Officer South vs Cardinia

Officer South is the younger of the two, with a median age of 31 against 44 in Cardinia. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Officer South, about half of households are couple families. In Cardinia, most households are couple families. On these figures, Officer South tends to suit young adults, people living alone, and families with children, while Cardinia suits couples.

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

Cardinia

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (78% vs 59%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 78%)
  • But Officer South carries lower crime risk (56/100 vs 84/100)

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

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

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Officer South sits closer to the CBD (58.5 km vs 63.3 km)
  • Cardinia is more walkable (20/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Officer South carries lower crime risk (56/100 vs 84/100)
  • Cardinia is more walkable (20/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Officer South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (1445.3% vs -9.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Officer South Cardinia
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.

Officer South Cardinia
Walkability 0 / 20
Officer South — Walkability: 0/100 Cardinia — Walkability: 20/100
Safety 44 / 16
Officer South — Safety: 44/100 Cardinia — Safety: 16/100
Low fire risk 68 / 100
Officer South — Low fire risk: 68/100 Cardinia — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 13 / 2
Officer South — Low flood risk: 13/100 Cardinia — Low flood risk: 2/100

Demographics

Officer South has more residents (1,159 vs 342); Cardinia skews older (44 vs 31).

Officer South Cardinia
Population 1,159
+70% vs other
 342
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1445.3% -9.0%
Median age 31 44
Median household income $108,420/yr
+10% vs other
 $97,500/yr
Median weekly rent $393/wk $390/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Officer South Cardinia
0-4 9.6% / 3.8%
Officer South — 0-4: 9.6% Cardinia — 0-4: 3.8%
5-14 13.0% / 9.9%
Officer South — 5-14: 13.0% Cardinia — 5-14: 9.9%
15-19 2.2% / 9.9%
Officer South — 15-19: 2.2% Cardinia — 15-19: 9.9%
20-24 5.1% / 4.4%
Officer South — 20-24: 5.1% Cardinia — 20-24: 4.4%
25-34 27.6% / 10.2%
Officer South — 25-34: 27.6% Cardinia — 25-34: 10.2%
35-44 14.4% / 12.3%
Officer South — 35-44: 14.4% Cardinia — 35-44: 12.3%
45-54 4.8% / 13.5%
Officer South — 45-54: 4.8% Cardinia — 45-54: 13.5%
55-64 7.0% / 15.8%
Officer South — 55-64: 7.0% Cardinia — 55-64: 15.8%
65-74 12.0% / 13.7%
Officer South — 65-74: 12.0% Cardinia — 65-74: 13.7%
75-84 4.2% / 4.4%
Officer South — 75-84: 4.2% Cardinia — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ 0.3% / 1.5%
Officer South — 85+: 0.3% Cardinia — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Officer South 53.9% couple families
Officer South — Couple Families: 53.9% Officer South — Lone Person: 36.2% Officer South — One Parent Families: 5.5% Officer South — Group Household: 3.1% Officer South — Other Families: 1.4%
Cardinia 65.8% couple families
Cardinia — Couple Families: 65.8% Cardinia — Lone Person: 22.4% Cardinia — One Parent Families: 11.8% Cardinia — Group Household: 0.0% Cardinia — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Officer South 7.1% renting
Officer South — Owned Outright: 29.6% Officer South — Mortgage: 63.4% Officer South — Renting: 7.1%
Cardinia 10.4% renting
Cardinia — Owned Outright: 47.2% Cardinia — Mortgage: 42.5% Cardinia — Renting: 10.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Officer South Cardinia
Certificate III & IV 14.7% / 17.3%
Officer South — Certificate III & IV: 14.7% Cardinia — Certificate III & IV: 17.3%
Bachelor Degree 15.6% / 5.8%
Officer South — Bachelor Degree: 15.6% Cardinia — Bachelor Degree: 5.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.7% / 8.2%
Officer South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7% Cardinia — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 5.3% / 2.6%
Officer South — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3% Cardinia — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 2.0%
Officer South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Cardinia — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

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.

