Foster
At 59, Foster's median age is 19.0 years above the national comparison, making its 2,044 residents notably older than many regional communities. Healthcare accounts for 19.8% of local employment and 56.5% of homes are owned outright. Foster's profile sits apart from Leongatha's service-centre role and Fish Creek's rural-coastal setting, with 114.14 square kilometres of land and a density of 17.9 people per square kilometre.
Local council: South Gippsland
Population
2,044
Median Age
59.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$975/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
32
Median House
$428K
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
The stock is predominantly detached, with 88.3% separate houses and 49.8% three-bedroom homes, so buyers seeking apartments or compact formats have fewer choices than in denser markets. A $1,348 monthly mortgage sits alongside mortgage stress flagged at 31.9% of household income, while outright ownership at 56.5% is higher than mortgage tenure at 20.0%. That mix suits buyers prioritising space and lower entry pricing, provided they budget for rate and maintenance risk.
For Buyers
The stock is predominantly detached, with 88.3% separate houses and 49.8% three-bedroom homes, so buyers seeking apartments or compact formats have fewer choices than in denser markets. A $1,348 monthly mortgage sits alongside mortgage stress flagged at 31.9% of household income, while outright ownership at 56.5% is higher than mortgage tenure at 20.0%. That mix suits buyers prioritising space and lower entry pricing, provided they budget for rate and maintenance risk.
For Investors
Foster's investment case is shaped by low rents and loose availability rather than strong rental scarcity. Weekly rent is $240, renting households account for 20.2%, and vacancy is 12.4%, a higher vacancy setting than a tightly supplied market that can lengthen leasing times. The 31 development applications in 12 months may add choice, especially where subdivision or replacement dwellings proceed, so investors should compare property condition and tenant demand rather than assume scarcity. Rent growth of 47.1% is supportive, but the migration driver is Balanced and the current gentrification score is 6, labelled Not gentrifying. Compared with a growth-led market, Foster looks better suited to patient, income-focused ownership than rapid capital-growth strategies.
Development Activity
Total DAs
41
Last 12 Months
32
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+966.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Foster
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Foster Primary School
Corner Inlet College
Foster Secondary College
Demographics
Foster's demographic profile is older and smaller-household than the national comparison: median age is 59, or 19.0 years above the national figure, while average household size is 2.0, 0.5 below the national figure. University attainment is 24.1%, 6.0 percentage points below national, and 14.9% of residents were born overseas, 6.7 points below national. Couples without children make up 60.3% of families, compared with 27.0% couples with children, helping explain demand for smaller households and services rather than only large family homes. English ancestry counts 861 residents, followed by Irish at 267 and Scottish at 250. This is a more Anglo-leaning and settled profile than the migrant-heavy patterns found in some larger regional centres, while Foster's identity remains distinct from nearby Leongatha and Fish Creek.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.3%
Houses
3.4%
Townhouse
6.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Foster's housing market has moved unevenly. Tenure is owner-heavy: 56.5% own outright, 20.0% hold a mortgage and 20.2% rent. Separate houses account for 88.3%, compared with 6.9% apartments, while three-bedroom homes lead at 49.8%. Compared with apartment-oriented suburbs, Foster provides more land and detached stock, but price volatility is higher than a simple long-run trend suggests.
Mortgage / mo
$1,348
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$240
Census 2021
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$566
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.4%
Unoccupied
126
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.9% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.0%
Couples with children
60.3%
Couples, no children
12.1%
Single parent
519
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Foster's largest industry at 19.8% and 96 workers, followed by agriculture at 12.1% and 59, education at 10.9% and 53, construction at 7.6% and 37, and hospitality at 4.9% and 24. That mix links local work to care, farming, schools, building and visitor spending rather than a single employer. Professionals number 141 and managers 139, ahead of labourers at 97 and trades at 94. Unemployment is 3.8%, but participation is only 42.8% and full-time employment is 46.8%, consistent with a median age of 59 and a large not-in-labour-force group of 875. Household income sits at the 12.1 percentile. SEIFA places IEO, IER and IRSD at decile 5, while IRSAD is lower at decile 4, indicating relative disadvantage is more evident when economic resources and social conditions are combined than in education or occupation measures alone.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
772
Unemployed
29
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
46.8%
Part-time
43.1%
Participation
42.8%
Employed
743
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.1%
Postgraduate
5.7%
Born Overseas
14.9%
Dwellings
888
Transport to Work
Foster suits residents comfortable with a car-oriented, low-density setting. About 67.0% drive to work, compared with 11.3% who walk or cycle, while 17.6% work from home. Three local schools cover government primary, government secondary and independent secondary options; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb lines. Recorded crime totals 136 incidents, or 66.5 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 48, so household security deserves attention. Volunteering is 30.0%, and 9.4% need assistance, which helps explain demand for practical community services. IRSAD is in decile 4, lower than the area's other SEIFA decile scores of 5.
Drive
67.0%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
11.3%
Work from Home
17.6%
Growth Outlook
Foster is on an aging, gradual-growth path rather than a rapid expansion cycle. The annual trend is 0.81%, with migration marked Balanced, while population change across the wider area is 15.4% over 10 years. The aging trajectory is supported by an 8.4 percentage-point rise in senior share, a 1.8-point fall in young share and a 5.0-point decline in working share. Gentrification signals are mixed: the shift measure records a score of 44 and stage Early signs, but the current gentrification measure is score 6 and stage Not gentrifying. Rent growth of 47.1% and real income growth of 15.7% may support gradual change, yet the forecast is slower than a high-growth corridor because migration is balanced and the resident base is older.
Population trend: South Gippsland council area
Foster sits in the South Gippsland council area. These are the council area's residents, not Foster's.
Residents 2025
31,109
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.6%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.6%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
136
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
66.5
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Foster compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Foster a good suburb to live in?
Yes, if you value space, quiet and established services. Foster has 2,044 residents, a median age of 59, 88.3% separate houses and 67.0% car commuting. The trade-off is a 66.5 per 1,000 crime rate and a smaller, older market than many regional centres.
What schools are in Foster?
Foster has 3 nearby schools: Foster Primary School, Foster Secondary College and Corner Inlet College. The first 2 are government schools, while Corner Inlet College is independent. Check the exact address for enrolment zones and current availability.
Is Foster safe?
Safety should be assessed at street level. Foster recorded 136 offences, equal to 66.5 incidents per 1,000 residents; property and deception offences accounted for 48. Buyers and renters should review recent local patterns and use normal home security measures.
Is Foster good for property investment?
It can suit patient investors, but it is not a tight-supply rental market. Weekly rent is $240, vacancy is 12.4%, renting households are 20.2%, and 31 development applications were recorded in 12 months. Balanced migration and a gentrification score of 6 favour careful pricing over aggressive growth assumptions.
How is Foster's population changing?
Foster's population is changing gradually and ageing. The wider area recorded 15.4% population change over 10 years, the annual trend is 0.81%, and the senior share rose 8.4 percentage points. The trajectory is labelled Aging, with migration marked Balanced.
What development is occurring in Foster?
Development activity is present but not necessarily transformational. There were 31 applications in 12 months, including a replacement dwelling and a 3-lot subdivision. Buyers should confirm permits, servicing and completion dates before relying on proposed new supply.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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