Buffalo vs Foster

Buffalo is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 59 in Foster. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Buffalo, about half of households are couple families. In Foster, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Buffalo: a median of $625,000, against $542,000 in Foster, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Buffalo tends to suit families with children and couples, while Foster suits people living alone and older residents.

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 parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (57/100 vs 78/100)
  • But Buffalo is already more of a family suburb (63% vs 35%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Buffalo leaves households under less mortgage stress (16% vs 32%)
  • Foster has cheaper houses ($542,500 vs $625,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Buffalo leaves renters under less rental stress (16% vs 25%)
  • Foster has cheaper rent ($240/wk vs $260/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Buffalo

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (162.3 km vs 175.2 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (128 min vs 138 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Foster

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (40% vs 22%)
  • carries lower crime risk (57/100 vs 78/100)

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

Investors

Foster

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.0% vs 4.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Buffalo and Foster 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 Foster
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 Foster
Walkability 0 / 4
Buffalo — Walkability: 0/100 Foster — Walkability: 4/100
Safety 22 / 43
Buffalo — Safety: 22/100 Foster — Safety: 43/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Buffalo — Low fire risk: 100/100 Foster — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 42 / 48
Buffalo — Low flood risk: 42/100 Foster — Low flood risk: 48/100

Demographics

Foster has more residents (2,044 vs 284); Buffalo has higher household incomes ($85,748 vs $50,700).

Buffalo Foster
Population 284 2,044
+620% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.4% +11.0%
Median age 47 59
Median household income $85,748/yr
+41% vs other
 $50,700/yr
Median weekly rent $260/wk
+8% vs other
 $240/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Buffalo Foster
0-4 5.6% / 2.9%
Buffalo — 0-4: 5.6% Foster — 0-4: 2.9%
5-14 13.0% / 8.9%
Buffalo — 5-14: 13.0% Foster — 5-14: 8.9%
15-19 7.4% / 4.3%
Buffalo — 15-19: 7.4% Foster — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 4.9% / 3.0%
Buffalo — 20-24: 4.9% Foster — 20-24: 3.0%
25-34 5.6% / 6.1%
Buffalo — 25-34: 5.6% Foster — 25-34: 6.1%
35-44 10.6% / 7.6%
Buffalo — 35-44: 10.6% Foster — 35-44: 7.6%
45-54 14.8% / 10.3%
Buffalo — 45-54: 14.8% Foster — 45-54: 10.3%
55-64 15.1% / 17.1%
Buffalo — 55-64: 15.1% Foster — 55-64: 17.1%
65-74 13.7% / 19.9%
Buffalo — 65-74: 13.7% Foster — 65-74: 19.9%
75-84 6.7% / 13.4%
Buffalo — 75-84: 6.7% Foster — 75-84: 13.4%
85+ 1.4% / 6.5%
Buffalo — 85+: 1.4% Foster — 85+: 6.5%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Buffalo 36.8% lone person
Buffalo — Lone Person: 36.8% Buffalo — Couple Families: 50.9% Buffalo — One Parent Families: 12.3% Buffalo — Group Household: 0.0% Buffalo — Other Families: 0.0%
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%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Buffalo 15.5% renting
Buffalo — Owned Outright: 48.8% Buffalo — Mortgage: 35.7% Buffalo — Renting: 15.5%
Foster 20.9% renting
Foster — Owned Outright: 58.5% Foster — Mortgage: 20.6% Foster — Renting: 20.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Buffalo Foster
Certificate III & IV 14.8% / 15.4%
Buffalo — Certificate III & IV: 14.8% Foster — Certificate III & IV: 15.4%
Bachelor Degree 9.9% / 9.9%
Buffalo — Bachelor Degree: 9.9% Foster — Bachelor Degree: 9.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.3% / 9.1%
Buffalo — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3% Foster — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1%
Postgraduate Degree 1.4% / 3.1%
Buffalo — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4% Foster — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 2.1%
Buffalo — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Foster — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.4%).

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.

Buffalo Foster
England 2.5% / 4.3%
Buffalo — England: 2.5% Foster — England: 4.3%
Netherlands 2.5% / —
Buffalo — Netherlands: 2.5% Foster — Netherlands: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 1.1%
Buffalo — New Zealand: not among its largest Foster — New Zealand: 1.1%
Italy — / 0.8%
Buffalo — Italy: not among its largest Foster — Italy: 0.8%
Philippines — / 0.7%
Buffalo — Philippines: not among its largest Foster — Philippines: 0.7%
Scotland — / 0.7%
Buffalo — Scotland: not among its largest Foster — Scotland: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

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

Property market

Buffalo Foster
Median house price $625,000 $542,500
Median unit price — $485,000
Median land price — $787,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 82 days
from 34 sales

Zoning mix

Buffalo Foster
Rural and farming 97% 91%
Parks and recreation 2% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 2%
Residential 0% 1%
Planning zones cover 100% of Buffalo and 99% of Foster. 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

Buffalo Foster
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.

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

Ranking within VIC

Buffalo Foster
House price — Higher than 34% of VIC
Income Higher than 56% of VIC Higher than 10% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 70% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 39% of VIC Higher than 65% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 19% of VIC
EV adoption — Higher than 53% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 36% of VIC Higher than 74% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 6% of VIC

Liveability

Buffalo Foster
Grade — C
Score — 46/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Buffalo carries more crime risk (78 vs 57).

Buffalo Foster
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
78/100
 Moderate
57/100
Flood Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
52/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
81/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

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

Schools in Buffalo

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

Schools in Foster

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

Amenities in the suburb

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

Mobility

Foster sits further from the CBD (175.2 km vs 162.3 km).

Buffalo Foster
Walkability score 0/100 4/100
Distance to Melbourne 162.3 km 175.2 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 128 min 138 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3958
 0.5%
postcode 3960
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 40
postcode 3958
 54
postcode 3960

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 Foster
Car (driver) 56.0% / 67.0%
Buffalo — Car (driver): 56.0% Foster — Car (driver): 67.0%
Worked from Home 32.8% / 17.6%
Buffalo — Worked from Home: 32.8% Foster — Worked from Home: 17.6%
Walked Only 6.4% / 10.3%
Buffalo — Walked Only: 6.4% Foster — Walked Only: 10.3%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 4.1%
Buffalo — Car (passenger): 4.8% Foster — Car (passenger): 4.1%
Bicycle — / 1.0%
Buffalo — Bicycle: not among its largest Foster — Bicycle: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.0%).

Setting

Buffalo Foster
Elevation 38 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 41 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 15.0 km 3.5 km

NBN connectivity

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Buffalo

Rural

Foster

Affordable Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Buffalo

Buffalo vs Fish Creek Buffalo vs Meeniyan Buffalo vs Tarwin Lower Buffalo vs Stony Creek Buffalo vs Foster North Buffalo vs Middle Tarwin

Other comparisons with Foster

Foster vs Fish Creek Foster vs Toora Foster vs Yanakie Foster vs Port Franklin Foster vs Foster North
Full data on Buffalo Full data on Foster
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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