Foster

Foster has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Foster's population is 9,756 as of November 2025. This reflects a growth of 310 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,446. The increase is inferred from ABS estimates of 9,645 in June 2024 and an additional 174 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 6.5 persons per square kilometer. Foster's growth rate of 3.3% since the census is within 2.7 percentage points of the non-metro area's 6.0%, indicating competitive fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 51.9% 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, they utilise the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Foster's population is projected to decline by 1,223 persons according to these methodologies. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 25 to 34 age group, which is projected to increase by 250 people.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Foster when compared nationally

Foster has experienced approximately 83 dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25415 homes were approved, with an additional 22 approved in FY26 so far. On average, each new dwelling constructed over these years attracted about 1.2 new residents annually.

This suggests a balanced supply and demand dynamic, with stable market conditions. The average construction cost of new properties is $322,000. In commercial development, Foster has registered approximately $11.0 million in approvals this financial year, indicating balanced activity.

Compared to the rest of Victoria, Foster records about three-quarters the building activity per capita, placing it among the 70th percentile nationally for assessed areas. New developments consist predominantly of detached dwellings (96%), with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 4%. This maintains Foster's low-density character and attracts buyers seeking space. The area has approximately 193 people per dwelling approval, reflecting a low-density market. With population growth expected to remain stable or decline, Foster may experience reduced housing pressure, potentially presenting buying opportunities.

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

AreaSearch has identified six projects that could impact the area, with key ones being Parr Street Leongatha Rezoning and Subdivision, Great Southern Rail Trail Leongatha Precinct Development, Leongatha Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), and Wyndham Garden Inverloch. The following list details those 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.

The employment environment in Foster shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Foster has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate is 3.0%, having seen an estimated employment growth of 4.3% over the past year as of September 2025.

There are 4,489 residents employed, with an unemployment rate at 0.8% below Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. However, workforce participation lags significantly at 50.7%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction. Foster shows strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share of 2.9 times the regional level.

Health care & social assistance has limited presence at 12.8% compared to the regional level of 16.8%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data comparison. Over a 12-month period, employment increased by 4.3% while labour force increased by 3.9%, leading to a unemployment fall of 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Vic. saw employment contract by 0.7%, labour force fall by 0.6%, and unemployment rise marginally. State-level data to 25-Nov shows VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, with a state unemployment rate at 4.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Foster. These projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Foster's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The Foster SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $40,360 and an average of $53,806 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is lower than national averages, with Rest of Vic.'s median being $48,741 and average income at $60,693. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Foster would be approximately $45,268 (median) and $60,349 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family, and personal incomes in Foster fall between the 7th and 14th percentiles nationally. The largest income segment comprises 27.5% earning $800 - $1,499 weekly (2,682 residents), contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 30.3%. Housing costs are modest, with 88.8% of income retained. However, total disposable income ranks at just the 12th percentile nationally, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Foster, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 95.7% houses and 4.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Vic.'s dwelling structure was 93.3% houses and 6.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Foster was 56.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.9% and rented dwellings at 15.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Foster was $1,300, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,450. The median weekly rent figure in Foster was $250, while Non-Metro Vic.'s was $295. Nationally, Foster's median monthly mortgage repayment is significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and its median weekly rent figure is substantially below the national figure of $375.

Foster features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 63.9% of all households, consisting of 19.9% couples with children, 36.1% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 36.1%, with lone person households at 34.2% and group households making up 1.9%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.3.

Foster shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 22.8%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 39.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificates (27.6%). A total of 24.3% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, comprising 10.0% in primary, 7.3% in secondary, and 2.1% in tertiary education.

A substantial 24.3% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 7.3% in secondary education, and 2.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis in Foster indicates ten operational public transport stops, offering a variety of bus services. These stops are served by three distinct routes, collectively facilitating 68 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is assessed as limited, with residents generally situated 7923 meters from the nearest transport stop.

Service frequency averages nine trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately six weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Foster is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows significant challenges for Foster with high prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups, with private health cover at approximately 47% (around 4,585 people). Nationally, this is lower than the average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 11.8 and 8.0% respectively. About 61.3% report no medical ailments, similar to Rest of Vic.'s 61.6%. Foster has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 31.8% (around 3,103 people), compared to Rest of Vic.'s 28.6%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Foster are above average, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Foster's population shows limited cultural diversity, with 88.4% being Australian citizens and 85.9% born in Australia. English is the language spoken exclusively at home by 95.9% of residents. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 40.5%.

While Judaism comprises only 0.1%, this is similar to the Rest of Vic's figure (0.1%). The top three ancestry groups are English (32.1%), Australian (30.5%), and Irish (10.1%). Notably, Dutch ancestry is overrepresented at 3.1% compared to the regional average of 2.5%. Scottish ancestry also shows slight overrepresentation at 9.7%, versus 9.3% regionally, as does German ancestry at 3.3%, compared to 3.0%.

Foster ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Foster's median age is 53, significantly higher than Rest of Vic.'s figure of 43 and substantially exceeding the national norm of 38. Compared to Rest of Vic., Foster has a higher percentage of residents aged 65-74 (18.1%), but fewer residents aged 25-34 (7.8%). This 65-74 concentration is well above the national figure of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and now, Foster's population has seen an increase in the 75 to 84 age group from 9.2% to 10.7%, and a rise in the 15 to 24 cohort from 7.9% to 9.1%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 17.6% to 15.9%, and the 65 to 74 group has dropped from 19.4% to 18.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Foster's age structure. Notably, the 25 to 34 group is expected to grow by 24% (184 people), reaching 947 from 762. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 45 to 54 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.