Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds' population was approximately 7,494 as of May 2026. This reflected a growth of 506 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,988 people. The increase was inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,407 in June 2025 and an additional 105 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 10.0 persons per square kilometer. Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds' growth rate of 7.2% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (2.9%) and Rest of NSW, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 82.0% to overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on latest annual ERP population numbers, Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds is projected to grow by 1,210 persons by 2041, reflecting a gain of 15.0% in total over the 16 years.

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

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds has averaged approximately 54 new dwelling approvals each year over the past five financial years, totalling 274 homes. As of FY-26154 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, an average of 2.1 people per new home constructed have moved to the area annually, reflecting strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $319,000.

This financial year has seen $289,000 in commercial development approvals, indicating the area's residential nature. Compared to the rest of NSW, Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds has slightly more development, with 29.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. However, construction activity has eased recently.

The majority of new development consists of detached houses (95.0%), with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 5.0%, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes. There are approximately 168 people per dwelling approval in the location, suggesting an expanding market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds is expected to grow by 1,123 residents through to 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that could impact a specific area. Key projects include Palm Lake Resort Forster Lakes, North Tuncurry Sustainable Community Development, Lower Mid North Coast Health Service Project - Forster-Tuncurry Health Facility, and Forster and Old Bar New Ambulance Stations. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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.

While Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.8%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds had an unemployment rate of 3.8% as of December 2025. It employed 3,091 residents with a participation rate of 50.6%. The area's unemployment rate was 0.1% lower than Regional NSW's 3.9%.

A moderate 20.3% of residents worked from home. Dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction had an employment share 1.6 times the regional level. Public administration & safety employed 4.8%, below Regional NSW's 7.5%.

In the year ending May-25, labour force decreased by 1.3% and employment by 2.2%, raising unemployment by 0.9 percentage points. National employment forecasts project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds' mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.5% in five years and 13.3% in ten years.

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

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $42,385 and an average of $53,532 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is below the national average, with Regional NSW's median income being $52,390 and average income being $65,215. By March 2026, current estimates suggest the median would be approximately $46,759 and the average would be $59,057, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023. The 2021 Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds fall between the 8th and 9th percentiles nationally. Income distribution indicates that 27.4% of locals (2,053 people) earn between $800 and $1,499, contrasting with metropolitan regions where the $1,500 to $2,999 bracket leads at 29.9%. After housing costs, 86.1% of income remains, ranking at the 12th percentile nationally.

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds' dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 92.4% houses and 7.7% other dwellings. Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds was 54.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.3% and rented ones at 14.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,500, below Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in the area was $350, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds' mortgage repayments were lower at $1,500 than Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were less at $350 than the national figure of $375.

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 71.2% of all households, including 21.4% couples with children, 38.6% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 28.8%, with lone person households at 25.9% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 18.4%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 45.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (34.1%). Educational participation is high at 25.5%, with 10.6% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 1.5% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 25.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.6% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 1.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds has 242 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are covered by 44 individual routes, offering 398 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents, on average, living 239 meters from the nearest stop. The area is predominantly residential, and most commuters travel outwards using cars, which remain the dominant mode at 92%. Six percent of residents walk to their destinations. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 20.3% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 56 trips per day across all routes, translating to roughly one weekly trip per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds' health metrics closely align with national benchmarks. AreaSearch assessed mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence as fairly standard across both young and old age cohorts, with common health conditions seen at similar levels. Private health cover is extremely low in Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds, at approximately 47% of the total population (~3,492 people), compared to Regional NSW's 51.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.3%) and mental health issues (8.4%). 61.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 32.4% of residents aged 65 and over (2,425 people), higher than Regional NSW's 23.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds had a cultural diversity level below average, with 88.1% of its population being citizens, 86.8% born in Australia, and 97.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 50.3% of people in Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds. Judaism showed significant overrepresentation with 0.3%, compared to Regional NSW's 0.1%.

In ancestry, the top three groups were English (33.0%), Australian (31.6%), and Irish (8.6%). Notable divergences included Welsh at 0.7% (vs regional 0.5%), Maltese at 0.7% (vs regional 0.4%), and Scottish at 8.6% (vs regional 8.0%).

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds has a median age of 53, which is higher than Regional NSW's figure of 43 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Compared to Regional NSW, Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds has a higher concentration of residents aged 65-74 (19.6%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.0%). This 65-74 concentration is well above the national figure of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.2% to 10.6%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 7.5% to 9.6%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 19.1% to 16.8%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 12.4% to 11.1%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Forster-Tuncurry Surrounds's age structure. Notably, the 45 to 54 group is projected to grow by 25%, adding 209 people and reaching a total of 1,041 from the current figure of 831. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 cohort grows by a modest 4%, an increase of 28 people.