# Narwee vs Riverwood — 2021 Census comparison

Suburb / Locality comparison · about 1.5 km apart

Riverwood and Narwee are neighbouring areas in Greater Sydney with distinct housing and service profiles. Riverwood is more densely populated with a higher share of renters (54.2%) and flats or apartments, while Narwee has more separate houses (50.5%) and a higher share of homes owned outright. Access to services differs significantly; Riverwood is far better for health services, with 79.5% of homes within a 15-minute walk, compared to just 39.7% in Narwee. However, Narwee is better for groceries, with 100% of homes within a 15-minute walk compared to 88.6% in Riverwood.

Everyday life is very similar in both places, where the typical resident is 40 and about 61% of people use a language other than English at home. Both areas have a high proportion of overseas-born residents, well above the national figure. While Riverwood has far more public transport stops and a higher number of people working or looking for work in Narwee, both areas share similar typical monthly mortgage payments of around $2,166.

## Where they differ most

- Population: 7,382 larger in Riverwood
- Separate houses: 12.5 pts higher in Narwee
- Renting: 10.2 pts higher in Riverwood
- 3+ bedrooms: 8.3 pts higher in Narwee
- No car: 6.8 pts higher in Riverwood

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 5,411 | 12,793 | 7,382 larger in Riverwood | gap widening |
| Median age | 40 yrs | 40 yrs |  | gap narrowing |
| First Nations | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.1 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 18.2% | 19.2% | 1.0 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Under 15 | 16.9% | 15.4% | 1.5 pts higher in Narwee | gap widening |
| De facto | 5.8% | 6.0% | 0.2 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 29.1% | 28.7% | +0.4 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 24.8% | 25.0% | -0.2 |
| Seniors (65+) | 18.2% | 19.2% | -1.0 |
| Children (0–14) | 16.9% | 15.4% | +1.5 |
| Youth (15–24) | 11.0% | 11.6% | -0.6 |

### Marital status

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 49.8% | 45.0% | +4.8 |
| Never married | 32.2% | 34.4% | -2.2 |
| Divorced | 9.2% | 11.1% | -1.8 |
| Widowed | 5.2% | 5.8% | -0.6 |
| Separated | 3.5% | 3.8% | -0.3 |

### Age profile

Share of each region's population by age band and sex.

| Age band | Narwee male | Narwee female | Riverwood male | Riverwood female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 3.1% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2.4% |
| 5–9 | 2.9% | 2.7% | 2.8% | 2.4% |
| 10–14 | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.4% |
| 15–19 | 2.7% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.4% |
| 20–24 | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.6% | 3.1% |
| 25–29 | 3.4% | 4.0% | 4.1% | 3.5% |
| 30–34 | 3.9% | 3.2% | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| 35–39 | 3.7% | 3.6% | 3.8% | 3.8% |
| 40–44 | 3.3% | 4.1% | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| 45–49 | 2.9% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| 50–54 | 2.8% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.3% |
| 55–59 | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.2% | 3.5% |
| 60–64 | 3.0% | 2.9% | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| 65–69 | 2.6% | 2.9% | 2.7% | 3.0% |
| 70–74 | 1.9% | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.4% |
| 75–79 | 1.6% | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| 80–84 | 1.2% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.5% |
| 85+ | 1.0% | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.4% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 51.7% | 54.7% | 3.0 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 43.9% | 38.8% | +5.1 |
| China | 15.3% | 18.3% | -3.0 |
| Philippines | 3.6% | 3.0% | +0.6 |
| Vietnam | 1.7% | 2.8% | -1.0 |
| New Zealand | 1.3% | 2.0% | -0.7 |
| Nepal | 1.1% | 1.8% | -0.7 |
| India | 1.4% | 1.5% | 0.0 |
| Italy | 0.6% | 0.6% | +0.1 |
| England | 0.6% | 0.6% | +0.0 |
| South Africa | 0.3% | 0.1% | +0.2 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Chinese | 33.0% | 32.4% | +0.6 |
| English | 12.1% | 10.5% | +1.6 |
| Australian | 11.4% | 10.8% | +0.5 |
| Greek | 5.6% | 3.0% | +2.7 |
| Filipino | 4.4% | 3.9% | +0.5 |
| Irish | 3.7% | 3.1% | +0.6 |
| Vietnamese | 2.3% | 3.2% | -0.9 |
| Italian | 2.6% | 2.6% | -0.1 |
| Scottish | 2.3% | 2.3% | +0.0 |
| Indian | 2.0% | 2.2% | -0.2 |
| German | 0.7% | 1.0% | -0.3 |
| Dutch | 0.4% | 0.3% | +0.2 |

