# Punchbowl vs Riverwood — 2021 Census comparison

Suburb / Locality comparison · about 1.8 km apart

Punchbowl and Riverwood are neighbouring areas in Greater Sydney with distinct profiles. Punchbowl is a younger area where the typical resident is 33, and homes tend to be larger, with 62.9% having three or more bedrooms. In contrast, Riverwood is older, with a typical age of 40, and is dominated by apartments and renters, who make up 54.2% of households. Religious and cultural patterns also differ sharply; for example, those with no religion are far more common in Riverwood (30.6%) than in Punchbowl (9.3%).

Both areas sit near the national figure for the share of households earning $3,000 or more a week. This shared economic standing exists alongside a strong commonality in their diverse populations, as both have a very high share of residents born overseas. While they share similar typical family incomes, they differ in their housing markets, with typical weekly rents being well higher in Punchbowl ($380) than in Riverwood ($300).

## Where they differ most

- No religion: 21.3 pts higher in Riverwood
- Separate houses: 18.8 pts higher in Punchbowl
- Renting: 15.2 pts higher in Riverwood
- 3+ bedrooms: 13.6 pts higher in Punchbowl
- Median age: 7 yrs older in Riverwood

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 21,384 | 12,793 | 8,591 larger in Punchbowl | gap steady |
| Median age | 33 yrs | 40 yrs | 7 yrs older in Riverwood | gap steady |
| First Nations | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.3 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 12.8% | 19.2% | 6.4 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Under 15 | 21.3% | 15.4% | 5.9 pts higher in Punchbowl | gap steady |
| De facto | 3.3% | 6.0% | 2.7 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 28.7% | 28.7% | +0.0 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 22.3% | 25.0% | -2.8 |
| Children (0–14) | 21.3% | 15.4% | +5.9 |
| Seniors (65+) | 12.8% | 19.2% | -6.4 |
| Youth (15–24) | 14.9% | 11.6% | +3.4 |

### Marital status

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 48.4% | 45.0% | +3.4 |
| Never married | 35.5% | 34.4% | +1.1 |
| Divorced | 7.5% | 11.1% | -3.5 |
| Widowed | 4.5% | 5.8% | -1.3 |
| Separated | 4.2% | 3.8% | +0.3 |

### Age profile

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

| Age band | Punchbowl male | Punchbowl female | Riverwood male | Riverwood female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 3.7% | 3.2% | 2.6% | 2.4% |
| 5–9 | 3.7% | 3.5% | 2.8% | 2.4% |
| 10–14 | 3.9% | 3.3% | 2.8% | 2.4% |
| 15–19 | 3.6% | 3.4% | 2.5% | 2.4% |
| 20–24 | 4.2% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.1% |
| 25–29 | 4.6% | 3.9% | 4.1% | 3.5% |
| 30–34 | 3.8% | 3.4% | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| 35–39 | 3.5% | 3.3% | 3.8% | 3.8% |
| 40–44 | 3.1% | 3.1% | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| 45–49 | 2.7% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| 50–54 | 2.8% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.3% |
| 55–59 | 2.8% | 2.8% | 3.2% | 3.5% |
| 60–64 | 2.6% | 2.7% | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| 65–69 | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.7% | 3.0% |
| 70–74 | 1.6% | 1.5% | 2.2% | 2.4% |
| 75–79 | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| 80–84 | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.4% | 1.5% |
| 85+ | 0.7% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 1.4% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 47.9% | 54.7% | 6.7 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 45.0% | 38.8% | +6.2 |
| China | 2.8% | 18.3% | -15.5 |
| Vietnam | 5.4% | 2.8% | +2.6 |
| Philippines | 0.9% | 3.0% | -2.1 |
| New Zealand | 0.9% | 2.0% | -1.1 |
| Nepal | 0.6% | 1.8% | -1.3 |
| India | 1.5% | 1.5% | +0.1 |
| England | 0.2% | 0.6% | -0.4 |
| Italy | 0.6% | 0.6% | +0.0 |
| South Africa | 0.1% | 0.1% | +0.0 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Chinese | 6.8% | 32.4% | -25.6 |
| Australian | 12.0% | 10.8% | +1.2 |
| English | 6.7% | 10.5% | -3.8 |
| Vietnamese | 6.8% | 3.2% | +3.5 |
| Greek | 4.3% | 3.0% | +1.3 |
| Filipino | 1.4% | 3.9% | -2.5 |
| Irish | 1.0% | 3.1% | -2.1 |
| Italian | 1.9% | 2.6% | -0.8 |
| Indian | 2.3% | 2.2% | +0.2 |
| Scottish | 0.9% | 2.3% | -1.4 |
| German | 0.5% | 1.0% | -0.5 |
| Dutch | 0.1% | 0.3% | -0.2 |

