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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Rivett has an estimated 3,436 residents, up from 3,354 at the 2021 Census — a change of 82 people, or 2.4%. Growth has averaged 0.8% a year over five years, slower than 77% of areas nationally. That puts 2,134 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
Analysis of population updates from the ABS for the surrounding region, combined with fresh address validations performed by AreaSearch after the Census, indicates the suburb of Rivett has approximately 3,436 residents as of May 2026. This represents an addition of 82 people (2.4%) relative to the 3,354 individuals documented in the 2021 Census. This adjustment is calculated from an estimated resident population of 3,431, determined by AreaSearch using the ABS June 2025 ERP release, alongside 5 validated new addresses registered post-Census. With these figures, the suburb of Rivett has a population density of 2,134 persons per square kilometer, a concentration that exceeds the typical level recorded across national sites analyzed by AreaSearch.
The 2.4% rate of growth recorded in the suburb of Rivett since the 2021 census was higher than the SA3 region (1.9%), positioning the locality as a regional growth frontrunner. Expansion in the local population was largely driven by incoming overseas migration, which made up roughly 53.0% of the overall population increases during recent timeframes. Projections generated by Geoscience Australia and the ABS for each SA2 region, published in 2024 with a 2022 baseline, are utilized by AreaSearch. For any SA2 regions lacking this coverage, and for all years following 2032, demographic growth rates by age group from the ACT Government SA2 projections, also using a 2022 baseline, are applied. Based on these projected demographic transitions, future estimates indicate a contraction in the overall population, with local numbers expected to shrink by 84 persons by 2041 under this approach. Conversely, expansion is anticipated within specific age brackets, particularly the 55 to 64 age cohort, which is forecast to grow by 98 people. Refer to the age section for additional details.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
30 new dwellings have been approved in Rivett over the past five years, an average of 6 a year. That is 1.8 approvals per 1,000 residents. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 5, broadly in line with that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
According to building approval figures from the ABS, distributed from statistical division statistics, the suburb of Rivett has averaged roughly 6 new residential approvals annually, with an estimated 30 dwellings approved over the prior 5 fiscal years (from FY-21 to FY-25) and 5 approvals recorded so far in FY-26. Considering that an average of 4.2 new residents arrived per constructed dwelling over the past 5 fiscal years (from FY-21 to FY-25), demand is running well ahead of new supply, a condition that typically fuels price growth and intensifies purchaser rivalry, while new homes are being built with a mean valuation of $381,000, indicating that developers are focusing on upscale buyers with premium properties.
Relative to the Australian Capital Territory, building approvals per resident in the suburb of Rivett run at approximately 75% of the territory rate, placing the area in the 24th percentile among nationwide localities evaluated, which suggests fewer options for purchasers and reinforces demand for established housing. This building volume also falls below the national average, pointing to the mature nature of the locality and potential planning limits. Furthermore, all recent residential building approvals have been for detached homes, maintaining the low-density suburban character of the area and appealing to buyers seeking space. The area records approximately 682 people per residential approval, highlighting a well-developed market. Given that the resident count is projected to stay stable or contract, the suburb of Rivett will likely experience less pressure on housing stock, which may open up opportunities for buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Rivett
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 18 current infrastructure and development projects close to Rivett, worth an estimated $1.1 billion. 4 are already under construction. The pipeline spans residential development, retail and communities, precincts & urban renewal. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Changes to local infrastructure, major developments, and planning schemes are major drivers of local performance. In total, no new infrastructure developments have been identified by AreaSearch as having an influence on the area. Key regional projects include the Molonglo Group Centre to Town Centre Transition, Fetherston Weston, Canberra Hospital Master Plan, and Deakin Private Hospital, with the subsequent list outlining the most relevant items.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Cooleman Court Shopping Precinct Upgrades
Upgrades to the shopping precinct at Cooleman Court to revitalize and improve access.
Woolworths Weston Creek Supermarket Expansion and Refurbishment
Expansion of the supermarket and full refurbishment to Woolworth's latest standard. Supermarket to remain open during refurbishment.
Waramanga Oval and Stirling Playing Fields Upgrades
Lighting upgrades at Waramanga Oval and upgraded field lights at Stirling Playing fields to allow for night matches.
Heysen Street, Weston RZ4 Land Development Opportunity
Substantial 13,130my RZ4 (medium density residential) land parcel in established Weston, available for purchase for residential development. Elevated block with Brindabella views.
Weston Creek Aged Care Facility
Construction of an aged care facility and associated works on Blocks 1151 and 864 Weston Creek. Follows NCA Board approval in 2015 for a retirement village and 99-year lease.