## Language

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 60.9% | 61.8% | 0.9 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Limited English | 16.0% | 19.1% | 3.1 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |

### Language used at home

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 34.3% | 31.3% | +3.0 |
| Mandarin | 12.8% | 14.8% | -2.0 |
| Cantonese | 14.4% | 13.0% | +1.4 |
| Arabic | 6.2% | 7.5% | -1.2 |
| Greek | 4.6% | 2.1% | +2.6 |
| Vietnamese | 1.9% | 2.9% | -1.0 |
| Tagalog | 1.6% | 1.6% | +0.1 |
| Hindi | 0.8% | 0.9% | -0.1 |
| Italian | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.0 |
| Punjabi | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 29.7% | 30.6% | 0.8 pts higher in Riverwood | gap narrowing |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 43.9% | 40.1% | +3.8 |
| No religion | 29.7% | 30.6% | -0.8 |
| Islam | 10.2% | 10.7% | -0.5 |
| Not stated | 6.0% | 7.8% | -1.8 |
| Buddhism | 6.7% | 7.0% | -0.3 |
| Hinduism | 3.0% | 3.1% | -0.1 |
| Other religions | 0.4% | 0.6% | -0.2 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.1% | -0.1 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 65.7% | 61.3% | 4.5 pts higher in Narwee | gap steady |
| Bachelor+ | 26.5% | 24.7% | 1.8 pts higher in Narwee | gap narrowing |
| Schools/1k kids | 1.10 | 2.03 | 0.94 more in Riverwood |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 50 | 63 | 13 more in Riverwood |  |
| Avg size | 476 | 480 | 4 larger in Riverwood |  |
| ICSEA | 1,040 | 1,026 | 15 higher in Narwee |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 65.7% | 61.3% | +4.5 |
| Year 9 or below | 12.8% | 13.6% | -0.8 |
| Year 10 | 12.0% | 13.0% | -0.9 |
| Year 11 | 3.5% | 3.7% | -0.2 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor degree | 31.8% | 30.7% | +1.1 |
| Certificate III / IV | 17.7% | 16.4% | +1.3 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 17.3% | 15.9% | +1.4 |
| Postgraduate degree | 11.4% | 11.3% | +0.1 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 2.8% | 2.4% | +0.4 |
| Certificate I / II | 1.8% | 1.8% | 0.0 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 26.0% | 24.5% | +1.5 |
| Engineering & related | 13.6% | 12.2% | +1.4 |
| Society & culture | 10.7% | 9.3% | +1.3 |
| Health | 7.2% | 7.3% | -0.1 |
| Information technology | 5.8% | 6.4% | -0.6 |
| Education | 5.9% | 5.3% | +0.5 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 5.5% | 4.4% | +1.1 |
| Architecture & building | 4.0% | 3.8% | +0.3 |
| Creative arts | 3.4% | 3.9% | -0.6 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 2.9% | 2.7% | +0.2 |
| Agriculture & environment | 0.6% | 0.7% | -0.1 |

