# Padstow vs Riverwood — 2021 Census comparison

Suburb / Locality comparison · about 1.8 km apart

Padstow and Riverwood are neighbouring areas with different housing and income profiles. Padstow has far more separate houses (67.6%) and larger homes, with 79.3% having three or more bedrooms. It is also wealthier, with a typical weekly household income of $1,891 and more people earning $3,000 or more per week (25.5%). In contrast, Riverwood has far more flats or apartments and a higher share of renters (54.2%). It is more diverse, with 54.7% of people born overseas and 61.8% using a language other than English at home, compared to 39.3% and 46.1% in Padstow.

These two places share a very similar feel in many daily aspects. They have the same typical resident age of 40 and almost identical commute times to the city. Both are highly accessible, with nearly every home within a 10 minute walk of public transport. This shared layout is consistent across the two areas, even though Riverwood has a far higher share of people without a motor vehicle (22.2% compared to 9.6% in Padstow).

## Where they differ most

- Separate houses: 29.6 pts higher in Padstow
- 3+ bedrooms: 29.9 pts higher in Padstow
- Renting: 21.8 pts higher in Riverwood
- Other language: 15.7 pts higher in Riverwood
- Born overseas: 15.4 pts higher in Riverwood

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 14,017 | 12,793 | 1,224 larger in Padstow | gap narrowing |
| Median age | 40 yrs | 40 yrs |  | gap narrowing |
| First Nations | 1.3% | 0.8% | 0.5 pts higher in Padstow | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 16.9% | 19.2% | 2.3 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |
| Under 15 | 16.9% | 15.4% | 1.5 pts higher in Padstow | gap steady |
| De facto | 7.1% | 6.0% | 1.1 pts higher in Padstow | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 26.9% | 28.7% | -1.7 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 26.9% | 25.0% | +1.9 |
| Seniors (65+) | 16.9% | 19.2% | -2.3 |
| Children (0–14) | 16.9% | 15.4% | +1.5 |
| Youth (15–24) | 12.3% | 11.6% | +0.8 |

### Marital status

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 49.5% | 45.0% | +4.6 |
| Never married | 33.3% | 34.4% | -1.1 |
| Divorced | 8.4% | 11.1% | -2.6 |
| Widowed | 5.2% | 5.8% | -0.5 |
| Separated | 3.5% | 3.8% | -0.3 |

### Age profile

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

| Age band | Padstow male | Padstow female | Riverwood male | Riverwood female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 3.0% | 2.7% | 2.6% | 2.4% |
| 5–9 | 3.0% | 2.9% | 2.8% | 2.4% |
| 10–14 | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.8% | 2.4% |
| 15–19 | 3.3% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 2.4% |
| 20–24 | 3.3% | 3.1% | 3.6% | 3.1% |
| 25–29 | 3.1% | 3.2% | 4.1% | 3.5% |
| 30–34 | 3.4% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| 35–39 | 3.6% | 3.7% | 3.8% | 3.8% |
| 40–44 | 3.2% | 3.3% | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| 45–49 | 3.0% | 3.3% | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| 50–54 | 3.0% | 3.7% | 2.8% | 3.3% |
| 55–59 | 3.5% | 3.7% | 3.2% | 3.5% |
| 60–64 | 3.5% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| 65–69 | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2.7% | 3.0% |
| 70–74 | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.2% | 2.4% |
| 75–79 | 1.4% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| 80–84 | 0.8% | 1.3% | 1.4% | 1.5% |
| 85+ | 1.1% | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1.4% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 39.3% | 54.7% | 15.4 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 56.3% | 38.8% | +17.4 |
| China | 7.3% | 18.3% | -11.0 |
| Vietnam | 4.5% | 2.8% | +1.7 |
| Philippines | 1.6% | 3.0% | -1.4 |
| New Zealand | 1.7% | 2.0% | -0.3 |
| Nepal | 0.8% | 1.8% | -1.1 |
| India | 1.8% | 1.5% | +0.4 |
| England | 1.1% | 0.6% | +0.5 |
| Italy | 0.6% | 0.6% | +0.0 |
| South Africa | 0.3% | 0.1% | +0.1 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Chinese | 17.4% | 32.4% | -15.0 |
| Australian | 18.4% | 10.8% | +7.6 |
| English | 17.0% | 10.5% | +6.5 |
| Irish | 5.8% | 3.1% | +2.7 |
| Vietnamese | 5.4% | 3.2% | +2.1 |
| Greek | 5.3% | 3.0% | +2.3 |
| Scottish | 4.2% | 2.3% | +1.9 |
| Filipino | 2.2% | 3.9% | -1.7 |
| Italian | 3.6% | 2.6% | +1.0 |
| Indian | 2.5% | 2.2% | +0.4 |
| German | 1.5% | 1.0% | +0.5 |
| Dutch | 0.4% | 0.3% | +0.2 |

