Riverhills
Riverhills stands out as a compact, mortgage-led western Brisbane suburb with 4,121 residents living at 1,905.4 people per square kilometre. Household income sits at the 77.2nd percentile, while the median age of 36 is 4.0 years below the national comparison. Its 87.1% separate-house share gives the area a family-oriented physical form. In the same western corridor as Jindalee, Riverhills reads as settled rather than high-growth: annual growth is 0.28% and the forecast trajectory is Aging. Overseas-born residents account for 31.0%, helping explain why overseas migration, rather than rapid construction, is the stated growth driver.
Population
4,121
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,059/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Homebuyers are choosing a predominantly detached market, but a reliable current median house price is not available for Riverhills, making repayment and recent-sales checks especially important. Mortgage repayments are listed at $1,820 monthly, with mortgage stress not flagged at 20.4% of household income. The 87.1% separate-house share is above the 12.9% semi-detached share, while 3-bedroom homes make up 50.0% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 44.4%. That mix suits households wanting established family space because larger homes dominate the stock. Weekly rent of $410 provides a useful comparison for buyers weighing ownership against future flexibility.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are choosing a predominantly detached market, but a reliable current median house price is not available for Riverhills, making repayment and recent-sales checks especially important. Mortgage repayments are listed at $1,820 monthly, with mortgage stress not flagged at 20.4% of household income. The 87.1% separate-house share is above the 12.9% semi-detached share, while 3-bedroom homes make up 50.0% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 44.4%. That mix suits households wanting established family space because larger homes dominate the stock. Weekly rent of $410 provides a useful comparison for buyers weighing ownership against future flexibility.
For Investors
Riverhills presents a steadier, established rental case than a speculative growth story. Rent is $410 a week, 25.0% of dwellings are rented and vacancy is 3.9%, so tenant demand should be tested against property condition and leasing time rather than assumed from tenure alone. The 77.7% who stayed at the same address, compared with 22.3% turnover, points to a relatively settled base that may support lower churn. Annual growth is 0.28% and overseas migration is the primary driver, while 19 development matters should be checked for future competition. Compared with faster-growth markets, the appeal is more likely to rest on detached-house demand and income stability than rapid capital uplift. Mortgage-held homes account for 48.9%, reinforcing the mortgage-belt profile.
Development Activity
Total DAs
30
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+950.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Riverhills has a median age of 36, which is 4.0 years below the national comparison, and university attainment is 42.3%, or 12.2 percentage points above the national measure. Overseas-born residents make up 31.0%, 9.4 points above national, adding international breadth to a suburb whose largest reported ancestries are English at 1,559, Scottish at 493 and Irish at 465. The average household has 2.7 people, 0.2 above national, with couples with children at 48.1% and couples without children at 34.0%; this helps explain the strong detached-house demand. No religion is reported by 1,835 people and Christianity by 1,785. Compared with the nearby Jindalee setting, Riverhills shares an established western suburban character, but its Aging trajectory and 5.0% senior-share increase point to changing needs over time. Mandarin at 35 and Persian ED at 31 are the largest listed non-English language groups.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.1%
Houses
12.9%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Riverhills housing is overwhelmingly detached: 87.1% of homes are separate houses compared with 12.9% semi-detached dwellings. The bedroom profile is similarly family-sized, with 50.0% 3-bedroom and 44.4% 4-plus-bedroom homes, while 5.3% have 2 bedrooms and 0.3% have 0 or 1. Tenure is mortgage-heavy, with 48.9% paying a mortgage against 25.4% owning outright and 25.0% renting. That structure can support stability because owner-occupiers dominate, but it also leaves households exposed to borrowing costs. Mortgage payments equal 20.4% of household income and rent equals 19.9%, both below common stress thresholds, while the $410 weekly rent provides a practical comparison for buyers assessing repayments. Compared with more unit-oriented western suburbs, Riverhills offers less dwelling-type variety, so downsizers and investors should examine the limited semi-detached stock carefully.
Mortgage / mo
$1,820
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $410.
