Rivervale
Renter-majority Rivervale is unusually compact for Perth, with 10,897 people in 3.34 sq km and density of 3,261.9 residents per sq km. The 54.3% renting share and 36.1% apartment base put it above many suburban WA patterns, while 43.8% born overseas sits 22.2 percentage points above the national figure. Compared with nearby Belmont and Burswood, Rivervale's identity is less traditional detached suburb and more inner-east rental corridor, helped by a university-educated share of 42.7% and household income in the 60.5th percentile.
Population
10,897
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,723/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$444K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Buyers should read Rivervale through dwelling choice rather than a single median house price, because the current median sale figure is unavailable. Separate houses are 42.6% of stock, but apartments at 36.1% and semi-detached homes at 21.2% give more strata and townhouse options than a conventional outer suburb. Mortgage repayments of $1,760 a month take 23.6% of income, below common stress thresholds, while the 2.1 average household size and 34 median age suit singles, couples and small families more than large households.
For Buyers
Buyers should read Rivervale through dwelling choice rather than a single median house price, because the current median sale figure is unavailable. Separate houses are 42.6% of stock, but apartments at 36.1% and semi-detached homes at 21.2% give more strata and townhouse options than a conventional outer suburb. Mortgage repayments of $1,760 a month take 23.6% of income, below common stress thresholds, while the 2.1 average household size and 34 median age suit singles, couples and small families more than large households.
For Investors
Rivervale has a clear rental market because 54.3% of homes are rented, higher than the 29.4% with a mortgage and 16.2% owned outright. Median rent is $350 a week, but the 15.4% vacancy rate is the risk signal, because high empty-stock levels can limit rent urgency even when demand is broad. There were 0 recorded development applications over 12 months, so new supply pressure looks limited locally. Forecast overseas migration of +379 people a year, compared with internal migration of -87, supports tenant depth.
Schools in Rivervale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Augustine's Primary School
PP-6 · 181 students
Rivervale Primary School
K-6 · 333 students
Demographics
Rivervale skews younger, smaller-household and more international than the national benchmark. The median age is 34, which is 6.0 years below national, and average household size is 2.1, or 0.4 below national. Overseas-born residents make up 43.8%, 22.2 percentage points above national, while university attainment is 42.7%, 12.6 points higher. English ancestry leads at 3,171 people, followed by Chinese at 1,006, and Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, Urdu and Nepali add multilingual depth.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
42.6%
Houses
21.2%
Townhouse
36.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Rivervale's housing structure is split rather than house-dominated: 42.6% separate houses, 36.1% apartments and 21.2% semi-detached dwellings. Renting at 54.3% sits above both mortgage ownership at 29.4% and outright ownership at 16.2%, so building management, strata rules and investor ownership shape many streets. Bedrooms point to compact living, with 36.2% three-bedroom homes, 30.6% two-bedroom homes and 16.0% with 0 or 1 bedroom. Rent-to-income is 20.3% and mortgage-to-income is 23.6%, both below stress thresholds.
Mortgage / mo
$1,760
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$1,015
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.4%
Unoccupied
886
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.9%
Couples, no children
6,960
Total families
Economy & Employment
Rivervale's workforce leans services, knowledge work and resources, which helps explain income in the 60.5th percentile. Healthcare employs 696 people, or 15.1%, followed by Professional/Tech at 541 and 11.7%, Mining at 409 and 8.9%, Construction at 343 and Education at 335. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 1,617, above clerical roles at 793 and community roles at 786. SEIFA is mixed: IEO decile 7 and IRSAD decile 6 show education and advantage, while IER decile 2 and IRSD decile 5 point to more uneven household resources.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
8,517
Unemployed
358
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.0%
Part-time
25.5%
Participation
67.2%
Employed
5,975
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.7%
Postgraduate
10.6%
Born Overseas
43.8%
Dwellings
4,869
Transport to Work
Rivervale works best for residents who want inner-east access but still rely on cars, because 78.0% drive to work compared with 12.5% using public transport and 3.0% walking or cycling. Schooling is primary-focused: 2 local schools span ICSEA 1014 to 1114, with St Augustine's Primary School at 1114 and 181 enrolments, plus Rivervale Primary School at 1014 and 333 enrolments. The sector mix is Catholic and Government. IRSAD decile 6 is above the middle, while IRSD decile 5 signals a broadly mixed socio-economic base.
Drive
78.0%
Public Transport
12.5%
Walk / Cycle
3.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.95%/yr
(+251 people/yr)
EstablishedRivervale's forecast is stable but still growing, with trend growth of 1.95% a year, equal to about 251 extra residents annually. The medium scenario rises from 12,913 in 2026 to 14,167 by 2031, so demand should build gradually rather than spike. Migration is the main driver: overseas migration averages +379 people a year compared with internal migration of -87. The gentrification score is 25 and stage is Early signs, while the shift indicators show 20.7% rent growth and 29.7% population change over 10 years.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+379
Net Internal / yr
-87
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +44% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +379/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Rivervale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rivervale a good suburb to live in?
Rivervale suits renters, professionals and smaller households, with a median age of 34, 2.1 people per household and 42.7% university attainment. Its 78.0% car-driver share means convenience depends strongly on parking, commute route and exact pocket.
What is the median house price in Rivervale?
A current median house price is unavailable for Rivervale. The clearest housing benchmarks are $350 median weekly rent, $1,760 median monthly mortgage repayments, 42.6% separate houses and 36.1% apartments.
What schools are in Rivervale?
Rivervale has 2 local primary schools. St Augustine's Primary School is Catholic with ICSEA 1114 and 181 enrolments, while Rivervale Primary School is Government with ICSEA 1014 and 333 enrolments.
Is Rivervale safe?
A current crime rate is unavailable for Rivervale, so recent WA Police releases and street-level inspection matter. The suburb has 10,897 residents, 78.0% car commuting and a mixed housing base, so conditions can vary by building and pocket.
Is Rivervale good for property investment?
Rivervale has investor appeal because 54.3% of homes are rented and median rent is $350 a week. The caution is vacancy at 15.4%, which is high, so asset selection and leasing quality matter more than simply buying any unit.
How is Rivervale's population changing?
Rivervale is forecast to grow at 1.95% a year, or about 251 people annually. The medium scenario reaches 14,167 residents by 2031, with overseas migration of +379 people a year offsetting internal migration of -87.
What languages are spoken in Rivervale?
Rivervale is multilingual, with 43.8% of residents born overseas. Common non-English languages include Mandarin with 238 speakers, Cantonese with 105, Arabic with 99, Urdu with 76 and Nepali with 65.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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