With a population of over 31,000, Uster is today the third largest town in Canton Zurich. The original centre of Uster is today’s Oberuster (Upper Uster). Roman roads once crossed here: Glatttal - Oberland and Winterthur - Zürichsee. With industrialisation, the main focus of development shifted close to the Aabach River because of its hydraulic power.

As industrialization increasingly took hold early in the 19th century, in 1832 an enraged population stormed the first mechanical weaving mill in the region and set fire to it. This storm of protest was recorded in Swiss history as the «Fire of Uster». Nevertheless, by 1850 Uster had developed into an industrial area with the highest concentration of factories in Switzerland. The history of industrialization in the Zurich Oberland can be followed on the «Industriepfads Zürcher Oberland» (industry trail), with 50 panels between Uster and Bauma. In 2001, the town was awarded the Wakkerpreis by the Swiss Heritage Society for its town and country planning, in particular for the conversion and reuse of industrial land.

The Uster brewery with its steam engine is also a witness of the industrialization era. The brewery has stood still since 1978 but the steam engine built in 1897 continues to run for demonstration purposes, although now with compressed air. Real steam is given off at the «Lokremise» (old locomotive shed) dating from 1857. This building with room for five locomotives around a turntable, serves the Zurich Oberland Steam Train Society as a shed and workshop.

The most important nearby recreational area is the Greifensee lake with nature reserve, lido and possibilities for rowing, sailing, windsurfing etc. It can be explored on foot and two paths are suitable for wheelchairs. Scheduled boats from Maur-Niederuster offer a short cut.