# Peakhurst vs Riverwood — 2021 Census comparison

Suburb / Locality comparison · about 1.7 km apart

Riverwood and Peakhurst are neighbouring areas in New South Wales with similar population sizes, but they differ in their housing and diversity. Riverwood is far more multicultural, with 54.7% of people born overseas and 61.8% using a language other than English at home. It is also a more transient area where 54.2% of homes are rented and 22.2% of households have no motor vehicle. In contrast, Peakhurst has a higher share of separate houses (56.7%) and more families in larger homes, with 71% of dwellings having three or more bedrooms. Typical weekly household income is also well higher in Peakhurst at $1,835, compared to $1,210 in Riverwood.

Both areas share a very similar level of education, with about a quarter of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. They also provide nearly identical access to basics, as almost every home in both places is within a 15-minute walk of a school and a park. While Riverwood has far more people who speak little or no English, both areas are well above the national figure for this measure.

## Where they differ most

- Renting: 26.6 pts higher in Riverwood
- Other language: 23.0 pts higher in Riverwood
- Born overseas: 22.6 pts higher in Riverwood
- 3+ bedrooms: 21.7 pts higher in Peakhurst
- Separate houses: 18.7 pts higher in Peakhurst

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 12,079 | 12,793 | 714 larger in Riverwood | gap widening |
| Median age | 41 yrs | 40 yrs | 1 yrs older in Peakhurst | gap steady |
| First Nations | 1.3% | 0.8% | 0.5 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 20.9% | 19.2% | 1.6 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap narrowing |
| Under 15 | 18.1% | 15.4% | 2.8 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap steady |
| De facto | 6.9% | 6.0% | 0.9 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 25.1% | 28.7% | -3.6 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 24.2% | 25.0% | -0.8 |
| Seniors (65+) | 20.9% | 19.2% | +1.6 |
| Children (0–14) | 18.1% | 15.4% | +2.8 |
| Youth (15–24) | 11.6% | 11.6% | 0.0 |

### Marital status

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 49.7% | 45.0% | +4.7 |
| Never married | 30.5% | 34.4% | -3.9 |
| Divorced | 9.0% | 11.1% | -2.1 |
| Widowed | 8.0% | 5.8% | +2.2 |
| Separated | 2.9% | 3.8% | -0.9 |

### Age profile

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

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

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 32.1% | 54.7% | 22.6 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 63.5% | 38.8% | +24.7 |
| China | 7.1% | 18.3% | -11.2 |
| Philippines | 1.1% | 3.0% | -1.9 |
| Vietnam | 0.7% | 2.8% | -2.1 |
| New Zealand | 1.5% | 2.0% | -0.5 |
| Nepal | 0.6% | 1.8% | -1.2 |
| England | 1.6% | 0.6% | +1.0 |
| India | 0.8% | 1.5% | -0.6 |
| Italy | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.0 |
| South Africa | 0.4% | 0.1% | +0.2 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Chinese | 15.5% | 32.4% | -16.8 |
| Australian | 21.6% | 10.8% | +10.8 |
| English | 19.9% | 10.5% | +9.4 |
| Greek | 7.4% | 3.0% | +4.4 |
| Irish | 6.9% | 3.1% | +3.8 |
| Scottish | 5.0% | 2.3% | +2.7 |
| Italian | 4.4% | 2.6% | +1.7 |
| Filipino | 1.6% | 3.9% | -2.3 |
| Vietnamese | 1.1% | 3.2% | -2.2 |
| Indian | 1.7% | 2.2% | -0.5 |
| German | 1.5% | 1.0% | +0.5 |
| Dutch | 0.5% | 0.3% | +0.3 |