Molonglo Town Centre
Canberra's sixth town centre, formally reclassified under National Capital Plan Amendment 99 (September 2024). The Suburban Land Agency is master-planning a 97-hectare precinct along the Molonglo River to serve as the primary commercial and community hub for the Molonglo Valley district, expected to house around 70,000 residents by 2050. The centre will include a main shopping precinct, homemakers and service trades precinct, district library and community centre, indoor sport and recreation facility, high school and college, transport interchange, town park, and approximately 10,000 dwellings within the town centre itself.Delivery is planned in four stages over 8-10 years, with retail core construction commencing in 2026.
Fetherston Weston
Village Building Company plans a medium-density development of 337 homes on former AFP site with sustainable features like solar panels and EV charging stations. Construction of 26 new buildings comprising 11 three-storey apartment buildings, 5 walk-up apartment buildings and 15 two-storey townhouses to accommodate a total of 337 new dwellings, with new basement car parking. Amendment for changes to the roof on building L, M, N, O, P and Z, and changes to building levels for buildings N and Z.
Fetherston Ridge
Located on an elevated site in Weston, offering views across Fetherston Gardens to the Brindabella Ranges. Defence Housing Australia built 50 properties, and remaining land lots were sold. Will feature 120 residences.
1,690 residents of Rivett are employed, from a labour force of 1,803. Unemployment sits at 6.3%, with participation at 64.6%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.7% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 2,645, about 77% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
A highly qualified labor force resides in the suburb of Rivett, with strong representation in vital services industries, alongside a 6.3% unemployment rate compiled from statistical area data by AreaSearch. In March 2026, employed residents numbered 1,690, while the local jobless rate stood 2.2% higher than the Australian Capital Territory rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation lagged behind at 64.6% compared to 70.8% across the territory. Census records show a moderate 13.8% of employed residents were performing duties from home, though the influence of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions should be kept in mind.
The primary employment sectors for local workers are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The suburb of Rivett exhibits a notable concentration in health care & social assistance, where the employment proportion is 1.2 times the territory benchmark. In contrast, the accommodation & food services sector is underrepresented, employing only 4.7% of the local workforce compared to 6.5% across the Australian Capital Territory. This heavily residential locality appears to provide sparse employment options within its boundaries, as shown by the comparison of Census workers to the resident population. According to SALM and ABS data collated by AreaSearch from wider statistical zones, the labor force expanded by 1.2% while employment contracted by 0.8% during the twelve months leading to March 2026, causing the unemployment rate to climb by 1.9 percentage points. For comparison, the Australian Capital Territory saw employment rise by 0.3% and the labor force grow by 1.1%, resulting in a 0.7 percentage point increase in unemployment. National employment projections released in May-25 by Jobs and Skills Australia provide further context regarding future demand in the suburb of Rivett. These five and ten-year forecasts have been aligned with the local industry profile to project local trends. Nationwide employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though expansion rates vary widely across different sectors. Applying these industry projections to the local workforce mix suggests employment in the suburb of Rivett would grow by 6.7% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, noting this is a basic weighted extrapolation for context and does not incorporate localized population adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Rivett is $2,207 a week (about $115,000 a year), with median personal income at $1,113 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $62,997 a year against an average of $74,944. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Taxpayer income records from the ATO postcode database for the financial year 2023 show the suburb of Rivett had a median taxpayer income of $62,997 and an average income of $74,944. These figures exceed the national averages and compare to territory medians and averages of $72,206 and $85,981 in the Australian Capital Territory. Adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 10.44% since the financial year 2023, estimates for March 2026 stand at roughly $69,574 for the median and $82,768 for the average. In the 2021 Census, household, family, and individual incomes in the suburb of Rivett ranked high nationally, falling between the 78th and 86th percentiles.
Tax data reveals that the weekly wage bracket between $1,500 and $2,999 contains 30.5% of taxpayers (1,047 individuals), similar to the broader territory rate of 34.3%. Financial capacity is evident as 34.2% of households earn weekly incomes above $3,000, helping to drive consumer demand. Residents retain 86.9% of their income after covering housing costs, demonstrating solid purchasing power, and the area ranks in the 8th decile of the SEIFA index.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Rivett had 1,278 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 87% detached houses and 0% apartments. 42% are owned with a mortgage, 25% rented and 33% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $322 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,140 a month. Rent absorbs 14.6% of household income here and mortgage repayments 22.4%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Residential structures in the suburb of Rivett at the time of the latest Census consisted of 86.8% separate houses and 13.2% other housing types, including townhouses and apartments, compared to 63.3% separate houses and 36.7% alternative dwellings across the Australian Capital Territory. The home ownership rate in the suburb of Rivett stood at 32.8%, which was higher than the territory average, with remaining properties held under a mortgage (41.8%) or rented (25.4%). The median monthly home loan payment was higher than the territory average at $2,140, whereas the median weekly rent stood at $322, compared to territory figures of $2,080 and $450.
