand, offering greater buyer choice and potential for population growth beyond projections. The average construction value of these properties was $416,000. In FY-26, Forster recorded $21.4 million in commercial development approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial development.

Compared to the rest of NSW, Forster shows moderately higher new home approvals, with 31.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. New building activity consists of 60.0% detached houses and 40.0% townhouses or apartments, offering choices across price ranges from spacious family homes to more compact options. Forster has approximately 99 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Population forecasts estimate Forster will gain 1,747 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Forster has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified ten projects potentially affecting the region. Notable ones are Forster Tuncurry Health Facility (part of Lower Mid North Coast Health Service Project), Forster and Old Bar New Ambulance Stations, Forster Main Beach Masterplan, and Forster Gateway Development - The Lakes Way.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Forster shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Forster's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.5% as of September 2021.

In Forster, 5,866 residents were employed by September 2025, with an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is 0.6% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Forster was 41.7%, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food services. Health care & social assistance employment levels are particularly high at 1.3 times the regional average.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 1.6% of Forster's workforce compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.5%, while employment declined by 0.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced a 0.5% employment decline and a 0.1% labour force decline, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. As of 25-Nov-25, NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National forecasts from May-25 suggest total employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Forster's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for local population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Forster SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $42,100 and an average of $55,644. This is below the national average. Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998 in the same period. As of September 2025, current estimates suggest Forster's median income would be approximately $47,409 and average $62,661, based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Forster fall between the 3rd and 9th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. The $400 - 799 earnings band captures 30.7% of the community (4,600 individuals), unlike surrounding regions where 29.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Forster, with only 82.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 5th percentile nationally.

Forster displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Forster's housing structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 65.9% houses and 34.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 73.0% houses and 27.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Forster was 51.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 21.1% and rented ones at 27.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,712, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $340, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Forster's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Forster features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 62.2% of all households, including 16.0% couples with children, 35.0% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 37.8%, with lone person households at 34.7% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which matches the average for the Rest of NSW.

Educational outcomes in Forster fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 16.9%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 12.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 42.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas comprise 10.7%, while certificates make up 31.4%.

A substantial portion of the population, 23.1%, is actively engaged in formal education. This includes 8.8% in primary education, 7.1% in secondary education, and 1.6% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Forster has 226 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 34 different routes that together facilitate 627 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest transport stop is 118 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 89 trips per day across all routes, which equates to about two weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Forster is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Forster faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover stands at approximately 48%, covering around 7,132 people, which is lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (13.7% of residents) and mental health issues (9.4%). Conversely, 55.7% of Forster residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 56.6% in Rest of NSW. As of the latest data (2021), 38.7% of Forster's population is aged 65 and over, totaling about 5,800 people, which is higher than the 36.0% recorded in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Forster are commendable, outperforming those of the general population.

Forster is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Forster's population showed lower cultural diversity, with 87.6% born in Australia, 90.9% being citizens, and 96.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 59.9%, slightly higher than the regional average of 58.5%. The top three ancestry groups were English (34.2%), Australian (30.6%), and Irish (8.9%).

Notably, Forster had a higher percentage of Australian Aboriginal people at 4.5% compared to the regional average of 4.3%, while Maltese and Scottish populations were similarly represented at 0.5% and 8.1% respectively.

Forster ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Forster is 57 years, which is significantly higher than the average for Rest of NSW at 43 years, and substantially exceeds the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Forster has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (19.1%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (7.3%). This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national average of 9.4%. According to post-2021 Census data, the proportion of Forster's population aged 75-84 has grown from 13.1% to 14.3%, while the proportion of those aged 55-64 has declined from 14.5% to 13.2%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Forster's age structure. The number of residents aged 85 and above is projected to increase markedly by 502 people (63%), from 792 to 1,295. Conversely, both the 15-24 and 55-64 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.