Forster, NSW 2428 — Suburb Profile
Last reviewed: · By Knowburb Research Team
In short
Forster is a suburb of New South Wales, postcode 2428, home to 14,187 residents with a settled, mature community. Located in the Mid-Coast local government area (Inner Regional Australia) and roughly 219 km from the Sydney CBD.
Snapshot
Demographics
- Population
- 14,187
- Median age
- 57 years
- Median household income
- $1,009 /week
- Median personal income
- $581 /week
- Median family income
- $1,353 /week
- Average household size
- 2.1
- Persons per bedroom
- 0.7
- Local government area
- Mid-Coast
- Statistical region (SA4)
- Mid North Coast
- Remoteness classification
- Inner Regional Australia
- Federal electorate
- Lyne
Property & cost of living
- Median rent
- $340 /week
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Rent share of household income
- 34%
Schools
- Forster Public School
- Tuncurry Public School
- Great Lakes College Tuncurry Campus
- Great Lakes College Senior Campus
- Great Lakes College Forster Campus
Transport
- Within 800 m walk: 30 bus stops
- Within 1.6 km: 91 bus stops
- Lake St At West St
- Forster Coach Terminal, Little St
- Little St At Memorial Dr
- Beach St At Wallis St
- Beach St At Head Lane
Lifestyle & amenities
- 9 cafés
- 30 restaurants
- 4 pubs and bars
- 26 parks and reserves
- 8 gyms and fitness centres
- 1 library
- 3 supermarkets
- 11 playgrounds
Climate
- Warmest month: Jan (28.3°C avg max)
- Coolest month: Jul (17.2°C avg max)
- Annual rainfall: 1134 mm
- Reference station: Williamtown RAAF, 87.6 km away
NBN & connectivity
Fibre to the Node serves 73.1% of the 11,018 resolvable premises in Forster. Most premises here connect via fibre to a street cabinet, then copper into the home. Speeds depend heavily on the copper run length — NBN 100 is rarely achievable on long runs.
- Fibre to the Premises: 26.3%
- Fibre to the Building: 0.6%
- Fibre to the Node: 73.1%
Safety
- Recorded offences: 1,862 across postcode 2428 in the year to Dec 2025 (stable on the prior year).
- Most common categories: 525 violent offences, 479 theft, 260 other offences.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Forster?
Forster (NSW 2428) had 14,187 residents at the most recent ABS Census. The median age is 57. It sits within the Mid-Coast local government area.
What is the median rent in Forster?
The median advertised rent in Forster is $340/week, based on SQM Research listings data. Rents vary by property type, bedrooms and condition.
Are there schools in Forster?
Yes — 5 schools are listed within or near Forster covering government sectors. Nearest include: Forster Public School (1 km), Tuncurry Public School (2.1 km), Great Lakes College Tuncurry Campus (2.9 km). School data sourced from ACARA and state education departments.
What NBN technology is available in Forster?
Forster is predominantly served by Fibre to the Node (73.1% of premises). Coverage data is sourced from the NBN upgrade map aggregated from NBN Co address checks.
How safe is Forster?
Across postcode 2428, 1,862 offences were recorded in the 12 months to Dec 2025. The most common offence categories were violent (525), theft (479), other (260). Crime statistics are recorded by area (postcode or LGA), not by individual suburb. Data sourced from each state's crime statistics agency.
What is the climate like in Forster?
In Forster, mean daily temperatures range from 12.5°C to 23.2°C and annual rainfall is 1,134 mm measured at the Williamtown RAAF weather station (87.6 km away). Long-term averages from the Bureau of Meteorology.
What public transport options are in Forster?
91 public transport stops are mapped within 1.6 km of the Forster centroid. Within 800 m, you'll find 30 bus stops. Stop data is sourced from state government GTFS feeds.
Sources & methodology
Demographics from ABS Census. Property data from SQM Research. Climate from Bureau of Meteorology. Schools from ACARA. NBN from NBN Co. Amenities from OpenStreetMap. See full methodology.
Additional sources for this profile: