Foster

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

Foster's population, as of February 2026, is approximately 10,200, reflecting an increase of 754 people (8.0%) since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 9,446. This growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 9,612 in June 2024 and validated new addresses of 185 since the Census date. The population density ratio is 6.8 persons per square kilometer. Foster's growth rate of 8.0% since the census is comparable to Rest of Vic's 8.1%, indicating competitive growth 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, VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 are used with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels.

Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population projections indicate a decline of 1,223 persons by 2041, but specific age cohorts like the 25 to 34 age group are projected to grow by 250 people.

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

Foster has seen approximately 83 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 415 homes were approved, with an additional 28 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, each dwelling constructed over these years attracted about 1.2 new residents.

This has maintained a balance between supply and demand, contributing to stable market dynamics. The average construction cost of new properties was around $322,000. In terms of commercial development, approximately $11.0 million in approvals have been registered this financial year, indicating balanced activity.

Compared to the rest of Victoria, Foster records about three-quarters of the building activity per person and ranks among the 70th percentile nationally for areas assessed. The new developments primarily consist of detached dwellings at 96.0%, with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 4.0%, preserving the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. Foster has approximately 193 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. However, with a projected stable or declining population, pressure on housing is expected to reduce, potentially presenting buying opportunities.

Foster has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 32ndth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include 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's workforce is skilled with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate was 3.0% in the past year. Employment growth was estimated at 4.3%.

As of September 2025, 4,489 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 0.8% below Rest of Vic.'s 3.8%. Workforce participation was 56.0%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 61.4%. A high 25.7% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Dominant employment sectors were agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction.

Foster showed strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share 2.9 times the regional level. Health care & social assistance had limited presence at 12.8% compared to the regional 16.8%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. In the 12-month period, employment increased by 4.3%, labour force by 3.9%, and unemployment fell by 0.3 percentage points. This contrasted with Rest of Vic., where employment contracted by 0.7%, labour force fell by 0.6%, and unemployment rose marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 12.2% over ten years. Applying these projections to Foster's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.2% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

The median taxpayer income in Foster SA2 is $42,044 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. The average income for this area is $54,581 during the same period. These figures are lower than national averages; Rest of Vic., for instance, has a median income of $50,954 and an average income of $62,728 in 2023. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $45,513 (median) and $59,084 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Foster's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 7th and 14th percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows that the largest segment comprises 27.5% of residents earning between $800 and $1,499 weekly. This contrasts with regional levels where the $1,500 to $2,999 bracket leads at 30.3%. While housing costs are modest, with 88.8% of income retained, Foster's total disposable income ranks at just the 12th percentile nationally. 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

The latest Census found that 95.7% of dwellings in Foster were houses, with the remaining 4.3% being other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro Vic., where 90.1% of dwellings were houses and 9.9% were other types. Home ownership in Foster stood at 56.1%, with mortgaged dwellings making up 28.9% and rented dwellings 15.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Foster was $1,300, lower than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,430. Weekly rent in Foster averaged $250, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $285. Nationally, Foster's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were 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 account for 63.9% of all households, including 19.9% couples with children, 36.1% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.1%, with lone person households at 34.2% and group households comprising 1.9%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

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 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.4% and certificates at 27.6%. A total of 24.3% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, including 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

The analysis indicates 10 active public transport stops in Foster. These are serviced by 1 route, offering a total of 40 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is limited, with residents located an average of 7923 meters from the nearest stop. The area is primarily residential, with outward commuting being typical. Car remains the dominant mode at 88%, while walking accounts for 9%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 25.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 5 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop.

Foster'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

Foster's health metrics closely match national benchmarks according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are fairly standard across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover is very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~4,773 people), compared to 50.5% in Rest of Vic., and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (11.8%) and mental health issues (8.0%). 61.3% of residents claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% in Rest of Vic.. Working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 31.7% of residents aged 65 and over (3,230 people), higher than the 23.9% in Rest of Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

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 was found to be predominantly culturally homogeneous, with 88.4% being Australian citizens and 85.9% born in Australia. The majority of residents, 95.9%, spoke English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 40.5% of Foster's population.

While Judaism was not significantly different from the regional average at 0.1%, other religions were underrepresented compared to the rest of Victoria. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups in Foster were English (32.1%), Australian (30.5%), and Irish (10.1%). Notably, Dutch ancestry was overrepresented at 3.1% compared to the regional average of 1.7%, as were Scottish (9.7% vs 8.8%) and German (3.3% vs 3.5%) ancestries.

Foster ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Foster's median age is 53, which is higher than Rest of Vic.'s figure of 43 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Compared to Rest of Vic., Foster has a higher concentration of residents aged 65-74 (18.1%), but fewer residents aged 25-34 (8.2%). This 65-74 concentration is well above the national figure of 9.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 7.9% to 9.4%, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 9.2% to 10.7%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 17.6% to 15.6%, and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 19.4% to 18.1%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Foster's age structure. Notably, the 25 to 34 group is expected to grow by 13%, reaching 947 people from 839 currently. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 45 to 54 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.