Riverwood
With 58.5% of residents born overseas, 36.9 points above the national figure, Riverwood reads as a migrant-anchored corridor rather than a typical southern Sydney suburb. Chinese ancestry leads at 4,141 residents and Mandarin is the top non-English language at 894 speakers, ahead of Cantonese at 772. The $895,000 median house price sits well below Sydney's metropolitan averages because apartments make up 47.9% of stock against 38.1% separate houses, and because household income ranks in just the 25.9th percentile nationally. That low income ranking, paired with an IER decile of 1, the lowest possible band, explains why 56.2% of homes are rented rather than owned.
Population
12,793
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,210/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
52
Median House
$895K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $895,000 median reflects an apartment-heavy market where units at 47.9% outnumber separate houses at 38.1%. Pricing eased recently, with the 2024 median of $897,500 slipping 3.1% to $870,000 in 2025, giving buyers a softer entry point than most of metropolitan Sydney. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 35.7%, followed by three-bedroom at 33.8%, so the stock favours downsizers and first home buyers over large families. The catch is affordability relative to local wages: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167 against a household income in the 25.9th percentile nationally, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 41.4% that breaches the 30% stress threshold. Buyers stretching into a mortgage here carry more risk than the headline price suggests.
For Buyers
The $895,000 median reflects an apartment-heavy market where units at 47.9% outnumber separate houses at 38.1%. Pricing eased recently, with the 2024 median of $897,500 slipping 3.1% to $870,000 in 2025, giving buyers a softer entry point than most of metropolitan Sydney. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 35.7%, followed by three-bedroom at 33.8%, so the stock favours downsizers and first home buyers over large families. The catch is affordability relative to local wages: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167 against a household income in the 25.9th percentile nationally, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 41.4% that breaches the 30% stress threshold. Buyers stretching into a mortgage here carry more risk than the headline price suggests.
For Investors
Renters make up 56.2% of households, well above the owner-occupier share, giving landlords a deep and durable tenant pool anchored by overseas migration of 336 people per year. Weekly rent of $300 against the $895,000 median produces a gross yield near 1.7%, low even by Sydney standards, so the case rests on capital growth and tenancy depth rather than cash flow. The 7.7% vacancy rate is elevated and signals more competition for tenants than landlords would like. Development is active, with 48 applications lodged in 12 months including seniors housing and commercial projects, which adds future supply. Net internal migration of -193 per year shows locals leaving faster than they arrive, so investor demand depends heavily on the continued overseas inflow.
Development Activity
Total DAs
309
Last 12 Months
52
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-5.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Riverwood iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Southside Montessori School
K-6 · 32 students
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 450 students
Hannans Road Public School
K-6 · 106 students
Riverwood Public School
P-6 · 126 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national median exactly, but the cultural profile diverges sharply: 58.5% of residents were born overseas, 36.9 points above the national share. Chinese ancestry leads at 4,141, far ahead of English at 1,344 and Lebanese at 701, while Mandarin (894 speakers) and Cantonese (772) top the language table ahead of Arabic at 465. University qualifications reach 42.0%, 11.9 points above the national average, an education premium that sits oddly against the bottom-quartile household income and points to recent migrants whose overseas credentials are not yet reflected in local earnings. Average household size of 2.5 and 3,456 couples with children outnumbering 2,256 childless couples indicate a family-forming migrant base rather than a young singles market.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
38.1%
Houses
13.1%
Townhouse
47.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily toward renting at 56.2%, with only 24.0% holding a mortgage and 19.8% owning outright, a profile that depresses aggregate household wealth and helps explain the IER decile of 1. Apartments at 47.9% lead the stock, ahead of separate houses at 38.1% and semi-detached at 13.1%, so density is high at 3,311 people per square kilometre. The price series is short and softening: the 2024 median of $897,500 fell 3.1% to $870,000 in 2025. Mortgage-to-income at 41.4% is in clear stress territory and well above the 30% benchmark, while rent-to-income at 24.8% stays just under it. The gap matters: renting here is manageable on local wages, but buying is a financial stretch, which reinforces the renter-majority pattern.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$564
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.7%
Unoccupied
397
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
41.4% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.3%
Couples, no children
9,686
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 16.8% (508 workers), followed by Professional and Technical services at 12.6% (381), Retail at 9.6% (290), Education at 7.6% (231) and Transport at 7.5% (228), a service-and-care economy rather than a knowledge hub. Professionals form the largest occupation group at 1,069, ahead of Clerical and Administrative at 684. The SEIFA picture is mixed and revealing: the IEO decile of 5 sits mid-range thanks to the 42.0% university rate, yet the IRSD decile of 1 and IER decile of 1 fall in the most disadvantaged national band. That split, high education but low income and economic resources, is the signature of a recent-migrant economy where qualifications outpace local earnings. Real income still grew 19.9% over the decade.