## Income

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $647 | $564 | $83 higher in Narwee | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,431 | $1,210 | $221 higher in Narwee | gap widening |
| Family income | $1,828 | $1,563 | $265 higher in Narwee | gap widening |
| High earners | 8.0% | 5.5% | 2.5 pts higher in Narwee | gap widening |
| High-income homes | 18.1% | 14.3% | 3.8 pts higher in Narwee | gap steady |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 21.7% | 27.5% | -5.9 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 27.2% | 25.5% | +1.7 |
| $650–$1,499 | 26.9% | 26.1% | +0.8 |
| $4,000 or more | 9.6% | 6.4% | +3.2 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 8.5% | 7.9% | +0.7 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 47.1% | 50.0% | -2.8 |
| $650–$1,499 | 30.5% | 29.2% | +1.4 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 14.2% | 11.4% | +2.8 |
| $3,000 or more | 2.3% | 1.4% | +0.9 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 22.2% | 24.7% | 2.5 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Mental health | 5.0% | 6.3% | 1.3 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Needs assistance | 7.2% | 8.4% | 1.2 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other condition | 7.8% | 7.9% | -0.1 |
| Arthritis | 6.6% | 7.4% | -0.8 |
| Diabetes | 6.1% | 7.0% | -0.9 |
| Mental health | 5.0% | 6.3% | -1.3 |
| Asthma | 5.4% | 6.0% | -0.6 |
| Heart disease | 3.5% | 3.9% | -0.5 |
| Cancer | 2.1% | 2.6% | -0.4 |
| Lung condition | 1.3% | 1.6% | -0.3 |
| Stroke | 0.9% | 1.0% | -0.1 |
| Dementia | 0.6% | 0.8% | -0.3 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 71.4% | 66.3% | +5.0 |
| One condition | 15.6% | 16.1% | -0.5 |
| Two conditions | 4.2% | 5.6% | -1.4 |
| Three or more | 2.3% | 3.0% | -0.7 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 7.9% | 7.1% | 0.8 pts higher in Narwee | gap steady |
| Unpaid carers | 11.1% | 10.0% | 1.2 pts higher in Narwee | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 21.7% | 19.7% | 2.0 pts higher in Narwee | gap narrowing |
| Defence service | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.0 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 19.7% | 17.8% | 1.9 pts higher in Narwee | gap steady |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 38 | 102 | 64 larger in Riverwood |  |
| Median age | 26 yrs | 35 yrs | 9 yrs older in Riverwood |  |
| Year 12 | 19.2% | 39.7% | 20.5 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Unemployment | — | 7.5% |  |  |
| Median income | $462 | $564 | $102 higher in Riverwood |  |
| Household income | $762 | $1,016 | $254 higher in Riverwood |  |
| Indigenous language | 7.9% | 7.8% | 0.1 pts higher in Narwee |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.7 | 2.5 | 0.2 larger in Narwee | gap widening |
| One-parent | 15.1% | 19.6% | 4.5 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Living alone | 27.2% | 30.2% | 3.0 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

### Family composition

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 61.7% | 55.3% | +6.4 |
| Couples without children | 21.8% | 23.3% | -1.5 |
| One-parent families | 15.1% | 19.6% | -4.5 |
| Other families | 1.4% | 1.7% | -0.3 |

