Rivervale
Statistical Area - sa2

Rivervale lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Rivervale's population is approximately 12,854 as of Aug 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,957 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,897. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,481 in June 2024 and an additional 224 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,848 persons per square kilometer, placing Rivervale in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 18.0% growth since the 2021 census surpasses both the national average (8.6%) and state averages, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 74.7% of Rivervale's overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and post-2032 growth estimations, AreaSearch employs the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. By 2041, Rivervale is forecasted to experience a significant population increase of 3,752 persons, reflecting an overall increase of 26.3% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Rivervale among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Rivervale has received approximately 89 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) produces development approval data on a financial year basis, totalling 448 approvals from FY21 to FY25 and 13 in FY26 so far. Each home built over the past five years has averaged around three new residents. This demand significantly outpaces supply, exerting upward pressure on prices and intensifying competition among buyers.

New dwellings are developed at an average construction cost of $485,000. Commercial approvals have reached $7.4 million this financial year, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to residential growth. Compared to Greater Perth, Rivervale has experienced slightly more development activity, with a 38.0% increase per person over the past five years. This has maintained good buyer choice and supported existing property values.

However, recent periods have seen some moderation in development activity. New building activity is skewed towards compact living, with 60.0% townhouses or apartments compared to 40.0% detached houses. This trend offers affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. Rivervale has a developing market, with around 251 people per dwelling approval. Looking ahead, Rivervale is projected to grow by approximately 3,379 residents by 2041. Construction activity is maintaining pace with this growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Rivervale has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 29 projects likely influencing this region. Notable ones include Burswood Point, Wyndham LUX Perth Hotel at 61-65 Great Eastern Highway, Burswood Station East Planning Framework, and the Build-to-Rent Development at 6 Homelea Court. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The employment environment in Rivervale shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Rivervale has a well-educated workforce. In the manufacturing and industrial sectors, it is strongly represented with an unemployment rate of 3.7%.

Over the past year, there was an estimated employment growth of 3.2%. As of June 2025, 8,129 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.1% below Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%, and workforce participation is at 71.1% compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and mining. The area shows particularly strong specialization in mining with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, education & training shows lower representation at 6.1% versus the regional average of 9.2%. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 3.2% while labour force increased by 3.2%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. By comparison, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 3.7%, labour force growth of 3.8%, with unemployment rising 0.1 percentage points. To provide broader context, state-level data to Sep-25 shows WA employment contracted by 0.82% (losing 14,590 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, lagging the national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rivervale's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.4%% over five years and 13.4% over ten years.

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

Rivervale's median taxpayer income was $60,922, with an average of $71,989, based on the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year ended 30 June 2022. This is higher than the national average, contrasting with Greater Perth's median income of $58,380 and average income of $78,020. By March 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $67,995, and average income $80,347, considering Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since the financial year ended 30 June 2022. Census data shows individual earnings at the 80th percentile nationally were $1,015 weekly, while household income ranked lower at the 48th percentile. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captured 34.9% of Rivervale's community (4,486 individuals), consistent with broader regional trends showing 32.0% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 82.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 47th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 6th decile.

Rivervale displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Rivervale's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 42.6% houses and 57.3% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and others. In contrast, Perth metropolitan area had 60.5% houses and 39.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rivervale stood at 16.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.5% and rented ones at 54.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Rivervale was $1,760, lower than Perth metro's average of $1,842. The median weekly rent in Rivervale was recorded as $350, equal to Perth metro's figure. Nationally, Rivervale's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Rivervale features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households compose 54.3% of all households, including 18.1% couples with children, 26.4% couples without children, and 7.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for 45.7%, with lone person households at 38.4% and group households comprising 7.4%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.3.

Rivervale shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's university qualification rate of 36.7% among residents aged 15+ exceeds the Western Australia (WA) average of 27.9% and the SA4 region average of 29.9%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.4% and graduate diplomas at 2.9%. Vocational credentials are held by 33.0% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 12.7% and certificates at 20.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.3% in tertiary education, 6.8% in primary education, and 4.2% pursuing secondary education. Rivervale Primary School and St Augustine's Primary School serve a total of 508 students, with Rivervale having above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1060). Both schools focus on primary education, while secondary options are available in nearby areas. The local school capacity is limited at 4.0 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 12.0, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Rivervale's public transport system has 33 active stops, all bus services. There are 7 routes operating in total, facilitating 2,178 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 195 meters.

Daily service frequency across all routes averages 311 trips, which equates to around 66 weekly trips per individual stop.

Rivervale's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Rivervale.

Prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but higher than the national average in older cohorts at risk. Rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population (~7,108 people). Most common medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 8.1 and 6.4% of residents respectively. 74.8% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 73.7% across Greater Perth. Area has 13.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,740 people), requiring more attention than the broader population.

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

Rivervale's cultural diversity is notable, with 33.5% speaking a language other than English at home and 43.8% born overseas. Christianity is the dominant religion in Rivervale, accounting for 39.0% of its population. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Perth, comprising 4.9% versus 4.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.7%), Australian (18.4%), and Other (17.7%). Korean (1.0%) and Chinese (7.2%) populations are higher than the regional averages of 0.7% and 6.1%, respectively, while Spanish is slightly overrepresented at 0.6%.

Rivervale hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Rivervale's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Perth's average of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Rivervale has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 years at 24.2%, but fewer residents aged 5-14 years at 8.0%. This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of residents aged 65-74 has increased from 7.0% to 8.1%, while the proportion of those aged 25-34 has decreased from 25.8% to 24.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes in Rivervale, with the strongest growth expected in the 45-54 age group, projected to grow by 47% and reach 2,130 residents. Conversely, the 5-14 age group is forecast to show minimal growth of just 4%, adding only 37 people to its current total.