## Language

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 38.8% | 61.8% | 23.0 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Limited English | 6.0% | 19.1% | 13.1 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 55.0% | 31.3% | +23.7 |
| Mandarin | 6.8% | 14.8% | -8.0 |
| Cantonese | 5.8% | 13.0% | -7.2 |
| Arabic | 5.9% | 7.5% | -1.6 |
| Greek | 5.1% | 2.1% | +3.0 |
| Vietnamese | 0.8% | 2.9% | -2.1 |
| Tagalog | 0.4% | 1.6% | -1.2 |
| Hindi | 0.5% | 0.9% | -0.4 |
| Italian | 0.9% | 0.8% | +0.1 |
| Punjabi | 0.1% | 0.3% | -0.2 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 23.9% | 30.6% | 6.7 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 57.9% | 40.1% | +17.8 |
| No religion | 23.9% | 30.6% | -6.7 |
| Islam | 6.1% | 10.7% | -4.5 |
| Not stated | 7.2% | 7.8% | -0.7 |
| Buddhism | 2.7% | 7.0% | -4.3 |
| Hinduism | 1.9% | 3.1% | -1.2 |
| Other religions | 0.3% | 0.6% | -0.3 |
| Judaism | 0.1% | 0.1% | +0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 60.9% | 61.3% | 0.3 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Bachelor+ | 25.6% | 24.7% | 0.9 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap steady |
| Schools/1k kids | 1.37 | 2.03 | 0.66 more in Riverwood |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 49 | 63 | 14 more in Riverwood |  |
| Avg size | 404 | 480 | 75 larger in Riverwood |  |
| ICSEA | 1,049 | 1,026 | 23 higher in Peakhurst |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 60.9% | 61.3% | -0.3 |
| Year 10 | 17.7% | 13.0% | +4.7 |
| Year 9 or below | 9.4% | 13.6% | -4.2 |
| Year 11 | 4.0% | 3.7% | +0.3 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor degree | 29.0% | 30.7% | -1.7 |
| Certificate III / IV | 21.9% | 16.4% | +5.5 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 15.3% | 15.9% | -0.6 |
| Postgraduate degree | 8.6% | 11.3% | -2.6 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 2.8% | 2.4% | +0.4 |
| Certificate I / II | 1.6% | 1.8% | -0.2 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 22.7% | 24.5% | -1.7 |
| Engineering & related | 13.3% | 12.2% | +1.1 |
| Society & culture | 11.2% | 9.3% | +1.8 |
| Health | 7.8% | 7.3% | +0.5 |
| Education | 7.5% | 5.3% | +2.2 |
| Information technology | 3.8% | 6.4% | -2.6 |
| Architecture & building | 5.0% | 3.8% | +1.2 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 4.6% | 4.4% | +0.2 |
| Creative arts | 3.8% | 3.9% | -0.1 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 2.4% | 2.7% | -0.2 |
| Agriculture & environment | 0.8% | 0.7% | +0.1 |

## Income

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $777 | $564 | $213 higher in Peakhurst | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,835 | $1,210 | $625 higher in Peakhurst | gap widening |
| Family income | $2,269 | $1,563 | $706 higher in Peakhurst | gap widening |
| High earners | 11.4% | 5.5% | 5.9 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap widening |
| High-income homes | 25.7% | 14.3% | 11.5 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 27.8% | 25.5% | +2.3 |
| Under $650 | 17.2% | 27.5% | -10.3 |
| $650–$1,499 | 23.4% | 26.1% | -2.7 |
| $4,000 or more | 13.8% | 6.4% | +7.4 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 11.9% | 7.9% | +4.1 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 40.0% | 50.0% | -10.0 |
| $650–$1,499 | 28.9% | 29.2% | -0.3 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 18.0% | 11.4% | +6.6 |
| $3,000 or more | 3.8% | 1.4% | +2.4 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 26.4% | 24.7% | 1.7 pts higher in Peakhurst |  |
| Mental health | 7.0% | 6.3% | 0.6 pts higher in Peakhurst |  |
| Needs assistance | 7.3% | 8.4% | 1.1 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other condition | 8.8% | 7.9% | +0.9 |
| Arthritis | 8.5% | 7.4% | +1.1 |
| Diabetes | 5.0% | 7.0% | -2.0 |
| Mental health | 7.0% | 6.3% | +0.6 |
| Asthma | 6.8% | 6.0% | +0.8 |
| Heart disease | 4.5% | 3.9% | +0.6 |
| Cancer | 3.3% | 2.6% | +0.7 |
| Dementia | 2.2% | 0.8% | +1.4 |
| Lung condition | 1.7% | 1.6% | +0.2 |
| Stroke | 1.1% | 1.0% | +0.0 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 66.2% | 66.3% | -0.2 |
| One condition | 16.9% | 16.1% | +0.7 |
| Two conditions | 6.2% | 5.6% | +0.6 |
| Three or more | 3.4% | 3.0% | +0.4 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 10.6% | 7.1% | 3.4 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap steady |
| Unpaid carers | 11.8% | 10.0% | 1.8 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 25.5% | 19.7% | 5.7 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap steady |
| Defence service | 2.0% | 0.8% | 1.2 pts higher in Peakhurst |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 21.8% | 17.8% | 4.0 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap steady |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 155 | 102 | 53 larger in Peakhurst |  |
| Median age | 25 yrs | 35 yrs | 10 yrs older in Riverwood |  |
| Year 12 | 45.8% | 39.7% | 6.1 pts higher in Peakhurst |  |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 7.5% | 2.7 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Median income | $493 | $564 | $71 higher in Riverwood |  |
| Household income | $2,023 | $1,016 | $1,007 higher in Peakhurst |  |
| Indigenous language | 6.5% | 7.8% | 1.4 pts higher in Riverwood |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.7 | 2.5 | 0.2 larger in Peakhurst | gap steady |
| One-parent | 14.1% | 19.6% | 5.6 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Living alone | 24.9% | 30.2% | 5.3 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

