Riverside
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Riverside are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Riverside's population was 7,275 as of August 2021. By August 2025, it had increased to approximately 7,565, a rise of 290 people (4.0%). This growth is inferred from the ABS estimated resident population of 7,498 in June 2024 and an additional 186 validated new addresses since August 2021. The population density was around 156 persons per square kilometer. Riverside's growth exceeded that of its SA3 area (3.6%), positioning it as a growth leader. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this growth.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in June 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by these data and post-2032 estimates, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections from June 2022 using 2021 as the base year are adopted with adjustments made at SA2 levels. Future demographic trends suggest a population increase just below Australia's regional median to 2041, with an expected expansion of 576 persons (6.7% total increase) by that year based on current numbers.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Riverside when compared nationally

Riverside has recorded approximately 45 residential properties granted approval each year. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 225 approvals across the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, and two so far in FY-26. On average, 1.7 new residents arrive per new home over the past five financial years between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating balanced supply and demand conditions. However, this has decreased to -0.1 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting more balanced supply conditions. New properties are constructed at an average value of $429,000.

This year, there have been $2.6 million in commercial approvals, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to residential development. Compared to the Rest of Tas., Riverside shows moderately higher new home approvals, with a 39.0% increase above the regional average per person over the five-year period from FY-21 to FY-25. This preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand.

Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 174 people per approval, Riverside reflects a low-density area. Population forecasts indicate Riverside will gain approximately 508 residents by 2041. Current construction levels suggest that housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Riverside has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 7thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 39 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Second Kanamaluka/River Tamar Crossing, West Tamar Highway upgrades from Trevallyn to Riverside, Stanton Rise Estate development, and Multiple Dwellings at 47 Orana Place. The following list details projects most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

The labour market in Riverside shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Riverside has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors, and a low unemployment rate of 1.9% as of June 2025. It has 3,888 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 2.1% lower than Rest of Tas.'s 3.9%.

Workforce participation is high at 61.7%, compared to Rest of Tas.'s 55.7%. Key employment sectors are health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Education & training has a strong presence with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 2.6% of local workers compared to Rest of Tas.'s 8.4%. Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.5%, and employment fell by 1.4%, causing a slight drop in unemployment rate.

In contrast, Rest of Tas. saw a marginal decrease in unemployment despite employment contraction. Statewide, Tasmania's employment grew by 0.77% year-on-year to Sep-25, adding 1,170 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, outperforming the national average of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Riverside's industry mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7%% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, although these are illustrative estimates based on simple weighting extrapolations.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

In financial year 2022, Riverside had a median income of $53,911 and an average income of $67,801 among taxpayers. Nationally, the average income was $47,358. By March 2025, with an 11.94% increase based on Wage Price Index growth, median income is estimated to be approximately $60,348 and average income around $75,896. Riverside's incomes rank modestly, between the 37th and 44th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The earnings band of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 31.4% of Riverside residents (2,375 individuals), similar to the regional trend of 28.5%. Housing costs allow retention of 87.2%, but disposable income is below average at the 41st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.

Riverside is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Riverside, as assessed at the latest Census, comprised 95.1% houses and 4.9% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Tas had 82.1% houses and 17.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Riverside stood at 38.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.8% and rented ones at 25.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,430, higher than Non-Metro Tas's figure of $1,300. Median weekly rent in Riverside was $300, compared to $280 in Non-Metro Tas. Nationally, Riverside's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,430 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were significantly lower at $300 against the national figure of $375.

Riverside has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 70.2% of all households. They include 28.9% couples with children, 29.8% couples without children, and 10.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.8%, with lone person households at 27.4% and group households comprising 2.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Rest of Tas. average of 2.3.

Riverside performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Educational attainment in Riverside is notably high, with 29.7% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to the broader benchmarks of 19.3% in Rest of Tas. and 21.7% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 19.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.3% of residents aged 15 and above holding these qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (23.6%). Educational participation is high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, broken down into primary (10.2%), secondary (8.5%), and tertiary (4.0%) levels.

Riverside's four schools have a combined enrollment of 2,353 students and demonstrate typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1033), offering balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes two primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. As an education hub, Riverside offers 31.1 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 18.4, attracting students from surrounding communities.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Riverside's public transport system operates 43 active stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 115 distinct routes, facilitating a total of 10,109 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is deemed good, with residents on average situated 267 meters from the nearest stop.

Daily service frequency averages 1,444 trips across all routes, translating to approximately 235 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Riverside is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Riverside faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is approximately 53%, which is higher than the 50.6% average across Rest of Tas., with about 4,039 people having private health cover in Riverside.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 9.8% and 9.4% of residents respectively. A total of 65.1% of residents claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.9% across Rest of Tas. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.6%, with approximately 1,708 people falling into this age group, compared to the 19.9% average in Rest of Tas. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally aligned with the overall population's health profile.

Riverside ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Riverside, surveyed in June 2016, showed below-average cultural diversity with 82.3% of its population born in Australia, 89.1% being citizens, and 90.2% speaking English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 46.2%. Hinduism, however, was overrepresented at 2.3%, compared to 2.5% regionally.

The top three ancestral groups were English (31.7%), Australian (29.9%), and Scottish (7.5%). Notably, Dutch (4.3%) Korean (0.3%) and Sri Lankan (0.2%) ethnicities were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 2.0%, 0.1%, and 0.1% respectively.

Riverside's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Riverside's median age is 40 years, which is significantly lower than the Rest of Tas. average of 45 but somewhat older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 15-24 are particularly prominent at 13.2%, while the 55-64 group is relatively smaller at 10.8% compared to the Rest of Tas. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 11.8% to 13.2% of the population, and the 35-44 cohort has risen from 12.4% to 13.7%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort has declined from 12.7% to 11.3%, and the 55-64 group has dropped from 12.1% to 10.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Riverside. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 89%, adding 196 residents to reach a total of 417. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 52% of population growth, emphasizing demographic aging trends. However, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 65-74 age cohorts.