### Household size

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 person | 27.2% | 30.2% | -3.0 |
| 2 people | 27.7% | 29.3% | -1.5 |
| 3 people | 16.7% | 16.9% | -0.2 |
| 4 people | 16.3% | 13.1% | +3.2 |
| 5 people | 6.6% | 6.0% | +0.6 |
| 6 or more | 5.6% | 4.6% | +1.0 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $354 | $300 | $54 higher in Narwee | gap narrowing |
| Mortgage | $2,166 | $2,167 |  | gap narrowing |
| People / bedroom | 1.00 | 1.00 |  | gap steady |
| Renting | 44.0% | 54.2% | 10.2 pts higher in Riverwood | gap narrowing |
| Owned outright | 25.8% | 19.1% | 6.7 pts higher in Narwee | gap narrowing |
| Separate houses | 50.5% | 38.0% | 12.5 pts higher in Narwee | gap widening |
| 3+ bedrooms | 57.7% | 49.4% | 8.3 pts higher in Narwee | gap widening |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rented | 44.0% | 54.2% | -10.2 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 27.2% | 23.1% | +4.0 |
| Owned outright | 25.8% | 19.1% | +6.7 |
| Not stated | 1.6% | 2.1% | -0.5 |
| Other tenure | 1.3% | 1.4% | -0.2 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 50.5% | 38.0% | +12.5 |
| Flat or apartment | 29.7% | 47.8% | -18.0 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 18.9% | 13.1% | +5.8 |
| Other dwelling | 1.0% | 0.9% | +0.1 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 bedrooms | 28.4% | 34.8% | -6.4 |
| 3 bedrooms | 32.2% | 33.0% | -0.8 |
| 4 bedrooms | 19.1% | 11.3% | +7.8 |
| 1 bedroom | 11.6% | 11.5% | +0.2 |
| 5 or more | 6.4% | 5.0% | +1.3 |
| Studio / none | 0.7% | 2.0% | -1.2 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $200 | 24.4% | 34.5% | -10.1 |
| $350–$549 | 30.6% | 33.3% | -2.7 |
| $200–$349 | 20.9% | 17.2% | +3.7 |
| $550–$749 | 15.9% | 9.6% | +6.3 |
| $750 or more | 3.6% | 0.9% | +2.7 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 30.8% | 34.1% | -3.2 |
| $3,000 or more | 26.1% | 25.6% | +0.5 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 20.2% | 20.3% | -0.1 |
| Under $1,000 | 13.8% | 12.1% | +1.7 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 15.4% | 22.2% | 6.8 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |
| Work from home | 32.7% | 30.9% | 1.8 pts higher in Narwee | gap widening |
| PT commute | 5.5% | 7.0% | 1.5 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| PT stops | 30 | 82 | 52 more in Riverwood |  |
| Stops/1k | 5.54 | 6.41 | 0.87 more in Riverwood |  |
| Departures/1k | 1,321.9 | 1,604.4 | 282.5 more in Riverwood |  |
| PT routes | 7 | 9 | 2 more in Riverwood |  |
| Stop walk | 2 | 0 | 2 longer in Narwee |  |
| Drive to city | 19 | 19 |  |  |
| Reach 30 min | 39,974 | 67,161 | 27,187 more in Riverwood |  |
| Reach 45 min | 271,290 | 260,917 | 10,373 more in Narwee |  |
| Transit to city | 55 | 56 | 1 longer in Riverwood |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 36.5% | 33.0% | +3.5 |
| Worked at home | 32.7% | 30.9% | +1.8 |
| Train | 5.0% | 6.1% | -1.2 |
| Car (passenger) | 2.5% | 3.3% | -0.8 |
| Walked | 0.8% | 1.9% | -1.1 |
| Bus | 0.6% | 0.9% | -0.3 |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.2% | -0.2 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 vehicle | 43.0% | 44.1% | -1.1 |
| 2 vehicles | 28.5% | 24.3% | +4.2 |
| No vehicle | 15.4% | 22.2% | -6.8 |
| 3 vehicles | 9.0% | 6.4% | +2.5 |
| 4 or more | 4.1% | 3.1% | +0.9 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 34.9% | 37.6% | 2.7 pts higher in Riverwood | gap narrowing |
| Recent arrivals | 10.2% | 12.4% | 2.2 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 6.4% | 7.8% | 1.3 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Participation | 51.3% | 46.5% | 4.8 pts higher in Narwee | gap widening |
| Full-time | 54.5% | 51.7% | 2.8 pts higher in Narwee | gap widening |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 12.6% | 13.3% | -0.7 |
| Retail trade | 10.0% | 11.0% | -1.0 |
| Professional & technical | 8.7% | 9.0% | -0.3 |
| Transport & warehousing | 7.8% | 8.4% | -0.6 |
| Finance & insurance | 8.0% | 5.6% | +2.4 |
| Manufacturing | 7.5% | 6.2% | +1.3 |
| Accommodation & food | 6.1% | 6.9% | -0.8 |
| Education & training | 6.5% | 6.0% | +0.5 |
| Construction | 6.2% | 6.4% | -0.2 |
| Other services | 4.8% | 3.6% | +1.1 |
| Public administration & safety | 4.3% | 4.1% | +0.3 |
| Wholesale trade | 3.7% | 3.6% | +0.0 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Narwee % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 24.1% | 23.1% | +1.0 |
| Clerical & administrative | 15.8% | 14.8% | +1.0 |
| Technicians & trades | 12.0% | 11.7% | +0.3 |
| Managers | 11.4% | 8.8% | +2.6 |
| Community & personal service | 10.1% | 10.7% | -0.5 |
| Labourers | 8.8% | 9.9% | -1.1 |
| Sales workers | 8.7% | 9.7% | -1.0 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 6.8% | 8.8% | -2.0 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Narwee | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 7.6 | 7.5 | 0.1 higher in Narwee |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 7.4 | 7.4 |  |  |
| 15-min city | 100.0% | 97.8% | 2.2 pts higher in Narwee |  |
| Walk to shops | 100.0% | 88.6% | 11.4 pts higher in Narwee |  |
| Walk to transit | 100.0% | 99.5% | 0.5 pts higher in Narwee |  |
| Walk to school | 100.0% | 98.9% | 1.1 pts higher in Narwee |  |
| Walk to a park | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to health | 39.7% | 79.5% | 39.9 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Amenities/1k | 10.0 | 10.9 | 0.9 more in Riverwood |  |
| Intersections/km² | 280 | 285 | 5 higher in Riverwood |  |
| Mean slope | 4.6% | 4.9% | 0.3 pts higher in Riverwood |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL12921/narwee/vs/SAL13386/riverwood