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 Forster (NSW) is around 14,487. This figure reflects an increase from the 2021 Census total of 14,187 people, representing a growth rate of 2.1%. The resident population estimate of 14,431 by AreaSearch in June 2024, combined with validated new addresses since the Census date, indicates this increase. This results in a population density ratio of 445 persons per square kilometer for Forster. Compared to its SA4 region's growth rate of 4.7%, Forster's growth is within 2.6 percentage points, indicating competitive fundamentals. Interstate migration contributed approximately 69.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in Forster.

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 employs NSW State Government's SA2-level projections released in 2022 using a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends suggest Forster will grow by approximately 1,791 persons by 2041, reflecting an increase of 11.5% over the 17-year period. This growth is expected to be just below the median for regional areas nationally.

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

Forster recorded approximately 116 residential properties granted approval each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 583 homes were approved, with an additional 25 approved so far in FY-26. On average, 0.2 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were recorded over these five years.

This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current expectations. The average expected construction cost value of new properties was $781,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. In FY-26, Forster recorded $21.4 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting balanced commercial development activity compared to previous years.

When measured against the rest of NSW over the past five years, Forster shows moderately higher new home approvals, with 35.0% above the regional average per person. This preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. New building activity in Forster consists of 60.0% standalone homes and 40.0% attached dwellings, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments providing options across different price points. The area shows characteristics of low density, with approximately 85 people per dwelling approval. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Forster is projected to gain 1,663 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 45thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects that could affect the region. Notable projects include the Forster Tuncurry Health Facility (part of the Lower Mid North Coast Health Service Project), new ambulance stations in Forster and Old Bar, the Forster Main Beach Masterplan, and the Forster Gateway Development - The Lakes Way. Relevant projects are listed below.

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 has a balanced workforce with representation from both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well-represented in the area.

As of June 2025, Forster's unemployment rate is 4.4%. Over the past year, employment stability has been relatively consistent based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. In comparison to Rest of NSW, Forster has an unemployment rate that is 0.7% higher at 3.7%, and workforce participation lags significantly at 41.2% compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food services.

Forster shows a particularly strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share that is 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence in Forster with only 1.6% of employment compared to the regional average of 5.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.5%, while labour force grew by 0.9%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.4 percentage points in Forster. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.1% during this period, with a labour force growth of 0.3% and a corresponding 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer insights into potential future demand within Forster. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Forster's employment mix suggests that local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.3% over ten years.

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

Forster's median taxpayer income was $42,027 and average income was $55,548 in financial year 2022, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than national averages, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $47,327 (median) and $62,553 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. Census data shows that incomes in Forster fall between the 3rd and 9th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. Income brackets indicate that 30.7% of Forster residents earn between $400 - $799 (4,447 individuals), contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads 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 per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 64.8% houses and 35.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's 73.0% houses and 27.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Forster was at 51.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.8% and rented dwellings at 27.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,517. Forster's 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 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%. This presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the 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 such qualifications - 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 education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 1.6% in tertiary education. Forster's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,411 students as of the most recent data available. The area exhibits typical Australian school conditions with an ICSEA score of 963, indicating balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with two primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups.

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

The analysis of public transport in Forster shows that there are currently 217 active transport stops operating within the town. These stops offer a variety of bus services. The town is served by 34 individual routes in total, which combined provide 622 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility to these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 118 meters away from the nearest transport stop on average. The service frequency across all routes averages at 88 trips per day, equating to approximately 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. Private health cover stands at approximately 49% (7,091 people), compared to 46.9% across Rest of NSW, and below the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (13.8%) and mental health issues (9.4%).

However, 55.4% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the 56.6% in Rest of NSW. Forster has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 39.0% (5,649 people), compared to 36.0% in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors 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 low 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, at 60.3%, compared to 58.5% regionally. The top three ancestry groups were English (34.1%), Australian (30.7%), and Irish (9.0%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher than regional average at 4.5%. Maltese and French populations were also notable, both at 0.5%, slightly above the regional averages of 0.5% and 0.4% 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 the Rest of NSW at 43 years and substantially exceeds the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the 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 data from the 2021 Census, the proportion of Forster's population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 13.3% to 14.5%, while the proportion of those aged 55 to 64 has declined from 14.3% to 13.0%. Looking ahead to 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 (64%), from 782 to 1,285. Conversely, both the 15-24 and 55-64 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.