Riverview
All four SEIFA indexes place Riverview in decile 1 nationally, the bottom 10% for advantage and the top 10% for disadvantage. That is the defining fact here. Household income sits at the 17.4th percentile, roughly $600 per week below the national median, and the unemployment rate of 15.1% is more than double the national average. Yet 96.2% of dwellings are separate houses on a 7.8 sq km footprint, and a $325,000 median house price sits well below state and national benchmarks, drawing buyers priced out of metropolitan Brisbane.
Population
3,067
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,097/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$325K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $325,000 median house price is the clearest entry signal here, sitting significantly below the Queensland state median and well below national figures. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 96.2%, with three-bedroom homes the dominant format at 66.9% and four-plus bedroom homes at 19.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,092, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.0%, below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability comes with context: income here sits at the 17.4th percentile nationally, so buyers are not wealthy relative to national peers. The 51.3% renter majority means the resale market is relatively shallow, but outright owners at 22.8% indicate a segment of long-term, debt-free holders who have absorbed decade-long price stagnation.
For Buyers
The $325,000 median house price is the clearest entry signal here, sitting significantly below the Queensland state median and well below national figures. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 96.2%, with three-bedroom homes the dominant format at 66.9% and four-plus bedroom homes at 19.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,092, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.0%, below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability comes with context: income here sits at the 17.4th percentile nationally, so buyers are not wealthy relative to national peers. The 51.3% renter majority means the resale market is relatively shallow, but outright owners at 22.8% indicate a segment of long-term, debt-free holders who have absorbed decade-long price stagnation.
For Investors
A 51.3% renter share is the headline figure for investors, well above the national average, reflecting a population segment that cannot convert income into mortgages given the 17.4th-percentile household income base. Weekly rent of $270 against a $325,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.3%, meaningfully higher than most metropolitan markets. Rent growth has run at 50% over the measured period, compressing that affordability gap and creating housing stress risk for tenants. The vacancy rate of 6.3% is elevated, suggesting some softness in demand, and annual population is declining at 0.32% per year. Net migration is near-balanced with overseas arrivals averaging 17 per year offsetting slow internal outflows. Development activity is nil over the past 12 months, so supply is not a near-term threat.
Schools in Riverview iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Peter Claver College
7-12 · 1103 students
Riverview State School
Prep-6 · 258 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3 years below the national figure, driven by a working-age and family composition rather than a youth influx. Overseas-born residents account for 23.2%, which is 1.6 points above national. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic led by English (975 residents), Scottish (234) and Irish (199), with a small Samoan-speaking community of 70 residents being the most notable non-English language group. University qualifications reach only 13.4%, which is 16.7 points below the national average, consistent with the trade and manual occupation profile. Average household size is 2.5, matching the national figure. Couples with children account for 719 families against 461 couples without children, pointing to a younger family demographic.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.2%
Houses
3.8%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Riverview is overwhelmingly a detached-house suburb: 96.2% of dwellings are separate houses, with only 3.8% semi-detached and negligible apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 66.9%, followed by four-plus at 19.8% and two-bedroom at 11.1%. The tenure split is renter-majority: 51.3% rent, 25.9% carry a mortgage and 22.8% own outright. That renter share is substantially above the national average, driven by a low household income base at the 17.4th percentile nationally. The $325,000 median price is estimated from rent data for 2025 and reflects genuine affordability relative to Queensland and national benchmarks. Rent-to-income at 24.6% and mortgage-to-income at 23.0% both fall below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting current costs are manageable despite low incomes.
Mortgage / mo
$1,092
Rent / wk
$270
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$497
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.3%
Unoccupied
66
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.4%
Couples, no children
2,056
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employing industry at 19.6% of workers (97 residents), followed by Manufacturing at 10.5% (52), Education at 9.1% (45), Retail at 8.7% (43) and Construction at 8.1% (40). By occupation, Labourers lead at 166 workers, followed by Machinery and Drivers at 137 and Community and Personal Service at 129, confirming a manual and trade-oriented workforce. The unemployment rate of 15.1% is more than double the national figure, and the participation rate of 37.5% is low, with 1,102 residents not in the labour force. All four SEIFA deciles sit at 1, meaning Riverview ranks in the bottom 10% nationally for education and occupation (IEO), economic resources (IER), relative disadvantage (IRSD) and advantage/disadvantage (IRSAD). Real incomes fell 3.6% over the decade.
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
66.8%
Part-time
18.1%
Participation
37.5%
Employed
765
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.4%
Postgraduate
3.6%
Born Overseas
23.2%
Dwellings
979
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 81.1% of workers drive, compared against the national reliance on private vehicles, while only 5.7% use public transport and 3.6% walk or cycle. That transport profile reflects a suburb with limited active and transit infrastructure relative to metropolitan centres. No schools are recorded inside the Riverview boundary, so families rely on nearby suburbs for schooling. The IRSAD decile 1 ranking places Riverview in the bottom 10% for advantage nationally, and 16.5% of residents (438 people) require daily assistance, a rate well above national norms. Volunteering runs at 9.3%. Rent-to-income at 24.6% keeps costs below the stress threshold for tenants, and mortgage-to-income at 23.0% does the same for buyers, so despite low incomes the housing cost burden is not acute by conventional measures.
Drive
81.1%
Public Transport
5.7%
Walk / Cycle
3.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.32%/yr
(-10 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has declined from 3,163 in 2023 to 3,067 in 2025, a trend running at minus 0.32% annually and minus 5.3% over the past decade. Medium forecasts project continued contraction to around 3,065 by 2031. Migration is near-balanced: an average of 17 overseas arrivals per year are broadly offset by the slow internal outflows, making natural population dynamics the primary driver of decline. The gentrification score of 25 signals early signs of change, which aligns with the 50% rent growth over the measured period and a slight worsening in affordability from 43.0% in 2011 to 54.3% in 2021. The aging trajectory shows senior share rising 4.0 points and young-adult share falling 4.7 points, so the population that remains is getting older rather than being replaced.
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 offers genuinely affordable housing, with a $325,000 median house price and rent-to-income at 24.6%, below the 30% stress threshold. However, all four SEIFA indexes sit at decile 1, the bottom 10% nationally, unemployment is 15.1% and the area lacks recorded schools. It suits buyers seeking a detached house at low cost who are comfortable with limited local services.
What is the median house price in Riverview?
The median house price is $325,000, well below Queensland and national medians. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,092, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.0%. Weekly rent averages $270, implying a gross yield around 4.3% for investors at current prices.
What schools are in Riverview?
No schools are recorded within the Riverview boundary in this dataset. Residents rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local university qualification rate is 13.4%, which is 16.7 points below the national average, consistent with a trade and manual workforce profile.
Is Riverview safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Riverview in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, Riverview scores decile 1 on IRSD, the highest relative disadvantage tier nationally, and 16.5% of residents (438 people) require daily assistance. Both figures suggest a higher-needs population, which may correlate with elevated community risk.
Is Riverview good for property investment?
The 51.3% renter share and gross yield around 4.3% (based on $270 per week rent and a $325,000 median) are stronger than most metropolitan markets. Rent has grown 50% over the measured period. However, the 6.3% vacancy rate is elevated and population is declining at 0.32% per year, so demand fundamentals are weak relative to growth-oriented markets.
How is Riverview's population changing?
Population fell from 3,163 in 2023 to 3,067 in 2025 and has declined 5.3% over the past decade. The trend runs at minus 0.32% per year. Medium forecasts project a further contraction to around 3,065 by 2031. The trajectory is aging, with the senior share rising 4.0 points and the young-adult share falling 4.7 points.
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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