Buffalo River vs Merriang

Merriang is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 54 in Buffalo River. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Buffalo River, about half of households are couple families.

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

  • Buffalo River carries lower crime risk (14/100 vs 24/100)
  • Merriang is already more of a family suburb (67% vs 52%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Buffalo River

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $300/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (9% vs 16%)

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

Commuting to the city

Merriang

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (191 min vs 233 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (284.9 km vs 314 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Buffalo River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (14/100 vs 24/100)

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

Investors

Buffalo River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.8% vs 2.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Buffalo River Merriang
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.

Buffalo River Merriang
Walkability 0 / 4
Buffalo River — Walkability: 0/100 Merriang — Walkability: 4/100
Safety 86 / 76
Buffalo River — Safety: 86/100 Merriang — Safety: 76/100
Low fire risk 4 / 100
Buffalo River — Low fire risk: 4/100 Merriang — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 49 / 21
Buffalo River — Low flood risk: 49/100 Merriang — Low flood risk: 21/100

Demographics

Merriang rents higher ($300/wk vs $130/wk); Buffalo River has more residents (285 vs 182).

Buffalo River Merriang
Population 285
+36% vs other
 182
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.8% +2.2%
Median age 54 47
Median household income $73,892/yr $96,200/yr
+30% vs other
Median weekly rent $130/wk $300/wk
+131% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Buffalo River Merriang
0-4 4.2% / —
Buffalo River — 0-4: 4.2% Merriang — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 6.3% / 14.8%
Buffalo River — 5-14: 6.3% Merriang — 5-14: 14.8%
15-19 6.7% / 9.3%
Buffalo River — 15-19: 6.7% Merriang — 15-19: 9.3%
20-24 4.9% / 4.9%
Buffalo River — 20-24: 4.9% Merriang — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 6.0% / 8.2%
Buffalo River — 25-34: 6.0% Merriang — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 8.4% / 7.7%
Buffalo River — 35-44: 8.4% Merriang — 35-44: 7.7%
45-54 13.7% / 15.9%
Buffalo River — 45-54: 13.7% Merriang — 45-54: 15.9%
55-64 22.8% / 11.0%
Buffalo River — 55-64: 22.8% Merriang — 55-64: 11.0%
65-74 19.3% / 19.8%
Buffalo River — 65-74: 19.3% Merriang — 65-74: 19.8%
75-84 6.0% / 3.8%
Buffalo River — 75-84: 6.0% Merriang — 75-84: 3.8%
85+ 2.1% / 1.6%
Buffalo River — 85+: 2.1% Merriang — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Buffalo River 47.8% couple families
Buffalo River — Couple Families: 47.8% Buffalo River — Lone Person: 40.6% Buffalo River — One Parent Families: 4.3% Buffalo River — Group Household: 7.2%
Merriang 43.6% couple families
Merriang — Couple Families: 43.6% Merriang — Lone Person: 33.3% Merriang — One Parent Families: 23.1% Merriang — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Buffalo River 16.7% renting
Buffalo River — Owned Outright: 52.8% Buffalo River — Mortgage: 30.6% Buffalo River — Renting: 16.7%
Merriang 11.3% renting
Merriang — Owned Outright: 50.9% Merriang — Mortgage: 37.7% Merriang — Renting: 11.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Buffalo River 100.0% houses
Buffalo River — Houses: 100.0%
Merriang 100.0% houses
Merriang — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Qualifications

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

Buffalo River Merriang
Certificate III & IV 19.3% / 17.0%
Buffalo River — Certificate III & IV: 19.3% Merriang — Certificate III & IV: 17.0%
Bachelor Degree 11.6% / 11.5%
Buffalo River — Bachelor Degree: 11.6% Merriang — Bachelor Degree: 11.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.3% / 6.0%
Buffalo River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3% Merriang — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.2% / 1.6%
Buffalo River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2% Merriang — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%
Postgraduate Degree 2.5% / 1.6%
Buffalo River — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5% Merriang — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

Zoning mix

Merriang has more rural and farming land (91% vs 73%).

Buffalo River Merriang
Rural and farming 73% 91%
Parks and recreation 26% 6%
Residential 0% 3%
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

Buffalo River Merriang
New dwellings approved 32
across Alpine
same for both
Approvals change year on year -42%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Buffalo River Merriang
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 40% of VIC Higher than 67% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 63% of VIC Higher than 65% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 24% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 18% of VIC Higher than 49% of VIC

Liveability

Buffalo River Merriang
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
same for both

Risk profile

Buffalo River carries more bushfire risk (96 vs 0); Merriang carries more crime risk (24 vs 14).

Buffalo River Merriang
Bushfire High
96/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
14/100
 Low
24/100
Flood Moderate
51/100
 High
79/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Buffalo River Merriang
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Buffalo River Merriang
Waterways 7 1

Mobility

Buffalo River sits further from the CBD (314 km vs 284.9 km).

Buffalo River Merriang
Walkability score 0/100 4/100
Distance to Melbourne 314 km
+9% vs other
 284.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 233 min 191 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 3737
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 50
postcode 3737
same for both

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.

Buffalo River Merriang
Car (driver) 75.2% / 63.5%
Buffalo River — Car (driver): 75.2% Merriang — Car (driver): 63.5%
Worked from Home 16.0% / 15.3%
Buffalo River — Worked from Home: 16.0% Merriang — Worked from Home: 15.3%
Car (passenger) 6.4% / 8.2%
Buffalo River — Car (passenger): 6.4% Merriang — Car (passenger): 8.2%
Walked Only 2.4% / 9.4%
Buffalo River — Walked Only: 2.4% Merriang — Walked Only: 9.4%
Bicycle — / 3.5%
Buffalo River — Bicycle: not among its largest Merriang — Bicycle: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.2%).

Setting

Buffalo River Merriang
Elevation 387 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 231 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Buffalo River Merriang
Connectivity score 20/100 30/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
91 premises
 0%
63 premises

Climate

Buffalo River Merriang
Annual rainfall 1,451 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Buffalo River Merriang
Average residential rate $1,945/yr
same for both
Council Alpine
same for both

Federal electorate

Buffalo River Merriang
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Buffalo River Merriang
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Buffalo River

Retirees Rural

Merriang

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Buffalo River

Buffalo River vs Myrtleford Buffalo River vs Edi Upper Buffalo River vs Carboor Buffalo River vs Whorouly South

Other comparisons with Merriang

Merriang vs Myrtleford Merriang vs Gapsted Merriang vs Whorouly East Merriang vs Whorouly South
Full data on Buffalo River Full data on Merriang
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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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