Victoria · Suburb Profile

Buffalo River VIC — Suburb Profile

Population, median income, rent prices, housing costs and demographics for Buffalo River, Victoria. ABS Census 2021.

The population of Buffalo River VIC is 285 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Buffalo River is $741 per week ($38,532 per year). Median rent in Buffalo River is $130 per week ($563 per month). Buffalo River has a median age of 54 years, older than the national median of 38. Buffalo River has a population density of 3.4 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Buffalo River is England. The most common religion is No Religion (43% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Italian. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Buffalo River is $1,733.

There were 4 recorded offences in Buffalo River in 2025-25, a rate of 14 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was property damage (2 offences).

Buffalo River Map

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Buffalo River Population

residents (Census 2021)

Buffalo River Median Income & Rent

💰

Median Income

$741/wk

$38,532 per year

#4717 of 14,663

🏠

Median Rent

$130/wk

$563 per month

#8442 of 14,663

👤

Median Age

54years

16 years older than national median

🏡

Mortgage

$1,733/mo

Avg household size: 2.3 · 0.7 per bedroom

Buffalo River Demographics

Gender Split

Male 51.4% (147) Female 48.6% (139)

Population Density

3.4

people per km²

285 people · 82.9 km²

Households

2.3

Avg household size

0.7

Persons per bedroom

$1,895

Family income/wk

Buffalo River Age Distribution

0-4

5-9

10-14

15-19

20-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-69

70-74

75-79

80-84

85+

♂ Male ♀ Female

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Buffalo River Housing Tenure

🏠

Owned outright

63.3% 57 dwellings

🏦

Owned with mortgage

36.7% 33 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Buffalo River Country of Birth

Australia

97.5%

England

2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G09 — Country of Birth by SAL

Buffalo River Religion

No Religion

43.1%

Catholic

24.5%

Not stated

10.6%

Anglican

9.9%

Uniting Church

7.7%

Christinty Prsbytrin Refrmd

1.8%

Christian (other)

1.5%

Eastern Orthodox

1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G14 — Religion by SAL

Buffalo River Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent

59.2%

Year 10 or equivalent

17.5%

Year 11 or equivalent

17.0%

Year 9 or equivalent

6.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G16 — Highest Year of School by SAL

Buffalo River Languages Spoken at Home

Italian

100.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G13 — Language Spoken at Home by SAL

Buffalo River Employment

💼

Employed full-time

37.5% 81 people

⏰

Employed part-time

23.6% 51 people

🔍

Unemployed

1.4% 3 people

🏠

Not in labour force

37.5% 81 people

Source: ABS Census 2021 G46 — Labour Force Status by SAL

Buffalo River Qualifications

Certificate III/IV

43.3%

Bachelor Degree

26.1%

Advanced Diploma/Diploma

15.7%

Graduate Diploma/Certificate

10.4%

Postgraduate Degree

4.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G49 — Non-School Qualification by SAL

Buffalo River Occupation

Professionals

26.0%

Technicians & Trade Workers

23.0%

Managers

14.0%

Labourers

9.0%

Clerical & Administrative

9.0%

Sales Workers

9.0%

Community & Personal Service

7.0%

Machinery Operators & Drivers

3.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G51 — Industry of Employment by Occupation

Buffalo River Field of Study

Engineering

24.7%

Health

22.5%

Management & Commerce

18.0%

Education

9.0%

Food, Hospitality & Personal Services

7.9%

Architecture & Building

5.6%

Agriculture & Environment

4.5%

Society & Culture

4.5%

Creative Arts

3.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G51 — Field of Study by SAL

Buffalo River Dwelling Types

Separate house

100.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G36 — Dwelling Structure by SAL

Buffalo River Weekly Household Income

$400-$499/wk

7.8%

$500-$649/wk

3.9%

$650-$799/wk

12.6%

$800-$999/wk

6.8%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

9.7%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

8.7%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

8.7%

$2,000-$2,499/wk

9.7%

$2,500-$2,999/wk

13.6%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

8.7%

$4,000+/wk

9.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G33 — Household Income by SAL

Buffalo River Marital Status

💍

Married

61.0% 153

↔️

Separated

4.0% 10

📋

Divorced

9.2% 23

🕊️

Widowed

2.4% 6

👤

Never married

23.5% 59

Source: ABS Census 2021 G05 — Marital Status by SAL

Buffalo River Ancestry

English

28.8%

Australian

28.5%

Italian

12.6%

Irish

11.3%

Scottish

7.3%

German

3.1%

Dutch

2.1%

Other

1.8%

Chinese

1.6%

Maltese

1.3%

Aboriginal Australianralian

0.8%

French

0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G08 — Ancestry by SAL

Buffalo River School & University Attendance

Secondary — Catholic

23.5%

Primary — Government

17.6%

Vocational Education

14.7%

Primary — Catholic

11.8%

Pre-school

11.8%

Secondary — Other Non-Govt

11.8%

Secondary — Government

8.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G15 — Type of Educational Institution by SAL

Buffalo River Need for Assistance

♿

Needs assistance

3.8% 19

✅

No need for assistance

96.2% 486

Source: ABS Census 2021 G18 — Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Buffalo River Volunteering

🤝

Volunteer

22.7% 54

—

Not a volunteer

77.3% 184

Source: ABS Census 2021 G23 — Voluntary Work by SAL

Buffalo River Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo

9.4%

$800-$999/mo

15.6%

$1,000-$1,399/mo

18.8%

$1,400-$1,799/mo

21.9%

$1,800-$2,399/mo

21.9%

$3,000-$3,999/mo

12.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G38 — Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Buffalo River How People Get to Work

