Foster vs Port Franklin

Port Franklin is the younger of the two, with a median age of 52 against 59 in Foster. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Foster: a median of $542,000, against $450,000 in Port Franklin, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Foster tends to suit older residents, while Port Franklin suits buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Foster has more parks and reserves (6 vs 1)
  • Port Franklin carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 57/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Port Franklin

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 32%)
  • has cheaper houses ($450,000 vs $542,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Port Franklin

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 25%)
  • has cheaper rent ($200/wk vs $240/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Foster

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (138 min vs 144 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (175.2 km vs 180.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Foster

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (40% vs 19%)
  • But Port Franklin carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 57/100)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Port Franklin

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (29.9% vs 11.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Foster and Port Franklin drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Foster Port Franklin
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Foster Port Franklin
Walkability 4 / 0
Foster — Walkability: 4/100 Port Franklin — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 43 / 66
Foster — Safety: 43/100 Port Franklin — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Foster — Low fire risk: 100/100 Port Franklin — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 48 / 7
Foster — Low flood risk: 48/100 Port Franklin — Low flood risk: 7/100

Demographics

Foster has more residents (2,044 vs 174); Port Franklin has higher household incomes ($61,256 vs $50,700).

Foster Port Franklin
Population 2,044
+91% vs other
 174
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.0% +29.9%
Median age 59 52
Median household income $50,700/yr $61,256/yr
+21% vs other
Median weekly rent $240/wk
+17% vs other
 $200/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Foster Port Franklin
0-4 2.9% / 8.6%
Foster — 0-4: 2.9% Port Franklin — 0-4: 8.6%
5-14 8.9% / 8.6%
Foster — 5-14: 8.9% Port Franklin — 5-14: 8.6%
15-19 4.3% / 4.0%
Foster — 15-19: 4.3% Port Franklin — 15-19: 4.0%
20-24 3.0% / 5.7%
Foster — 20-24: 3.0% Port Franklin — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 6.1% / 8.6%
Foster — 25-34: 6.1% Port Franklin — 25-34: 8.6%
35-44 7.6% / 9.8%
Foster — 35-44: 7.6% Port Franklin — 35-44: 9.8%
45-54 10.3% / 8.6%
Foster — 45-54: 10.3% Port Franklin — 45-54: 8.6%
55-64 17.1% / 27.0%
Foster — 55-64: 17.1% Port Franklin — 55-64: 27.0%
65-74 19.9% / 13.2%
Foster — 65-74: 19.9% Port Franklin — 65-74: 13.2%
75-84 13.4% / 4.6%
Foster — 75-84: 13.4% Port Franklin — 75-84: 4.6%
85+ 6.5% / 1.7%
Foster — 85+: 6.5% Port Franklin — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Foster 61.7% lone person
Foster — Lone Person: 61.7% Foster — Couple Families: 23.9% Foster — Group Household: 3.1% Foster — One Parent Families: 10.8% Foster — Other Families: 0.5%
Port Franklin 55.3% lone person
Port Franklin — Lone Person: 55.3% Port Franklin — Couple Families: 36.2% Port Franklin — Group Household: 8.5% Port Franklin — One Parent Families: 0.0% Port Franklin — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Foster 20.9% renting
Foster — Owned Outright: 58.5% Foster — Mortgage: 20.6% Foster — Renting: 20.9%
Port Franklin 13.2% renting
Port Franklin — Owned Outright: 50.0% Port Franklin — Mortgage: 36.8% Port Franklin — Renting: 13.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Foster Port Franklin
England 4.3% / 4.6%
Foster — England: 4.3% Port Franklin — England: 4.6%
New Zealand 1.1% / 2.9%
Foster — New Zealand: 1.1% Port Franklin — New Zealand: 2.9%
Italy 0.8% / —
Foster — Italy: 0.8% Port Franklin — Italy: not among its largest
Philippines 0.7% / —
Foster — Philippines: 0.7% Port Franklin — Philippines: not among its largest
Scotland 0.7% / —
Foster — Scotland: 0.7% Port Franklin — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.6%).