$730
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $730
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$974
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.9%
Unoccupied
62
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
48.1%
Couples with children
34.0%
Couples, no children
16.2%
Single parent
1,195
Total families
Economy & Employment
Riverhills has a relatively strong economic base: household income is $2,059 weekly at the 77.2nd percentile, participation is 72.0% and unemployment is 4.5%. Healthcare leads local industry employment at 17.0% or 281 workers, followed by Education at 16.3% or 268, Public Administration at 9.6% or 158, Construction at 9.1% or 150, and Professional/Technical at 8.6% or 142. The occupational mix supports that pattern, led by Professionals at 595, Clerical/Admin at 335, Trades at 306, Managers at 283 and Community/Personal roles at 256. SEIFA reinforces the advantage: IEO, IER and IRSD each sit in decile 8, while IRSAD is decile 7, lower than the other three. That one-decile gap suggests broad education and economic resources with some variation in disadvantage, rather than uniformly top-tier conditions. Full-time employment is 63.9%, helping explain the income position, which is higher than the national midpoint.
Unemployment
4.5%
Labour Force
2,334
Unemployed
104
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.9%
Part-time
27.5%
Participation
72.0%
Employed
2,230
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.3%
Postgraduate
10.8%
Born Overseas
31.0%
Dwellings
1,517
Transport to Work
Riverhills suits residents comfortable with a car-oriented routine. A total of 68.5% travel as car drivers, compared with 4.7% using public transport and 1.4% walking or cycling, while 21.4% work from home. That pattern can make daily errands manageable for drivers because car use is much higher than other recorded travel modes, but it increases the value of checking bus frequency, footpaths and trip times before buying. The suburb covers 2.16 square kilometres at 1,905.4 people per square kilometre, creating a compact setting rather than a low-density fringe. School access should be assessed from the exact address, including enrolment zones, travel time and available options. Social conditions are comparatively strong, with IRSAD in decile 7, IRSD in decile 8 and volunteering at 15.4%; 3.8% need assistance. A current crime rate should be checked separately because a local rate is not available, while the higher SEIFA position indicates stronger household resources than lower-decile areas.
Drive
68.5%
Public Transport
4.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
21.4%
Population Forecast
+0.28%/yr
(+12 people/yr)
EstablishedRiverhills is an established, slow-growth suburb rather than a development-led market. The forecast trend is 0.28% annually, with overseas migration named as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change over 10 years is 8.0%, while the shift trajectory is Aging: senior share has increased 5.0% and working share has fallen 2.8%. Rent growth is 15.5%, and affordability is labelled Improving, with values of 45.9 in 2011 and 42.1 in 2021. Real income growth is 2.4%. Gentrification is not the current story: the forecast score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, compared with an uplift cycle where renovation and tenure change would be more prominent. This combination points to gradual adaptation of established homes, with demand shaped by overseas arrivals and older households rather than a rapid population surge.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+30
Net Internal / yr
-52
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Riverhills compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Riverhills a good suburb to live in?
Riverhills can suit households seeking detached homes and a settled setting. It has 4,121 residents, 87.1% separate houses and a 72.0% participation rate, while 68.5% commute by car. Compared with a public-transport-oriented suburb, daily convenience here depends more on driving and local trip planning.
What is the median house price in Riverhills?
A reliable current median house price is not available for Riverhills. Buyers can compare recent sales in postcode 4074 against the suburb's 87.1% separate-house share and $410 weekly rent, then test affordability against the $1,820 monthly mortgage figure.
What schools are in Riverhills?
School choices should be checked by exact address because enrolment zones can cross suburb boundaries. Families should compare nearby options, travel times and available places, while noting that 21.4% of residents work from home and may place extra value on shorter school and commuting trips.
Is Riverhills safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not available for Riverhills, so current Queensland Police and local safety information should be checked before deciding. Riverhills has 4,121 residents, IRSAD decile 7 and 3.8% needing assistance. These social indicators should be considered alongside current local safety advice.
Is Riverhills good for property investment?
It can suit a lower-churn, established-market strategy, but not a rapid-growth thesis. Weekly rent is $410, vacancy is 3.9%, 25.0% of dwellings are rented and annual growth is 0.28%; overseas migration is the primary driver. Detached houses make up 87.1%, so asset selection matters compared with a unit-heavy market.
How is Riverhills's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 8.0% over 10 years, with annual growth of 0.28% and overseas migration as the primary driver. Riverhills is on an Aging trajectory, with senior share up 5.0% and gentrification scored 0, so change is likely to be gradual compared with redevelopment-led areas.
What languages are spoken in Riverhills?
The largest listed non-English language groups are Mandarin at 35, Persian ED at 31 and Arabic at 23, followed by Afrikaans at 16 and Sinhal at 14. Overseas-born residents account for 31.0%, which is 9.4 percentage points above the national comparison.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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