## Language

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 70.0% | 61.8% | 8.2 pts higher in Punchbowl | gap narrowing |
| Limited English | 15.0% | 19.1% | 4.1 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Arabic | 33.7% | 7.5% | +26.2 |
| English only | 22.3% | 31.3% | -9.0 |
| Mandarin | 2.4% | 14.8% | -12.4 |
| Cantonese | 2.7% | 13.0% | -10.3 |
| Vietnamese | 6.9% | 2.9% | +4.0 |
| Greek | 3.4% | 2.1% | +1.4 |
| Tagalog | 0.5% | 1.6% | -1.0 |
| Hindi | 0.7% | 0.9% | -0.1 |
| Italian | 0.7% | 0.8% | -0.1 |
| Punjabi | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 9.3% | 30.6% | 21.3 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 37.4% | 40.1% | -2.7 |
| Islam | 38.4% | 10.7% | +27.7 |
| No religion | 9.3% | 30.6% | -21.3 |
| Not stated | 8.5% | 7.8% | +0.7 |
| Buddhism | 5.0% | 7.0% | -2.0 |
| Hinduism | 1.2% | 3.1% | -1.9 |
| Other religions | 0.3% | 0.6% | -0.4 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.1% | -0.1 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 59.5% | 61.3% | 1.7 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Bachelor+ | 18.7% | 24.7% | 6.0 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Schools/1k kids | 0.88 | 2.03 | 1.15 more in Riverwood |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 69 | 63 | 6 more in Punchbowl |  |
| Avg size | 495 | 480 | 16 larger in Punchbowl |  |
| ICSEA | 1,017 | 1,026 | 9 higher in Riverwood |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 59.5% | 61.3% | -1.7 |
| Year 9 or below | 15.0% | 13.6% | +1.5 |
| Year 10 | 13.4% | 13.0% | +0.5 |
| Year 11 | 3.3% | 3.7% | -0.4 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor degree | 25.8% | 30.7% | -4.9 |
| Certificate III / IV | 19.6% | 16.4% | +3.2 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 16.8% | 15.9% | +0.8 |
| Postgraduate degree | 9.7% | 11.3% | -1.5 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 1.8% | 2.4% | -0.6 |
| Certificate I / II | 1.8% | 1.8% | 0.0 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 22.0% | 24.5% | -2.5 |
| Engineering & related | 10.9% | 12.2% | -1.4 |
| Society & culture | 11.2% | 9.3% | +1.9 |
| Health | 6.5% | 7.3% | -0.9 |
| Information technology | 5.1% | 6.4% | -1.3 |
| Education | 6.2% | 5.3% | +0.9 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 5.7% | 4.4% | +1.2 |
| Architecture & building | 5.4% | 3.8% | +1.6 |
| Creative arts | 2.5% | 3.9% | -1.4 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 2.6% | 2.7% | 0.0 |
| Agriculture & environment | 0.5% | 0.7% | -0.2 |