### Family composition

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 64.5% | 55.3% | +9.2 |
| Couples without children | 20.5% | 23.3% | -2.8 |
| One-parent families | 14.1% | 19.6% | -5.6 |
| Other families | 0.9% | 1.7% | -0.7 |

### Household size

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 person | 24.9% | 30.2% | -5.3 |
| 2 people | 27.7% | 29.3% | -1.6 |
| 4 people | 18.0% | 13.1% | +4.9 |
| 3 people | 17.3% | 16.9% | +0.4 |
| 5 people | 7.7% | 6.0% | +1.7 |
| 6 or more | 4.4% | 4.6% | -0.2 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $440 | $300 | $140 higher in Peakhurst | gap steady |
| Mortgage | $2,500 | $2,167 | $333 higher in Peakhurst | gap narrowing |
| People / bedroom | 0.90 | 1.00 | 0.10 higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Renting | 27.6% | 54.2% | 26.6 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |
| Owned outright | 32.1% | 19.1% | 13.0 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap narrowing |
| Separate houses | 56.7% | 38.0% | 18.7 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap narrowing |
| 3+ bedrooms | 71.0% | 49.4% | 21.7 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap steady |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rented | 27.6% | 54.2% | -26.6 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 36.9% | 23.1% | +13.8 |
| Owned outright | 32.1% | 19.1% | +13.0 |
| Not stated | 1.4% | 2.1% | -0.8 |
| Other tenure | 2.1% | 1.4% | +0.6 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 56.7% | 38.0% | +18.7 |
| Flat or apartment | 18.5% | 47.8% | -29.3 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 24.1% | 13.1% | +11.0 |
| Other dwelling | 0.4% | 0.9% | -0.5 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 36.0% | 33.0% | +3.0 |
| 2 bedrooms | 19.5% | 34.8% | -15.4 |
| 4 bedrooms | 25.5% | 11.3% | +14.2 |
| 1 bedroom | 7.4% | 11.5% | -4.1 |
| 5 or more | 9.5% | 5.0% | +4.4 |
| Studio / none | 1.1% | 2.0% | -0.8 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $200 | 23.8% | 34.5% | -10.7 |
| $350–$549 | 34.5% | 33.3% | +1.2 |
| $550–$749 | 20.4% | 9.6% | +10.8 |
| $200–$349 | 12.8% | 17.2% | -4.5 |
| $750 or more | 5.2% | 0.9% | +4.2 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 34.5% | 34.1% | +0.4 |
| $3,000 or more | 34.1% | 25.6% | +8.4 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 14.8% | 20.3% | -5.5 |
| Under $1,000 | 8.8% | 12.1% | -3.3 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 9.2% | 22.2% | 13.1 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Work from home | 37.8% | 30.9% | 6.9 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap widening |
| PT commute | 2.6% | 7.0% | 4.4 pts higher in Riverwood | gap narrowing |
| PT stops | 82 | 82 |  |  |
| Stops/1k | 6.79 | 6.41 | 0.38 more in Peakhurst |  |
| Departures/1k | 1,715.6 | 1,604.4 | 111.2 more in Peakhurst |  |
| PT routes | 6 | 9 | 3 more in Riverwood |  |
| Stop walk | 3 | 0 | 3 longer in Peakhurst |  |
| Drive to city | 22 | 19 | 3 longer in Peakhurst |  |
| Reach 30 min | 58,554 | 67,161 | 8,607 more in Riverwood |  |
