Victoria · Postcode 3960
Foster postcode and suburb data
Victoria · Phone area code 03 · 143 km from Melbourne
Suburb snapshot
Foster at a glance vs VIC
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against VIC
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Where Foster ranks: household income sits in the bottom 25% of VIC suburbs.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
Foster vs the VIC average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Foster | VIC avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $975 -VIC | $1,817 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $240 -VIC | $375 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $1,348 -VIC | $1,933 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 59 | 46.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 3/10 -VIC | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 3.8% -VIC | 5.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the VIC average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
Foster is a locality 143 km from Melbourne in Victoria, classified as outer regional by the ABS. The postcode is 3960. It falls within the Latrobe - Gippsland region. The local government area is South Gippsland.
According to the 2021 Census, Foster has a population of 2,044 with a median age of 59. The median weekly household income is $975, below the VIC average. The unemployment rate is 3.8%, lower than the VIC average. The Indigenous population is 22 (1.1% of residents).
Housing in Foster includes a median weekly rent of $240, median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,348, with 889 total dwellings. Housing costs in the area sit below the VIC average. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 79.1% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Foster scores in decile 3 out of 10, which is below the national average.
Schools in Foster include Foster Secondary College, Foster Primary School and Corner Inlet College.
Foster is part of the Gippsland - South West statistical area in Victoria.
Foster details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 3960 |
| State | Victoria (VIC) |
| Phone Area Code | 03 |
| Population (2021) | 2,044 |
| Median Age | 59 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $975/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $566/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $240 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $1,348 |
| Average Household Size | 2 persons |
| Area | 114.1 km² |
| Population Density | 18/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 889 |
| Australian Citizens | 87.5% |
| Indigenous Population | 22 (1.1%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 3/10 (below average) |
| Latitude | -38.65 |
| Longitude | 146.2 |
| Distance from Melbourne | 143 km |
| Region (SA4) | Latrobe - Gippsland |
| Area (SA3) | Gippsland - South West |
| Local Government | South Gippsland |
| Federal Electorate | Monash |
| State Electorate | Gippsland South (Eastern Victoria) |
| Time Zone | AEST (UTC+10), Australia/Melbourne (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 240 (11.7%) |
| 15–24 years | 149 (7.3%) |
| 25–44 years | 280 (13.7%) |
| 45–64 years | 560 (27.4%) |
| 65+ years | 812 (39.7%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Arthritis | 381 (18.6%) |
| Asthma | 212 (10.4%) |
| Heart Disease | 181 (8.9%) |
| Diabetes | 126 (6.2%) |
| Cancer | 121 (5.9%) |
| Lung Condition | 58 (2.8%) |
| Dementia | 24 (1.2%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 47 (5.4%) |
| 1 vehicle | 373 (42.7%) |
| 2 vehicles | 284 (32.5%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 170 (19.5%) |
Schools in Foster
ACARA 2025 school profiles for schools located in Foster. ICSEA is shown where ACARA publishes it.
Suburbs Near Foster
Same Postcode (3960)
More Foster Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.