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Foster Port Franklin
Certificate III & IV 15.4% / 24.7%
Foster — Certificate III & IV: 15.4% Port Franklin — Certificate III & IV: 24.7%
Bachelor Degree 9.9% / 4.6%
Foster — Bachelor Degree: 9.9% Port Franklin — Bachelor Degree: 4.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 5.2%
Foster — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Port Franklin — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 3.4%
Foster — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Port Franklin — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4%
Postgraduate Degree 3.1% / 1.7%
Foster — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1% Port Franklin — Postgraduate Degree: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Foster 88.2% houses
Foster — Houses: 88.2% Foster — Flats / Apartments: 8.4% Foster — Townhouses: 3.4%
Port Franklin 100.0% houses
Port Franklin — Houses: 100.0% Port Franklin — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Port Franklin — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Foster Port Franklin
Median house price $542,500 $450,000
Median unit price $485,000 —
Median land price $787,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 82 days
from 34 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Foster has more rural and farming land (91% vs 75%).

Foster Port Franklin
Rural and farming 91% 75%
Parks and recreation 4% 12%
Residential 1% 10%
Infrastructure and transport 2%
same for both
Planning zones cover 99% of Foster and 100% of Port Franklin. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Foster Port Franklin
New dwellings approved 170
across South Gippsland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +21%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Foster Port Franklin
Houses 2.7%
$406/wk on $795K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Foster Port Franklin
House price Higher than 34% of VIC —
Income Higher than 10% of VIC Higher than 22% of VIC
Schools Higher than 70% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 32% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 19% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 53% of VIC —
NBN connectivity Higher than 74% of VIC Higher than 42% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 6% of VIC —

Liveability

Foster Port Franklin
Grade C —
Score 46/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
same for both

Risk profile

Port Franklin carries more flood risk (93 vs 52); Foster carries more crime risk (57 vs 34).

Foster Port Franklin
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
57/100
 Low
34/100
Flood Moderate
52/100
 High
93/100
Coastal erosion High
81/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Foster Port Franklin
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Foster

  • Foster Secondary College Government · Secondary above peers
  • Foster Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Corner Inlet College Independent · Secondary below peers

Schools in Port Franklin

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Foster Port Franklin
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 6 1
Childcare 2 0
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 11 0

Mobility

Port Franklin sits further from the CBD (180.9 km vs 175.2 km).

Foster Port Franklin
Walkability score 4/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 175.2 km 180.9 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 138 min 144 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 3960
 0.0%
postcode 3964
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 3960
 39
postcode 3964

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Foster Port Franklin
Car (driver) 67.0% / 77.6%
Foster — Car (driver): 67.0% Port Franklin — Car (driver): 77.6%
Worked from Home 17.6% / 18.4%
Foster — Worked from Home: 17.6% Port Franklin — Worked from Home: 18.4%
Walked Only 10.3% / —
Foster — Walked Only: 10.3% Port Franklin — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 3.9%
Foster — Car (passenger): 4.1% Port Franklin — Car (passenger): 3.9%
Bicycle 1.0% / —
Foster — Bicycle: 1.0% Port Franklin — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.6%).

Setting

Foster Port Franklin
Elevation 41 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.5 km 1.2 km

NBN connectivity

Foster Port Franklin
Connectivity score 55/100 29/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 28%
1,292 premises
 0%
97 premises

Council rates

Foster Port Franklin
Average residential rate $2,282/yr
same for both
Council South Gippsland
same for both

Federal electorate

Foster Port Franklin
Division Monash
same for both
Member Mary Aldred
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Foster Port Franklin
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Foster

Affordable Retirees Rural

Port Franklin

Coastal Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Foster

Foster vs Fish Creek Foster vs Toora Foster vs Buffalo Foster vs Yanakie Foster vs Foster North

Other comparisons with Port Franklin

Port Franklin vs Toora
Full data on Foster Full data on Port Franklin
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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