Riverview
A household income sitting at the 99.8th percentile nationally makes Riverview one of the wealthiest suburbs in Australia, yet its population of just 3,148 across 1.37 km2 keeps it deliberately low-profile. The median house price of $4,147,500 reflects that wealth, and 98.3% of dwellings are separate houses, making it one of the most detached-dominant suburbs in Sydney. The median age of 42 runs 2 years above the national figure, and 71.8% of homes have four or more bedrooms, pointing to large family households with an average size of 3.2 persons.
Population
3,148
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$4,731/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
33
Median House
$4.1M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price sits at $4,147,500, placing Riverview firmly at the top end of the Sydney market. Prices moved from $4,280,000 in 2024 to $3,965,000 in 2025, a 7.4% pull-back from the recent peak, which may represent a rare entry point in an otherwise tightly held market. Separate houses account for 98.3% of the stock, with only 0.8% apartments, so competition for detached homes is intense. Four-plus bedroom dwellings make up 71.8% of the housing mix, consistent with larger family households. Monthly mortgage repayments average $4,333 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 21.2%, well below the 30% stress threshold despite the elevated price level, because household incomes are exceptional at the 99.8th percentile nationally.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $4,147,500, placing Riverview firmly at the top end of the Sydney market. Prices moved from $4,280,000 in 2024 to $3,965,000 in 2025, a 7.4% pull-back from the recent peak, which may represent a rare entry point in an otherwise tightly held market. Separate houses account for 98.3% of the stock, with only 0.8% apartments, so competition for detached homes is intense. Four-plus bedroom dwellings make up 71.8% of the housing mix, consistent with larger family households. Monthly mortgage repayments average $4,333 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 21.2%, well below the 30% stress threshold despite the elevated price level, because household incomes are exceptional at the 99.8th percentile nationally.
For Investors
Rental conditions in Riverview are unusually thin: only 8.5% of residents rent, compared to the national average of around 30%, and weekly rent averages $1,000. Against a $4,147,500 median, the gross yield is below 1.3%, among the lowest in Australia. The vacancy rate of 4.5% signals limited rental demand. Development activity is active for the suburb's size, with 32 applications in the past 12 months, mostly dwelling replacements and complying development certificates, suggesting owners are upgrading rather than subdividing. Net migration is balanced, with 17 overseas arrivals and 7 internal net additions per year, providing thin demand growth. The investment case here is almost entirely capital preservation, not yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
234
Last 12 Months
33
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-5.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above the national figure, and the senior share has grown by 4.0 points over the decade while the younger cohort shrank by 4.7 points, consistent with an aging-trajectory suburb. University qualifications reach 69.9%, which is 39.8 percentage points above the national figure, one of the highest rates you will find anywhere in Australia. Overseas-born residents stand at 26.3%, which is 4.7 points above the national average. The dominant ancestries are English (1,101) and Irish (575), while Chinese ancestry accounts for 270 residents. Average household size is 3.2, which is 0.7 above the national average, driven by the prevalence of couples with children: 1,346 family households compared to only 461 couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.3%
Houses
1.0%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure reflects established wealth rather than recent buying: 48.6% own outright and 42.8% carry a mortgage, while renters make up only 8.5%, far below state and national norms. Outright ownership at 48.6% is exceptionally high, pointing to debt-free long-term holders rather than a churn of leveraged buyers. The stock is 98.3% separate houses, with apartments at just 0.8%, making this one of the most detached-dominant suburbs in NSW. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 71.8% of dwellings, with three-bedroom at 23.8%. Prices moved from $4,280,000 in 2024 to $3,965,000 in 2025, a 7.4% decline from the peak. Rent-to-income is 21.1%, and mortgage-to-income is 21.2%, both comfortably below the 30% stress threshold given that household income is at the 99.8th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$4,333
Rent / wk
$1,000
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,417
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.5%
Unoccupied
44
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
16.5%
Couples, no children
2,799
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and knowledge sectors dominate local employment: Professional/Tech leads at 20.8% (260 workers), followed by Healthcare at 15.0% (187) and Finance at 14.4% (180), with Education at 13.0% (163). By occupation, Professionals (647) and Managers (391) together account for the vast majority of the workforce, which aligns with the suburb scoring decile 10 on IEO (education and occupation advantage). Unemployment is low at 4.0% and full-time employment runs at 65.9%. The unemployment rate of 4.0% is broadly in line with NSW, though the participation rate of 61.4% is moderated by the older age profile, with 796 residents not in the labour force. All four SEIFA indexes sit at decile 10, meaning Riverview ranks in the top 10% nationally on every advantage measure.