Officer South Cardinia
England 6.0% / 0.9%
Officer South — England: 6.0% Cardinia — England: 0.9%
India 5.3% / —
Officer South — India: 5.3% Cardinia — India: not among its largest
Sri Lanka 5.2% / —
Officer South — Sri Lanka: 5.2% Cardinia — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.6% / 2.9%
Officer South — New Zealand: 1.6% Cardinia — New Zealand: 2.9%
Philippines 1.7% / —
Officer South — Philippines: 1.7% Cardinia — Philippines: not among its largest
Netherlands — / 0.9%
Officer South — Netherlands: not among its largest Cardinia — Netherlands: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Officer South 77.8% houses
Officer South — Houses: 77.8% Officer South — Townhouses: 21.8% Officer South — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Cardinia 100.0% houses
Cardinia — Houses: 100.0% Cardinia — Townhouses: 0.0% Cardinia — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Officer South Cardinia
Median house price $861,500 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $1,034,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 37 days
from 51 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Cardinia has more rural and farming land (89% vs 35%).

Officer South Cardinia
Rural and farming 35% 89%
Residential 55% 0%
Other and special use 7% 8%
Environmental 3% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 2%
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

Officer South Cardinia
New dwellings approved 1,323
across Cardinia
same for both
Approvals change year on year +13%
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.

Officer South Cardinia
Houses 3.7%
$625/wk on $885K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Officer South Cardinia
House price Higher than 59% of VIC —
Income Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 68% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 18% of VIC Higher than 79% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 70% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 88% of VIC Higher than 90% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 94% of VIC Higher than 50% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 44% of VIC —

Liveability

Cardinia is more walkable (20 vs 0).

Officer South Cardinia
Grade C —
Score 41/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Officer South carries more bushfire risk (32 vs 0); Cardinia carries more crime risk (84 vs 56).

Officer South Cardinia
Bushfire Low
32/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
56/100
 High
84/100
Flood High
87/100
 High
98/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Officer South Cardinia
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Federation University Berwick, 9.4 km
 None

Schools in Officer South

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

Schools in Cardinia

  • Cardinia Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Officer South Cardinia
Parks & reserves 1 2
Childcare 0 1
Waterways 3 6

Mobility

Cardinia sits further from the CBD (63.3 km vs 58.5 km).

Officer South Cardinia
Walkability score 0/100 20/100
Distance to Melbourne 58.5 km 63.3 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 56 min 54 min
Electric vehicle share 1.5%
postcode 3809
 1.6%
postcode 3978
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 62
postcode 3809
 91
postcode 3978

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.

Officer South Cardinia
Car (driver) 67.4% / 58.7%
Officer South — Car (driver): 67.4% Cardinia — Car (driver): 58.7%
Worked from Home 28.9% / 29.7%
Officer South — Worked from Home: 28.9% Cardinia — Worked from Home: 29.7%
Car (passenger) 2.4% / 3.9%
Officer South — Car (passenger): 2.4% Cardinia — Car (passenger): 3.9%
Walked Only — / 5.2%
Officer South — Walked Only: not among its largest Cardinia — Walked Only: 5.2%
Train 1.4% / 2.6%
Officer South — Train: 1.4% Cardinia — Train: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.4%).

Setting

Officer South Cardinia
Elevation 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 5 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 12.9 km 8.2 km

NBN connectivity

Officer South Cardinia
Connectivity score 87/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 82%
211 premises
 0%
150 premises

Climate

Officer South Cardinia
Annual rainfall 781 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Officer South Cardinia
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.98 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Officer South Cardinia
Average residential rate $1,880/yr
same for both
Council Cardinia
same for both

Federal electorate

Officer South Cardinia
Division La Trobe
same for both
Member Jason Wood
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Officer South Cardinia
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Officer South

Family River Rural Townhouses Young Families

Cardinia

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Officer South

Officer South vs Pakenham Officer South vs Clyde North Officer South vs Officer Officer South vs Pakenham South

Other comparisons with Cardinia

Cardinia vs Clyde North Cardinia vs Clyde Cardinia vs Koo Wee Rup Cardinia vs Tooradin Cardinia vs Pakenham South Cardinia vs Dalmore
Full data on Officer South Full data on Cardinia
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or