On a national scale, mortgage repayments in the suburb of Rivett are higher than the Australian median of $1,863, while rents are lower than the countrywide figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Rivett counted 1,278 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.5 people each. 32% are couples with children, against 27% couples without children. 26% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.6 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families comprise the majority of households at 72.3%, including 31.9% couples with children, 26.7% couples without children, and 12.6% single parents. The remaining 27.7% are non-family households, with single person households representing 25.7% and group households making up 1.9% of the total. The median household size of 2.5 residents is identical to the Australian Capital Territory average.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
41.7% of adults in Rivett hold a university qualification, including 24.0% with a bachelor degree and 11.6% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 99% of areas nationally. A further 16.3% hold a vocational qualification. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Qualifications in the suburb of Rivett are elevated relative to wider averages, with 41.7% of residents aged 15+ holding a tertiary degree compared to 30.4% across Australia. This educational profile positions the locality well for professional opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 24.0%, followed by post-graduate studies (11.6%) and graduate diplomas (6.1%). Vocational and practical skills are also common, with 26.9% of residents aged 15+ holding tertiary certificates, consisting of advanced diplomas (10.6%) and certificates (16.3%). Studies show high learning engagement, with 29.7% of residents enrolled in an educational program.
This includes 11.4% attending primary school, 6.8% in high school, and 5.0% enrolled in university or vocational training.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Rivett reaches 18 stops on 68 routes, timetabled for about 4,300 services a week. The typical home sits about 170 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.3 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Analysis of public transit indicates 18 active passenger stops operate in the suburb of Rivett, consisting of bus services. These stops are linked to 68 distinct routes, which provide a total of 4,321 weekly passenger journeys. Transit access is rated as excellent, with residents living an average of 166 meters from the nearest stop. Due to the residential character of the area, most workers commute out of the suburb, with private cars remaining the primary travel mode at 88%, and buses carrying 8% of commuters. Average motor vehicle ownership is 1.3 per household.
Working from home was recorded for 13.8% of residents, reflecting 2021 Census data which may have been influenced by pandemic measures. Transit service frequency averages 617 journeys per day across all routes, which translates to roughly 240 weekly services at each individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
64.9% of residents in Rivett report no long-term health condition. 5.6% need daily assistance with core activities, and 56.8% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 4.6 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health measures indicate poorer average outcomes in the suburb of Rivett based on mortality statistics and chronic disease rates compiled by AreaSearch, with various illnesses present in both younger and older cohorts, though private health insurance coverage is high, representing approximately 57% of residents (~1,951 people). This compares to a coverage rate of 62.4% across the Australian Capital Territory. The most common medical diagnoses locally are mental health conditions and arthritis, which affect 9.3% and 9.1% of residents respectively, while 64.9% of the population reported no long-term medical conditions compared to 70.2% in the Australian Capital Territory.
Working-age residents experience above-average rates of chronic illnesses. The suburb of Rivett has 20.0% of its population aged 65 and over (687 people), which exceeds the territory rate of 14.3%. Senior health outcomes present some difficulties, with national standings matching the broader population benchmarks.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Rivett is largely Australian-born, at 78.3% of residents, with 14.9% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (26.5%) and English (25.2%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
The suburb of Rivett exhibits above-average cultural diversity, with 21.7% of residents born outside Australia and 14.9% using a non-English language at home. Christianity is the primary religion, followed by 42.5% of the population. The most visible local overrepresentation is in Judaism, which accounts for 0.1% of residents compared to 0.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. In terms of ancestral background, the most common self-identified heritages in the suburb of Rivett are Australian, representing 26.5% of residents, English at 25.2%, and Irish at 10.1%. Certain other heritages show notable differences from territory averages, with French heritage overrepresented at 0.9% of the population (compared to 0.5% regionally), Welsh heritage at 0.8% (compared to 0.6%), and Dutch heritage at 1.8% (compared to 1.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Rivett is 39. 22.1% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
With a median age of 39, the suburb of Rivett has an older population profile than the Australian Capital Territory average of 35 and is close to the Australian median of 38 years. The 75 - 84 age bracket is highly represented at 9.2% compared to the territory, while the 25 - 34 cohort is less common at 12.0%. Since 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has risen from 6.4% to 9.2% of the population, and the 35 to 44 bracket increased from 14.7% to 15.8%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort decreased from 10.5% to 8.5% and the 0 to 4 group declined from 7.2% to 5.9%.
Future projections to 2041 indicate shifts in the age breakdown. The 55 to 64 group is projected to expand by 24% (82 people), increasing from 336 to 419. An aging trend is visible, with residents aged 65+ accounting for 53% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 0 to 4 and 45 to 54 brackets are projected to experience population decreases.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Rivett
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to May 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to May 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Jun 2026 2 months ago headline measures · May 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Aug 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 3 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 5 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 this month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 5 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for May 2026, not a 2021 count (3,354 at the 2021 Census → 3,436 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to May 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL80115). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.