Forster (NSW)

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population of the Forster (NSW) statistical area (Lv2) is around 14,432. This reflects an increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,187 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 14,368 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 566 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 443 persons per square kilometer. The Forster (NSW) (SA2)'s growth rate of 1.7% since census positions it competitively within 1.0 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 2.7%. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 69.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and utilising NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by this data. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the Forster (NSW) (SA2) is expected to expand by 1,790 persons to reach a total population of approximately 16,222 by 2041, reflecting an overall gain of 11.9% over the 17-year period.

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

Forster averaged approximately 116 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 582 homes. As of FY-26, 27 approvals have been recorded. On average, Forster has seen 0.2 people moving to the area for each dwelling built annually between FY-21 and FY-25. This indicates that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially driving population growth beyond current projections.

The average construction value of new properties in Forster is $781,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, there have been $21.4 million in commercial approvals, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Forster has moderately higher new home approvals, with 35.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years.

This preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. The location shows a mix of 60.0% detached houses and 40.0% townhouses or apartments, offering options across different price points from family homes to more affordable compact living. Forster has approximately 86 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Forster is projected to gain 1,717 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Forster has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Nine projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Forster Tuncurry Health Facility (Lower Mid North Coast Health Service Project), Forster and Old Bar New Ambulance Stations, Forster Gateway Development - The Lakes Way, and Forster Main Beach Masterplan.

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, as of September 2025, stands at 4.5%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

In Forster, 5,607 residents are employed, an unemployment rate of 0.7% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation is lower in Forster, at 41.2% compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food services. The area shows strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 1.6% compared to the regional average of 5.3%. Local employment opportunities appear limited, indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.4%, while employment declined by 0.5%, resulting in a rise in unemployment rate by 0.9 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.1%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a national employment expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Forster's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released in financial year 2023, Forster had a median income among taxpayers of $42,027 and an average level of $55,548. These figures are below the national average compared to Rest of NSW's levels of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Forster would be approximately $45,751 (median) and $60,470 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census shows household, family and personal incomes in Forster fall between the 3rd and 9th percentiles nationally. Income distribution reveals that 30.7% of locals earn between $400 - $799, differing from regional patterns where $1,500 - $2,999 is dominant at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Forster, with only 82.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 4th percentile nationally.

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

Forster's dwelling structures, as assessed in the latest Census, consisted of 64.8% houses and 35.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Non-Metro NSW's 73.0% houses and 27.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Forster stood at 51.7%, mirroring Non-Metro NSW's level, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.8% and rented ones at 27.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, exceeding the Non-Metro NSW average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure was $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 constitute 61.9% of all households, including 15.8% couples with children, 34.7% couples without children, and 10.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 38.1%, with lone person households at 35.1% and group households making up 3.1%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which aligns with the Rest of NSW average.

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

The area has university qualification rates of 16.8%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 11.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 31.4%. A total of 23.2% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 8.8% in primary, 7.2% in secondary, and 1.6% in tertiary education.

A substantial 23.2% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 8.8% in primary education, 7.2% 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 230 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These are served by 35 different routes that together facilitate 595 weekly passenger trips. Forster's residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 119 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 85 trips per day across all routes, resulting in roughly two weekly trips per individual 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. Approximately 49% (~7,064 people) have private health cover, lower than the Rest of NSW's 46.8%, but below the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (13.8%) and mental health issues (9.4%).

However, 55.4% report no medical ailments, slightly less than Rest of NSW's 56.6%. Forster has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 39.0% (5,628 people), compared to the Rest of NSW's 36.0%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Forster are better than 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 limited cultural diversity, with 87.7% born in Australia, 90.9% being citizens, and 96.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 60.3%, compared to 58.5% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (34.1%), Australian (30.7%), and Irish (9.0%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher in Forster at 4.5% (vs regional 4.3%), Maltese was equally represented at 0.5%, and French was slightly higher at 0.5% (vs regional 0.4%).

Forster ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Forster is 57 years, significantly higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and substantially exceeding Australia's 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%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the proportion of Forster's population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 13.3% to 14.5%, while the proportion aged 55 to 64 has declined from 14.3% to 13.0%. 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, expanding by 505 people (65%) from 779 to 1,285. Conversely, both the 15-24 and 55-64 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.