## Language

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 46.1% | 61.8% | 15.7 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Limited English | 8.9% | 19.1% | 10.1 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 49.2% | 31.3% | +17.9 |
| Mandarin | 6.5% | 14.8% | -8.3 |
| Cantonese | 7.0% | 13.0% | -6.0 |
| Arabic | 7.8% | 7.5% | +0.3 |
| Vietnamese | 5.5% | 2.9% | +2.5 |
| Greek | 3.3% | 2.1% | +1.2 |
| Tagalog | 0.9% | 1.6% | -0.7 |
| Hindi | 0.9% | 0.9% | +0.0 |
| Italian | 0.7% | 0.8% | -0.1 |
| Punjabi | 0.6% | 0.3% | +0.3 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 25.4% | 30.6% | 5.2 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 50.6% | 40.1% | +10.5 |
| No religion | 25.4% | 30.6% | -5.2 |
| Islam | 8.9% | 10.7% | -1.8 |
| Not stated | 6.0% | 7.8% | -1.8 |
| Buddhism | 5.8% | 7.0% | -1.2 |
| Hinduism | 2.3% | 3.1% | -0.9 |
| Other religions | 0.9% | 0.6% | +0.3 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.1% | -0.1 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 63.4% | 61.3% | 2.1 pts higher in Padstow | gap steady |
| Bachelor+ | 26.2% | 24.7% | 1.5 pts higher in Padstow | gap steady |
| Schools/1k kids | 1.69 | 2.03 | 0.35 more in Riverwood |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 57 | 63 | 6 more in Riverwood |  |
| Avg size | 475 | 480 | 4 larger in Riverwood |  |
| ICSEA | 1,022 | 1,026 | 4 higher in Riverwood |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 63.4% | 61.3% | +2.1 |
| Year 10 | 17.5% | 13.0% | +4.5 |
| Year 9 or below | 10.0% | 13.6% | -3.6 |
| Year 11 | 3.6% | 3.7% | -0.1 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor degree | 30.9% | 30.7% | +0.2 |
| Certificate III / IV | 21.6% | 16.4% | +5.2 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 16.1% | 15.9% | +0.2 |
| Postgraduate degree | 10.1% | 11.3% | -1.2 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 3.0% | 2.4% | +0.6 |
| Certificate I / II | 1.6% | 1.8% | -0.2 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 25.3% | 24.5% | +0.8 |
| Engineering & related | 13.4% | 12.2% | +1.2 |
| Society & culture | 10.9% | 9.3% | +1.5 |
| Education | 7.6% | 5.3% | +2.3 |
| Health | 7.3% | 7.3% | +0.0 |
| Information technology | 5.6% | 6.4% | -0.8 |
| Architecture & building | 5.1% | 3.8% | +1.3 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 4.5% | 4.4% | +0.1 |
| Creative arts | 3.6% | 3.9% | -0.3 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 2.9% | 2.7% | +0.3 |
| Agriculture & environment | 1.1% | 0.7% | +0.4 |