Unemployment
8.5%
Labour Force
6,467
Unemployed
551
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.4%
Part-time
26.1%
Participation
38.0%
Employed
3,724
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.0%
Postgraduate
11.3%
Born Overseas
58.5%
Dwellings
4,766
Transport to Work
Transport leans on the car, with 72.8% driving compared with 15.5% using public transport and just 4.4% walking or cycling, reflecting a layout built around the rail line and arterial roads rather than a walkable village core. Density is high at 3,311 people per square kilometre across 3.86 square kilometres, consistent with the 47.9% apartment share. The IRSAD decile of 2 places Riverwood near the bottom nationally on combined advantage, and the IER decile of 1 confirms limited household economic resources, so amenity is functional rather than premium. Around 9.0% of residents, some 1,075 people, report needing assistance with core activities, above what the working-age profile alone would predict, which raises the value of accessible local healthcare given the sector employs 16.8% of workers.
Drive
72.8%
Public Transport
15.5%
Walk / Cycle
4.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.18%/yr
(+146 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 1.18% per year, around 146 people, with a 24.7% increase over the past decade that classifies Riverwood as steady rather than booming. The estimated population recovered from a 3.4% COVID dip, climbing from a low of 11,645 back to 12,414 by 2025, a 4.7% rebound above the pre-COVID level. Medium forecasts project 13,278 residents by 2031. Growth is driven almost entirely by overseas migration at 336 per year, which more than offsets net internal outflow of -193, so the suburb is steadily replacing departing locals with new arrivals. The gentrification score of 29 marks early-stage change, supported by a population up 27% since 2011, though the bottom-quartile income ranking shows that uplift has not yet reached household balance sheets.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+336
Net Internal / yr
-193
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +27% since 2011, Net internal outflow -193/yr, Strong overseas inflow +336/yr, COVID recovered (-3% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Riverwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Riverwood a good suburb to live in?
Riverwood suits renters and migrant families who value affordability and rail access. The $895,000 median sits below Sydney averages and 56.2% of homes are rented. The trade-off is an IRSAD decile of 2, near the bottom nationally, and household income in just the 25.9th percentile, so it is value-driven rather than premium.
What is the median house price in Riverwood?
The median house price is $895,000, with the recent series showing $897,500 in 2024 easing 3.1% to $870,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,167, which is below most of metropolitan Sydney but still demanding against local incomes.
What schools are in Riverwood?
The data brief does not list individual schools with verified enrolment or ICSEA figures for Riverwood, so specific institutions cannot be confirmed here. Education employs 7.6% of local workers (231 people), and the 42.0% university qualification rate among residents is 11.9 points above the national average.
Is Riverwood safe?
Verified crime statistics are not available in the current data brief for Riverwood, so a safety rating cannot be given responsibly. As context, the suburb houses 12,793 residents at 3,311 per square kilometre, and around 9.0% of residents (1,075 people) report needing assistance with daily activities.
Is Riverwood good for property investment?
The 56.2% renter share gives a deep tenant pool, but $300 weekly rent on a $895,000 median yields only about 1.7% gross, and the 7.7% vacancy rate is elevated. Overseas migration of 336 per year supports demand, while net internal outflow of -193 and 48 new development applications add competition and supply.
How is Riverwood's population changing?
Population grows about 1.18% per year (146 people), up 24.7% over the decade to 12,414 in 2025, with medium forecasts reaching 13,278 by 2031. Growth is driven by overseas migration of 336 per year, which offsets net internal outflow of -193, alongside a gentrification score of 29 indicating early-stage change.
Why are so many residents born overseas in Riverwood?
Overseas-born residents make up 58.5%, which is 36.9 points above the national figure, driven by sustained overseas migration of 336 people per year. Chinese ancestry leads at 4,141 residents, and Mandarin (894 speakers) and Cantonese (772) are the most common non-English languages spoken at home.
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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