Unemployment
16.3%
Labour Force
1,285
Unemployed
210
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.9%
Part-time
30.1%
Participation
61.4%
Employed
1,448
Occupations
Top Industries
University
69.9%
Postgraduate
23.3%
Born Overseas
26.3%
Dwellings
931
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 81.2% driving to work, above the national norm, because the 1.37 km2 suburb lacks the density to support frequent public transport. Only 3.4% use public transport and 6.7% walk or cycle. The suburb scores decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, meaning very few residents face any material deprivation. Rent-to-income at 21.1% keeps the small renter cohort comfortable. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs such as Lane Cove, which are well within reach of the suburb's 81.2% car-using majority. Volunteering runs at 26.0%, above the national average, and only 3.3% of residents need daily assistance.
Drive
81.2%
Public Transport
3.4%
Walk / Cycle
6.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.32%/yr
(-10 people/yr)
EstablishedRiverview's population has effectively plateaued, recording 3,163 in 2023, 3,169 in 2024 and 3,168 in 2025, with an annual trend decline of 0.32%, or roughly 10 persons per year. The 10-year population change is negative at 5.3%, confirming this is a slow-shrink, established suburb rather than a growth area. Medium forecasts project a continued gradual decline to around 3,065 by 2031. Migration is balanced: 17 net overseas arrivals and 7 net internal additions per year contribute modest positive inflows, but these are not enough to offset the household aging effect. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying, which makes sense for a suburb already at the absolute top of every advantage index with no room to climb. Affordability worsened from 43.0% in 2011 to 54.3% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+17
Net Internal / yr
+7
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Riverview compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Riverview a good suburb to live in?
Riverview scores decile 10 on all four SEIFA indexes, the highest advantage tier nationally, and household income sits at the 99.8th percentile. It has 3,148 residents across 1.37 km2, giving it a quiet, low-density character. University qualifications reach 69.9%, which is 39.8 points above the national figure. The main trade-offs are a very high $4,147,500 median house price, limited rental stock at 8.5% renters, and no schools recorded inside the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Riverview?
The median house price is $4,147,500, among the highest in Sydney. Prices declined 7.4% from $4,280,000 in 2024 to $3,965,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $1,000 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $4,333, though the mortgage-to-income ratio is just 21.2% because household incomes are at the 99.8th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Riverview?
No schools are recorded inside the Riverview boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Lane Cove and Longueville. Residents are highly educated, with 69.9% holding university qualifications, which is 39.8 percentage points above the national figure, so educational attainment in the area is extremely high.
Is Riverview safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Riverview in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier nationally, and only 3.3% of residents need daily assistance. These measures are consistent with a very low-disadvantage, low-crime environment compared to the broader NSW average.
Is Riverview good for property investment?
Riverview is a capital-preservation market rather than a yield play. Weekly rent of $1,000 against a $4,147,500 median gives a gross yield below 1.3%, and only 8.5% of residents rent, meaning vacancy can rise quickly. The 4.5% vacancy rate already signals limited rental demand. Net overseas migration adds 17 residents a year, but annual population growth is negative at 0.32%, so demand drivers are weak.
How is Riverview's population changing?
Population is effectively stable with a slight decline: 3,163 in 2023, 3,169 in 2024, and 3,168 in 2025. The 10-year change is minus 5.3% and the annual trend is minus 0.32%, or about 10 persons per year. Medium forecasts project around 3,065 residents by 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share rising 4.0 points and the younger cohort falling 4.7 points over the decade.
How much development is happening in Riverview?
There were 32 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, relatively active for a suburb of 3,148 residents. Recent examples include dwelling house approvals and complying development certificates for pools and demolition-rebuild projects. This pattern is typical of an established, wealthy suburb where owners upgrade rather than subdivide, consistent with the 98.3% separate house composition and negative population growth.
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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