## Income

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $743 | $564 | $179 higher in Padstow | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,891 | $1,210 | $681 higher in Padstow | gap widening |
| Family income | $2,210 | $1,563 | $647 higher in Padstow | gap widening |
| High earners | 10.7% | 5.5% | 5.2 pts higher in Padstow | gap widening |
| High-income homes | 25.5% | 14.3% | 11.2 pts higher in Padstow | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 30.2% | 25.5% | +4.7 |
| Under $650 | 16.5% | 27.5% | -11.1 |
| $650–$1,499 | 22.7% | 26.1% | -3.5 |
| $4,000 or more | 14.1% | 6.4% | +7.7 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 11.4% | 7.9% | +3.5 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 43.0% | 50.0% | -7.0 |
| $650–$1,499 | 30.3% | 29.2% | +1.2 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 17.8% | 11.4% | +6.4 |
| $3,000 or more | 3.2% | 1.4% | +1.9 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 24.4% | 24.7% | 0.3 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Mental health | 6.0% | 6.3% | 0.3 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Needs assistance | 6.4% | 8.4% | 2.0 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other condition | 7.4% | 7.9% | -0.6 |
| Arthritis | 7.6% | 7.4% | +0.2 |
| Diabetes | 5.3% | 7.0% | -1.7 |
| Asthma | 6.4% | 6.0% | +0.5 |
| Mental health | 6.0% | 6.3% | -0.3 |
| Heart disease | 3.7% | 3.9% | -0.2 |
| Cancer | 2.6% | 2.6% | +0.0 |
| Lung condition | 1.4% | 1.6% | -0.2 |
| Stroke | 1.0% | 1.0% | 0.0 |
| Dementia | 0.6% | 0.8% | -0.2 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 68.8% | 66.3% | +2.5 |
| One condition | 17.0% | 16.1% | +0.9 |
| Two conditions | 4.8% | 5.6% | -0.8 |
| Three or more | 2.6% | 3.0% | -0.4 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 9.6% | 7.1% | 2.4 pts higher in Padstow | gap steady |
| Unpaid carers | 11.5% | 10.0% | 1.5 pts higher in Padstow | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 23.3% | 19.7% | 3.6 pts higher in Padstow | gap steady |
| Defence service | 1.4% | 0.8% | 0.7 pts higher in Padstow |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 21.5% | 17.8% | 3.7 pts higher in Padstow | gap steady |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 184 | 102 | 82 larger in Padstow |  |
| Median age | 29 yrs | 35 yrs | 6 yrs older in Riverwood |  |
| Year 12 | 40.8% | 39.7% | 1.1 pts higher in Padstow |  |
| Unemployment | 12.1% | 7.5% | 4.6 pts higher in Padstow |  |
| Median income | $627 | $564 | $63 higher in Padstow |  |
| Household income | $2,194 | $1,016 | $1,178 higher in Padstow |  |
| Indigenous language | 6.5% | 7.8% | 1.3 pts higher in Riverwood |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.8 | 2.5 | 0.3 larger in Padstow | gap widening |
| One-parent | 14.8% | 19.6% | 4.8 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Living alone | 21.1% | 30.2% | 9.1 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |

### Family composition

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 63.1% | 55.3% | +7.8 |
| Couples without children | 20.7% | 23.3% | -2.6 |
| One-parent families | 14.8% | 19.6% | -4.8 |
| Other families | 1.4% | 1.7% | -0.3 |