Car (driver)

76.4%

Did not go to work

14.6%

Car (passenger)

6.5%

Walked only

2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G62 — Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Buffalo River Car Ownership

1 vehicle

16.2%

2 vehicles

44.1%

3 vehicles

22.5%

4+ vehicles

17.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G34 — Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Buffalo River Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom

7.1%

2 bedrooms

12.5%

3 bedrooms

43.8%

4 bedrooms

31.3%

5 bedrooms

5.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G41 — Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Buffalo River Population Mobility

13.4%

moved in the last year

28.5%

moved in the last 5 years

2.0%

unemployment rate (Census)

60.3%

labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021 G43 — Summary by SAL

Buffalo River Indigenous Population

0.6%

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Indigenous residents

511

Non-Indigenous residents

Source: ABS Census 2021 G07 — Indigenous Status by SAL

Buffalo River Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health

Arthritis

Heart disease

Cancer

Asthma

Diabetes

Stroke

Source: ABS Census 2021 G19 — Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Buffalo River Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk

1.6%

$1-$149/wk

7.5%

$150-$299/wk

5.9%

$300-$399/wk

8.6%

$400-$499/wk

3.8%

$500-$649/wk

3.2%

$650-$799/wk

13.4%

$800-$999/wk

15.1%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

15.1%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

8.6%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

3.8%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

3.8%

$2,000-$2,999/wk

7.5%

$3,500+/wk

2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G17 — Personal Income by SAL

Buffalo River Family Structure

Couple — no children

45.6%

Couple — no children under 15

25.4%

Couple — children under 15

25.0%

One parent — no children under 15

3.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G29 — Family Composition by SAL

Buffalo River Military Service

🏅

Previously served

2.6% 6

👤

Never served

97.4% 228

Source: ABS Census 2021 G22 — ADF Service by SAL

Buffalo River Unpaid Carers

🤲

Provided unpaid assistance

14.3% 33

—

Did not provide

85.7% 198

Source: ABS Census 2021 G25 — Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Buffalo River Children Ever Born

No children

28.0%

1 child

5.4%

2 children

45.2%

3 children

21.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G28 — Children Ever Born by SAL

Buffalo River When Migrants Arrived

1951–1960

1961–1970

1971–1980

2001–2010

Source: ABS Census 2021 G10 — Year of Arrival by SAL

Buffalo River Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours

16.9%

5–14 hours

35.1%

15–29 hours

20.4%

30+ hours

11.6%

Did not do domestic work

16.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G24 — Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Buffalo River Household Size

1 person

23.3%

2 persons

47.5%

3 persons

12.5%

4 persons

10.8%

5 persons

3.3%

6+ persons

2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G35 — Household Size by SAL

Buffalo River Where Residents Moved From

Same address

219

Moved from VIC

Moved — same area (SA2)

Source: ABS Census 2021 G44 — Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Buffalo River Family Blending

Intact family — no other children

83.9%

Step family — no other children

16.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G31 — Family Blending by SAL

Buffalo River Crime Statistics

Reported offences in 2025-25 — 4 total

Property Damage

Break & Enter

Theft

Offence trend by year:

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria — crimestatistics.vic.gov.au

Buffalo River Rent Prices & Affordability

of income

Affordable

Household Income $1,421/wk

Median Rent $130/wk

Rent-to-Income 9.1%

Rent is under 25% of household income — generally considered affordable.

If you earn X in Buffalo River

Your weekly income

≈ $6,158/month

Median rent $130/wk

Left after rent $1,291/wk

Rent share 9.1%

Buffalo River vs State & National Average

Nearby Suburbs in VIC

Girgarre East

Pop: 143 Income: $730/wk Rent: $275/wk

Lance Creek

Pop: 143 Income: $812/wk Rent: $200/wk

McMahons Creek

Pop: 143 Income: $534/wk Rent: $260/wk

Towong

Pop: 143 Income: $690/wk Rent: $175/wk

Yallourn

Pop: 143 Income: $833/wk Rent: $295/wk

Korong Vale

Pop: 143 Income: $415/wk Rent: $130/wk

Compare Buffalo River

Buffalo River vs Girgarre East →Buffalo River vs Lance Creek →Buffalo River vs McMahons Creek →Buffalo River vs Towong →

Frequently Asked Questions About Buffalo River

What is the population of Buffalo River VIC?

The population of Buffalo River VIC is 285 according to the ABS Census 2021.The suburb has a population density of 3.4 people per km².Buffalo River is ranked #6,123 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Buffalo River?

The median personal income in Buffalo River VIC is $741 per week, or $38,532 per year.The median household income is $1,421 per week.Family income is $1,895 per week.Buffalo River is ranked #4,717 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Buffalo River?

Median rent in Buffalo River VIC is $130 per week ($563 per month).Rent represents 9.1% of household income, which is considered affordable.Buffalo River ranks #8,442 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Buffalo River?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Buffalo River VIC is $1,733. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Buffalo River?

The median age in Buffalo River VIC is 54 years.This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Buffalo River a good suburb to live in?

Buffalo River is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 285.The median income is $741/wk, which is below the VIC average of $779/wk.Rent affordability is rated as affordable (9.1% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 20376. All dollar figures in AUD.