Whorouly South vs Buffalo River

Whorouly South is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 54 in Buffalo River. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Whorouly South, most households are couple families. In Buffalo River, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Whorouly South tends to suit families with children and couples, while Buffalo River 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

Whorouly South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (84% vs 52%)

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

First-home buyers

Whorouly South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (16% vs 28%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Buffalo River

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $400/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (9% vs 19%)
  • But Whorouly South has a bigger rental market to choose from (33% vs 17%)

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

Commuting to the city

Whorouly South

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (190 min vs 233 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (281.8 km vs 314 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Buffalo River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (27% vs 19%)

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

Investors

Whorouly South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (25.5% vs 11.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Whorouly South Buffalo River
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.

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Walkability 0 / 0
Whorouly South — Walkability: 0/100 Buffalo River — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 89 / 86
Whorouly South — Safety: 89/100 Buffalo River — Safety: 86/100
Low fire risk 17 / 4
Whorouly South — Low fire risk: 17/100 Buffalo River — Low fire risk: 4/100
Low flood risk 100 / 49
Whorouly South — Low flood risk: 100/100 Buffalo River — Low flood risk: 49/100

Demographics

Buffalo River has more residents (285 vs 64); Whorouly South rents higher ($400/wk vs $130/wk).

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Population 64 285
+345% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +25.5% +11.8%
Median age 40 54
Median household income $108,316/yr
+32% vs other
 $73,892/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+68% vs other
 $130/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Whorouly South Buffalo River
0-4 14.1% / 4.2%
Whorouly South — 0-4: 14.1% Buffalo River — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 9.4% / 6.3%
Whorouly South — 5-14: 9.4% Buffalo River — 5-14: 6.3%
15-19 4.7% / 6.7%
Whorouly South — 15-19: 4.7% Buffalo River — 15-19: 6.7%
20-24 — / 4.9%
Whorouly South — 20-24: not among its largest Buffalo River — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 17.2% / 6.0%
Whorouly South — 25-34: 17.2% Buffalo River — 25-34: 6.0%
35-44 9.4% / 8.4%
Whorouly South — 35-44: 9.4% Buffalo River — 35-44: 8.4%
45-54 9.4% / 13.7%
Whorouly South — 45-54: 9.4% Buffalo River — 45-54: 13.7%
55-64 20.3% / 22.8%
Whorouly South — 55-64: 20.3% Buffalo River — 55-64: 22.8%
65-74 14.1% / 19.3%
Whorouly South — 65-74: 14.1% Buffalo River — 65-74: 19.3%
75-84 — / 6.0%
Whorouly South — 75-84: not among its largest Buffalo River — 75-84: 6.0%
85+ 4.7% / 2.1%
Whorouly South — 85+: 4.7% Buffalo River — 85+: 2.1%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Whorouly South 57.9% couple families
Whorouly South — Couple Families: 57.9% Whorouly South — Lone Person: 15.8% Whorouly South — One Parent Families: 26.3% Whorouly South — Group Household: 0.0%
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%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Whorouly South 33.3% renting
Whorouly South — Owned Outright: 47.6% Whorouly South — Mortgage: 19.0% Whorouly South — Renting: 33.3%
Buffalo River 16.7% renting
Buffalo River — Owned Outright: 52.8% Buffalo River — Mortgage: 30.6% Buffalo River — Renting: 16.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Scotland 4.7% / —
Whorouly South — Scotland: 4.7% Buffalo River — Scotland: not among its largest
England — / 1.8%
Whorouly South — England: not among its largest Buffalo River — England: 1.8%
Italy — / 1.8%
Whorouly South — Italy: not among its largest Buffalo River — Italy: 1.8%
New Zealand — / 1.1%
Whorouly South — New Zealand: not among its largest Buffalo River — New Zealand: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.7%).

Qualifications

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

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Certificate III & IV 15.6% / 19.3%
Whorouly South — Certificate III & IV: 15.6% Buffalo River — Certificate III & IV: 19.3%
Bachelor Degree 18.8% / 11.6%
Whorouly South — Bachelor Degree: 18.8% Buffalo River — Bachelor Degree: 11.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 14.1% / 6.3%
Whorouly South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 14.1% Buffalo River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 6.2% / 3.2%
Whorouly South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 6.2% Buffalo River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2%
Postgraduate Degree — / 2.5%
Whorouly South — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Buffalo River — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Whorouly South 100.0% houses
Whorouly South — Houses: 100.0%
Buffalo River 100.0% houses
Buffalo River — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Zoning mix

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Rural and farming 70% 73%
Parks and recreation 30% 26%
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

Whorouly South Buffalo River
New dwellings approved 238
across Wangaratta
 32
across Alpine
Approvals change year on year +329% -42%

Ranking within VIC

Whorouly South Buffalo River
House price —
same for both
Income — Higher than 40% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 11% of VIC Higher than 63% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption — Higher than 24% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 39% of VIC Higher than 18% of VIC

Liveability

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Buffalo River carries more flood risk (51 vs 0); Buffalo River carries more bushfire risk (96 vs 83).

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Bushfire High
83/100
 High
96/100
Crime Low
11/100
 Low
14/100
Flood None
0/100
 Moderate
51/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Whorouly South Buffalo River
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

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Waterways 4 7

Mobility

Buffalo River sits further from the CBD (314 km vs 281.8 km).

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 281.8 km 314 km
+11% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 190 min 233 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3735
 0.3%
postcode 3737
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 48
postcode 3735
 50
postcode 3737

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.

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Car (driver) 71.4% / 75.2%
Whorouly South — Car (driver): 71.4% Buffalo River — Car (driver): 75.2%
Worked from Home 21.4% / 16.0%
Whorouly South — Worked from Home: 21.4% Buffalo River — Worked from Home: 16.0%
Car (passenger) 7.1% / 6.4%
Whorouly South — Car (passenger): 7.1% Buffalo River — Car (passenger): 6.4%
Walked Only — / 2.4%
Whorouly South — Walked Only: not among its largest Buffalo River — Walked Only: 2.4%

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

Setting

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Elevation 276 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 387 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Connectivity score 29/100 20/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
25 premises
 0%
91 premises

Climate

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Annual rainfall 964 mm 1,451 mm
Summer max (Jan) 30.4°C —
Winter min (Jul) 3.7°C —

Council rates

Whorouly South Buffalo River
Average residential rate $1,962/yr $1,945/yr
Council Wangaratta Alpine

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Whorouly South

Family River Rural Young Families

Buffalo River

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Whorouly South

Whorouly South vs Whorouly Whorouly South vs Merriang Whorouly South vs Bobinawarrah Whorouly South vs Carboor Whorouly South vs Whorouly East

Other comparisons with Buffalo River

Buffalo River vs Myrtleford Buffalo River vs Merriang Buffalo River vs Edi Upper Buffalo River vs Carboor
Full data on Whorouly South Full data on Buffalo River
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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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