| Reach 45 min | 136,001 | 260,917 | 124,916 more in Riverwood |  |
| Transit to city | 65 | 56 | 9 longer in Peakhurst |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Worked at home | 37.8% | 30.9% | +6.9 |
| Car (driver) | 35.3% | 33.0% | +2.3 |
| Train | 2.3% | 6.1% | -3.8 |
| Car (passenger) | 2.8% | 3.3% | -0.5 |
| Walked | 0.9% | 1.9% | -1.0 |
| Bus | 0.3% | 0.9% | -0.6 |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.0 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 vehicle | 37.9% | 44.1% | -6.2 |
| 2 vehicles | 35.0% | 24.3% | +10.8 |
| No vehicle | 9.2% | 22.2% | -13.1 |
| 3 vehicles | 12.4% | 6.4% | +6.0 |
| 4 or more | 5.5% | 3.1% | +2.4 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 34.2% | 37.6% | 3.4 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 5.6% | 12.4% | 6.7 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 4.3% | 7.8% | 3.4 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Participation | 54.3% | 46.5% | 7.9 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap steady |
| Full-time | 55.5% | 51.7% | 3.8 pts higher in Peakhurst | gap widening |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 12.7% | 13.3% | -0.7 |
| Retail trade | 9.2% | 11.0% | -1.8 |
| Construction | 9.2% | 6.4% | +2.9 |
| Education & training | 9.1% | 6.0% | +3.1 |
| Professional & technical | 8.9% | 9.0% | -0.1 |
| Transport & warehousing | 6.6% | 8.4% | -1.8 |
| Finance & insurance | 7.3% | 5.6% | +1.7 |
| Accommodation & food | 4.6% | 6.9% | -2.4 |
| Public administration & safety | 6.3% | 4.1% | +2.2 |
| Manufacturing | 5.0% | 6.2% | -1.2 |
| Other services | 4.0% | 3.6% | +0.3 |
| Wholesale trade | 3.9% | 3.6% | +0.2 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Peakhurst % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 26.1% | 23.1% | +3.1 |
| Clerical & administrative | 17.5% | 14.8% | +2.8 |
| Managers | 14.4% | 8.8% | +5.6 |
| Technicians & trades | 11.9% | 11.7% | +0.2 |
| Community & personal service | 9.6% | 10.7% | -1.1 |
| Labourers | 5.7% | 9.9% | -4.2 |
| Sales workers | 7.7% | 9.7% | -1.9 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 5.1% | 8.8% | -3.7 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Peakhurst | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 6.8 | 7.5 | 0.6 higher in Riverwood |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 6.7 | 7.4 | 0.7 more in Riverwood |  |
| 15-min city | 94.4% | 97.8% | 3.4 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Walk to shops | 87.0% | 88.6% | 1.6 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Walk to transit | 99.9% | 99.5% | 0.4 pts higher in Peakhurst |  |
| Walk to school | 99.9% | 98.9% | 1.0 pts higher in Peakhurst |  |
| Walk to a park | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to health | 35.2% | 79.5% | 44.3 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Amenities/1k | 9.6 | 10.9 | 1.3 more in Riverwood |  |
| Intersections/km² | 186 | 285 | 99 higher in Riverwood |  |
| Mean slope | 5.9% | 4.9% | 1.1 pts higher in Peakhurst |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL13179/peakhurst/vs/SAL13386/riverwood