Riverton - Shelley - Rossmoyne
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne's population is approximately 16,033 as of August 2025. This represents a growth of 1,515 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 14,518. The increase was inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses between June 2024 and the Census date. As of August 2025, the population density is around 2,497 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. Between 2021 and 2025, Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne's growth rate of 10.4% exceeded the national average of 8.6%. Overseas migration was the primary driver behind this growth.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as released in 2024, with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by these data and post-2032 estimates, AreaSearch employs ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Based on current demographic trends, Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne is projected to grow by 2,664 persons to reach a total population of approximately 18,709 by 2041, marking an increase of about 14.9% over the next 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Riverton - Shelley - Rossmoyne among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne has recorded approximately 104 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, calculated on a financial year basis. This totals 520 approvals over the past five financial years (between FY-2021 and FY-2025), with an additional 21 approvals so far in FY-2026. Each dwelling built over these five years has resulted in an average of 2.6 new residents annually, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $610,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-2026, $4.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Perth, Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne exhibits elevated construction activity (34.0% above regional average per person over the five-year period), balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values.

However, development activity has moderated in recent periods. The majority of new building activity comprises standalone homes (96.0%), with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 4.0%, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character focused on family homes. With around 190 people per approval, Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne reflects a developing area. Projections indicate an expected growth of 2,382 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Riverton - Shelley - Rossmoyne has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 12 projects that are expected to have an impact on the area. Notable projects include Willetton Youth Centre Renovation, Kent Street Weir Precinct Redevelopment, Westfield Booragoon Shopping Centre Expansion, and City of Melville New Library Cultural Centre. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant:.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Riverton - Shelley - Rossmoyne performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Riverton Shelley Rossmoyne has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Unemployment stands at 1.5%, with employment growth of 3.3% in the past year as of June 2025.

The area has 8,278 residents employed, with unemployment at 2.4% below Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation is lower than Greater Perth at 60.9%. Key industries are health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Education & training has notable concentration, being 1.3 times the regional average.

Construction, however, is under-represented with only 6.8% of the workforce compared to Greater Perth's 9.3%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data analysis by AreaSearch over June 2024 to June 2025, showing employment increase of 3.3%, labour force increase of 3.1%, and unemployment decrease by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth had employment growth of 3.7% and a rise in unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. Statewide, WA experienced employment contraction of 0.82% (losing 14,590 jobs) as of Sep-25, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia May 2025 project national growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Riverton Shelley Rossmoyne's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7%% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2022, Riverton - Shelley - Rossmoyne's median income among taxpayers is $53,829. The average income is $79,381. This makes it one of the highest in Australia. It compares to Greater Perth's median of $58,380 and average of $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $60,079 (median) and $88,597 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals household income ranks at the 69th percentile with a weekly income of $2,051, while personal income sits at the 47th percentile. The earnings profile shows that 27.2% of the community earns between $1,500 and $2,999 per week (4,360 individuals). This is similar to the surrounding region where 32.0% occupy this range. The district demonstrates considerable affluence with 33.6% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. After housing costs, residents retain 87.1% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne, as per the latest Census, consisted of 82.8% houses and 17.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Perth metro's 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne stood at 42.3%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (34.2%) or rented (23.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, significantly higher than Perth metro's average of $1,820 and the national figure of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne was recorded at $400, exceeding both Perth metro's $350 and the national figure of $375.

Riverton - Shelley - Rossmoyne features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 78.0% of all households, including 43.1% couples with children, 24.6% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.0%, with lone person households at 20.3% and group households comprising 1.6%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.7.

Riverton - Shelley - Rossmoyne shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne exceeds broader benchmarks: 45.0% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications compared to 27.9% in WA and 29.9% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 28.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational pathways account for 24.0%. Educational participation is high: 32.7% of residents are currently enrolled in formal education, including secondary (10.6%), primary (10.3%), and tertiary education (7.4%).

The area's five schools have a combined enrollment of 1,783 students. Riverton-Shelley-Rossmone has significant socio-educational advantages with an ICSEA score of 1124. All five schools focus on primary education; secondary options are available in nearby areas. School places per 100 residents (11.1) fall below the regional average (14.8), indicating some students may attend schools outside Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne.

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

Riverton, Shelley, Rossmoyne has 67 active public transport stops. These are serviced by buses operating along 12 routes, offering a total of 1,712 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 190 meters.

All routes combined run approximately 244 trips per day, which translates to around 25 weekly trips per individual stop.

Riverton - Shelley - Rossmoyne's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis shows Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne had low prevalence of common health conditions across all ages. Private health cover rate was 59% (9,523 people), higher than Greater Perth's 52.2%.

Most common conditions were arthritis at 6.8%, mental health issues at 5.4%. 74.5% declared no medical ailments, compared to Greater Perth's 76.0%. The area had 21.5% seniors (3,453 people), higher than Greater Perth's 15.9%. Senior health outcomes aligned with the general population's profile.

Riverton - Shelley - Rossmoyne is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Riverton Shelley Rossmoyne has high cultural diversity, with 39.3% speaking a language other than English at home and 50.2% born overseas by September 2021. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 44.3%. Buddhism is overrepresented at 7.4%, compared to Greater Perth's 6.7%.

Top ancestry groups are English (22.5%), Chinese (16.1%), and Australian (15.3%). Sri Lankan, Korean, and Indian ethnicities are notably divergent in representation.

Riverton - Shelley - Rossmoyne hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. The 75-84 age group comprises 8.1% of the population in Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne, compared to Greater Perth, while the 25-34 age group makes up only 7.5%. According to data from the 2021 Census and onwards, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 13.6% to 14.6% of the population. Conversely, the 0 to 4 age group has decreased from 4.2% to 3.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Riverton-Shelley-Rossmoyne. Leading this shift, the 85+ age group is projected to grow by 125%, reaching 1,220 people from its current figure of 541. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 59% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups are anticipated to experience population declines.