Foster vs Toora

Toora is the younger of the two, with a median age of 53 against 59 in Foster. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Foster, most households are people living alone. In Toora, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Foster: a median of $542,000, against $460,000 in Toora. On these figures, Toora tends to suit 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

Foster

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 3)
  • carries lower crime risk (57/100 vs 82/100)

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

First-home buyers

Toora

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (25% vs 32%)
  • has cheaper houses ($460,000 vs $542,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Foster

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (175.2 km vs 181.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Foster

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (57/100 vs 82/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (40% vs 32%)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Foster is growing faster (11.0% vs 4.7%)
  • Toora returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.6% vs 2.7%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Foster and Toora 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 Toora
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 Toora
Walkability 4 / 0
Foster — Walkability: 4/100 Toora — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 43 / 18
Foster — Safety: 43/100 Toora — Safety: 18/100
Low fire risk 100 / 86
Foster — Low fire risk: 100/100 Toora — Low fire risk: 86/100
Low flood risk 48 / 33
Foster — Low flood risk: 48/100 Toora — Low flood risk: 33/100

Demographics

Foster has more residents (2,044 vs 713); Foster skews older (59 vs 53).

Foster Toora
Population 2,044
+65% vs other
 713
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.0% +4.7%
Median age 59 53
Median household income $50,700/yr
+4% vs other
 $48,620/yr
Median weekly rent $240/wk
+4% vs other
 $230/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Foster Toora
0-4 2.9% / 3.4%
Foster — 0-4: 2.9% Toora — 0-4: 3.4%
5-14 8.9% / 11.5%
Foster — 5-14: 8.9% Toora — 5-14: 11.5%
15-19 4.3% / 2.5%
Foster — 15-19: 4.3% Toora — 15-19: 2.5%
20-24 3.0% / 4.6%
Foster — 20-24: 3.0% Toora — 20-24: 4.6%
25-34 6.1% / 7.2%
Foster — 25-34: 6.1% Toora — 25-34: 7.2%
35-44 7.6% / 9.7%
Foster — 35-44: 7.6% Toora — 35-44: 9.7%
45-54 10.3% / 10.1%
Foster — 45-54: 10.3% Toora — 45-54: 10.1%
55-64 17.1% / 15.6%
Foster — 55-64: 17.1% Toora — 55-64: 15.6%
65-74 19.9% / 19.6%
Foster — 65-74: 19.9% Toora — 65-74: 19.6%
75-84 13.4% / 10.2%
Foster — 75-84: 13.4% Toora — 75-84: 10.2%
85+ 6.5% / 2.7%
Foster — 85+: 6.5% Toora — 85+: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Foster 61.7% lone person
Foster — Lone Person: 61.7% Foster — Couple Families: 23.9% Foster — One Parent Families: 10.8% Foster — Group Household: 3.1% Foster — Other Families: 0.5%
Toora 53.8% lone person
Toora — Lone Person: 53.8% Toora — Couple Families: 25.0% Toora — One Parent Families: 16.8% Toora — Group Household: 1.4% Toora — Other Families: 2.9%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household 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%
Toora 19.2% renting
Toora — Owned Outright: 51.2% Toora — Mortgage: 29.6% Toora — Renting: 19.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Foster Toora
Certificate III & IV 15.4% / 18.0%
Foster — Certificate III & IV: 15.4% Toora — Certificate III & IV: 18.0%
Bachelor Degree 9.9% / 7.3%
Foster — Bachelor Degree: 9.9% Toora — Bachelor Degree: 7.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 6.2%
Foster — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Toora — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2%
Postgraduate Degree 3.1% / 1.7%
Foster — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1% Toora — Postgraduate Degree: 1.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 1.4%
Foster — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Toora — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.0%).

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 Toora
England 4.3% / 5.8%
Foster — England: 4.3% Toora — England: 5.8%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.4%
Foster — New Zealand: 1.1% Toora — New Zealand: 1.4%
Italy 0.8% / 1.5%
Foster — Italy: 0.8% Toora — Italy: 1.5%
Germany 0.5% / 1.4%
Foster — Germany: 0.5% Toora — Germany: 1.4%
Scotland 0.7% / 0.4%
Foster — Scotland: 0.7% Toora — Scotland: 0.4%
Netherlands — / 1.0%
Foster — Netherlands: not among its largest Toora — Netherlands: 1.0%
Philippines 0.7% / —
Foster — Philippines: 0.7% Toora — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.8%).

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%
Toora 90.7% houses
Toora — Houses: 90.7% Toora — Flats / Apartments: 9.3% Toora — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Foster Toora
Median house price $542,500 $460,000
Median unit price $485,000 —
Median land price $787,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 82 days
from 34 sales
 64 days
from 11 sales

Zoning mix

Foster Toora
Rural and farming 91% 92%
Parks and recreation 4% 5%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 1%
Residential 1%
same for both
Planning zones cover 99% of Foster and 100% of Toora. 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 Toora
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 Toora
Houses 2.7%
$406/wk on $795K
 3.6%
$400/wk on $575K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Foster Toora
House price Higher than 34% of VIC —
Income Higher than 10% of VIC Higher than 8% of VIC
Schools Higher than 70% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 60% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 19% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 53% of VIC Higher than 49% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 74% of VIC Higher than 47% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 6% of VIC Higher than 42% of VIC

Liveability

Foster scores higher overall (46 vs 16).

Foster Toora
Grade C D
Score 46/100 16/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Toora carries more bushfire risk (14 vs 0); Toora carries more crime risk (82 vs 57).

Foster Toora
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
14/100
Crime Moderate
57/100
 High
82/100
Flood Moderate
52/100
 Moderate
67/100
Coastal erosion High
81/100
 Moderate
66/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Foster Toora
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1
same for both

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 Toora

  • Toora Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Foster Toora
Supermarkets 2 1
Cafes & restaurants 2 1
Parks & reserves 6 3
Childcare 2
same for both
GPs 2 1
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 3 2
Fuel stations 1
same for both
EV chargers 1 0
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 11 1

Mobility

Toora sits further from the CBD (181.7 km vs 175.2 km).

Foster Toora
Walkability score 4/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 175.2 km 181.7 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 138 min 141 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 3960
 0.5%
postcode 3962
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 3960
 49
postcode 3962

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 Toora
Car (driver) 67.0% / 72.4%
Foster — Car (driver): 67.0% Toora — Car (driver): 72.4%
Worked from Home 17.6% / 19.3%
Foster — Worked from Home: 17.6% Toora — Worked from Home: 19.3%
Walked Only 10.3% / 5.3%
Foster — Walked Only: 10.3% Toora — Walked Only: 5.3%
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 1.3%
Foster — Car (passenger): 4.1% Toora — Car (passenger): 1.3%
Bicycle 1.0% / 1.8%
Foster — Bicycle: 1.0% Toora — Bicycle: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.4%).

Setting

Foster Toora
Elevation 41 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 51 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.5 km 3.5 km
4.5 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

Foster Toora
Division Monash
same for both
Member Mary Aldred
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Foster Toora
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

Toora

Affordable Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Foster

Foster vs Fish Creek Foster vs Buffalo Foster vs Yanakie Foster vs Port Franklin Foster vs Foster North

Other comparisons with Toora

Toora vs Port Franklin Toora vs Toora North Toora vs Agnes Toora vs Hazel Park
Full data on Foster Full data on Toora
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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