### Household size

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 person | 21.1% | 30.2% | -9.1 |
| 2 people | 28.8% | 29.3% | -0.5 |
| 4 people | 18.9% | 13.1% | +5.8 |
| 3 people | 18.2% | 16.9% | +1.3 |
| 5 people | 8.0% | 6.0% | +1.9 |
| 6 or more | 5.0% | 4.6% | +0.4 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $470 | $300 | $170 higher in Padstow | gap steady |
| Mortgage | $2,400 | $2,167 | $233 higher in Padstow | gap widening |
| People / bedroom | 0.90 | 1.00 | 0.10 higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Renting | 32.4% | 54.2% | 21.8 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Owned outright | 32.1% | 19.1% | 13.0 pts higher in Padstow | gap steady |
| Separate houses | 67.6% | 38.0% | 29.6 pts higher in Padstow | gap widening |
| 3+ bedrooms | 79.3% | 49.4% | 29.9 pts higher in Padstow | gap widening |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rented | 32.4% | 54.2% | -21.8 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 32.7% | 23.1% | +9.6 |
| Owned outright | 32.1% | 19.1% | +13.0 |
| Not stated | 1.3% | 2.1% | -0.8 |
| Other tenure | 1.4% | 1.4% | 0.0 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 67.6% | 38.0% | +29.6 |
| Flat or apartment | 6.1% | 47.8% | -41.7 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 26.0% | 13.1% | +12.9 |
| Other dwelling | 0.2% | 0.9% | -0.8 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 40.1% | 33.0% | +7.1 |
| 2 bedrooms | 14.2% | 34.8% | -20.6 |
| 4 bedrooms | 30.0% | 11.3% | +18.6 |
| 1 bedroom | 4.9% | 11.5% | -6.6 |
| 5 or more | 9.3% | 5.0% | +4.2 |
| Studio / none | 0.3% | 2.0% | -1.6 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $350–$549 | 36.6% | 33.3% | +3.4 |
| Under $200 | 18.2% | 34.5% | -16.4 |
| $550–$749 | 25.6% | 9.6% | +16.1 |
| $200–$349 | 9.2% | 17.2% | -8.1 |
| $750 or more | 5.5% | 0.9% | +4.6 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 31.7% | 34.1% | -2.4 |
| $3,000 or more | 33.5% | 25.6% | +7.8 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 16.4% | 20.3% | -3.9 |
| Under $1,000 | 11.8% | 12.1% | -0.4 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 9.6% | 22.2% | 12.6 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Work from home | 38.1% | 30.9% | 7.2 pts higher in Padstow | gap widening |
| PT commute | 3.8% | 7.0% | 3.3 pts higher in Riverwood | gap narrowing |
| PT stops | 72 | 82 | 10 more in Riverwood |  |
| Stops/1k | 5.14 | 6.41 | 1.27 more in Riverwood |  |
| Departures/1k | 2,010.8 | 1,604.4 | 406.5 more in Padstow |  |
| PT routes | 11 | 9 | 2 more in Padstow |  |
| Stop walk | 4 | 0 | 4 longer in Padstow |  |
| Drive to city | 20 | 19 | 1 longer in Padstow |  |
| Reach 30 min | 57,024 | 67,161 | 10,137 more in Riverwood |  |
| Reach 45 min | 239,419 | 260,917 | 21,498 more in Riverwood |  |
| Transit to city | 58 | 56 | 2 longer in Padstow |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Worked at home | 38.1% | 30.9% | +7.2 |
| Car (driver) | 32.8% | 33.0% | -0.2 |
| Train | 3.2% | 6.1% | -2.9 |
| Car (passenger) | 2.6% | 3.3% | -0.7 |
| Walked | 1.1% | 1.9% | -0.7 |
| Bus | 0.6% | 0.9% | -0.3 |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.2% | -0.1 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 vehicle | 37.5% | 44.1% | -6.5 |
| 2 vehicles | 35.4% | 24.3% | +11.1 |
| No vehicle | 9.6% | 22.2% | -12.6 |
| 3 vehicles | 12.0% | 6.4% | +5.6 |
| 4 or more | 5.3% | 3.1% | +2.1 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 32.8% | 37.6% | 4.8 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 7.1% | 12.4% | 5.2 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 4.9% | 7.8% | 2.8 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Participation | 55.4% | 46.5% | 8.9 pts higher in Padstow | gap narrowing |
| Full-time | 55.0% | 51.7% | 3.3 pts higher in Padstow | gap widening |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 12.2% | 13.3% | -1.1 |
| Retail trade | 9.1% | 11.0% | -2.0 |
| Education & training | 9.1% | 6.0% | +3.1 |
| Professional & technical | 8.1% | 9.0% | -0.9 |
| Transport & warehousing | 7.9% | 8.4% | -0.5 |
| Construction | 7.7% | 6.4% | +1.3 |
| Finance & insurance | 7.2% | 5.6% | +1.6 |
| Accommodation & food | 5.1% | 6.9% | -1.8 |
| Manufacturing | 6.9% | 6.2% | +0.7 |
| Public administration & safety | 6.6% | 4.1% | +2.5 |
| Wholesale trade | 3.0% | 3.6% | -0.6 |
| Other services | 3.5% | 3.6% | -0.1 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Padstow % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 25.0% | 23.1% | +1.9 |
| Clerical & administrative | 17.3% | 14.8% | +2.5 |
| Managers | 12.3% | 8.8% | +3.5 |
| Technicians & trades | 11.3% | 11.7% | -0.4 |
| Community & personal service | 9.8% | 10.7% | -0.9 |
| Labourers | 7.5% | 9.9% | -2.3 |
| Sales workers | 7.9% | 9.7% | -1.8 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 7.1% | 8.8% | -1.7 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Padstow | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 7.6 | 7.5 | 0.1 higher in Padstow |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 7.5 | 7.4 | 0.1 more in Padstow |  |
| 15-min city | 98.9% | 97.8% | 1.1 pts higher in Padstow |  |
| Walk to shops | 85.9% | 88.6% | 2.7 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Walk to transit | 100.0% | 99.5% | 0.5 pts higher in Padstow |  |
| Walk to school | 96.6% | 98.9% | 2.3 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Walk to a park | 99.8% | 100.0% | 0.2 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Walk to health | 78.9% | 79.5% | 0.6 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Amenities/1k | 12.7 | 10.9 | 1.8 more in Padstow |  |
| Intersections/km² | 203 | 285 | 83 higher in Riverwood |  |
| Mean slope | 5.0% | 4.9% | 0.2 pts higher in Padstow |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL13131/padstow/vs/SAL13386/riverwood