## Income

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $504 | $564 | $60 higher in Riverwood | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,389 | $1,210 | $179 higher in Punchbowl | gap widening |
| Family income | $1,483 | $1,563 | $80 higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| High earners | 3.6% | 5.5% | 1.9 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| High-income homes | 14.1% | 14.3% | 0.2 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $650–$1,499 | 30.5% | 26.1% | +4.4 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 28.6% | 25.5% | +3.1 |
| Under $650 | 19.5% | 27.5% | -8.1 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 7.3% | 7.9% | -0.6 |
| $4,000 or more | 6.8% | 6.4% | +0.3 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 52.5% | 50.0% | +2.5 |
| $650–$1,499 | 28.5% | 29.2% | -0.7 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 8.4% | 11.4% | -3.0 |
| $3,000 or more | 0.9% | 1.4% | -0.4 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 20.6% | 24.7% | 4.1 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Mental health | 4.5% | 6.3% | 1.8 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Needs assistance | 7.9% | 8.4% | 0.5 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other condition | 7.2% | 7.9% | -0.8 |
| Arthritis | 5.8% | 7.4% | -1.6 |
| Diabetes | 6.3% | 7.0% | -0.7 |
| Mental health | 4.5% | 6.3% | -1.8 |
| Asthma | 5.8% | 6.0% | -0.1 |
| Heart disease | 3.1% | 3.9% | -0.9 |
| Cancer | 1.6% | 2.6% | -1.0 |
| Lung condition | 1.1% | 1.6% | -0.4 |
| Stroke | 0.8% | 1.0% | -0.2 |
| Dementia | 0.7% | 0.8% | -0.1 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 69.3% | 66.3% | +3.0 |
| One condition | 14.4% | 16.1% | -1.7 |
| Two conditions | 3.8% | 5.6% | -1.8 |
| Three or more | 2.4% | 3.0% | -0.6 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 6.4% | 7.1% | 0.8 pts higher in Riverwood | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid carers | 11.1% | 10.0% | 1.2 pts higher in Punchbowl | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 21.5% | 19.7% | 1.8 pts higher in Punchbowl | gap narrowing |
| Defence service | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.3 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 17.6% | 17.8% | 0.2 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 108 | 102 | 6 larger in Punchbowl |  |
| Median age | 25 yrs | 35 yrs | 10 yrs older in Riverwood |  |
| Year 12 | 26.9% | 39.7% | 12.9 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Unemployment | 41.9% | 7.5% | 34.4 pts higher in Punchbowl |  |
| Median income | $441 | $564 | $123 higher in Riverwood |  |
| Household income | $1,024 | $1,016 | $8 higher in Punchbowl |  |
| Indigenous language | 5.6% | 7.8% | 2.3 pts higher in Riverwood |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 3.3 | 2.5 | 0.8 larger in Punchbowl | gap steady |
| One-parent | 17.0% | 19.6% | 2.6 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Living alone | 19.4% | 30.2% | 10.8 pts higher in Riverwood | gap narrowing |

### Family composition

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 68.0% | 55.3% | +12.7 |
| Couples without children | 13.4% | 23.3% | -9.9 |
| One-parent families | 17.0% | 19.6% | -2.6 |
| Other families | 1.5% | 1.7% | -0.2 |

### Household size

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 person | 19.4% | 30.2% | -10.8 |
| 2 people | 22.1% | 29.3% | -7.2 |
| 3 people | 17.3% | 16.9% | +0.5 |
| 4 people | 16.6% | 13.1% | +3.5 |
| 6 or more | 12.7% | 4.6% | +8.2 |
| 5 people | 11.9% | 6.0% | +5.9 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $380 | $300 | $80 higher in Punchbowl | gap narrowing |
| Mortgage | $2,050 | $2,167 | $117 higher in Riverwood | gap widening |
| People / bedroom | 1.10 | 1.00 | 0.10 higher in Punchbowl | gap steady |
| Renting | 39.0% | 54.2% | 15.2 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Owned outright | 27.4% | 19.1% | 8.2 pts higher in Punchbowl | gap steady |
| Separate houses | 56.7% | 38.0% | 18.8 pts higher in Punchbowl | gap steady |
| 3+ bedrooms | 62.9% | 49.4% | 13.6 pts higher in Punchbowl | gap widening |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rented | 39.0% | 54.2% | -15.2 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 29.9% | 23.1% | +6.7 |
| Owned outright | 27.4% | 19.1% | +8.2 |
| Not stated | 2.4% | 2.1% | +0.3 |
| Other tenure | 1.5% | 1.4% | +0.1 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 56.7% | 38.0% | +18.8 |
| Flat or apartment | 23.4% | 47.8% | -24.4 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 18.4% | 13.1% | +5.3 |
| Other dwelling | 1.2% | 0.9% | +0.3 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 36.5% | 33.0% | +3.5 |
| 2 bedrooms | 30.0% | 34.8% | -4.9 |
| 4 bedrooms | 19.5% | 11.3% | +8.2 |
| 1 bedroom | 4.3% | 11.5% | -7.2 |
| 5 or more | 7.0% | 5.0% | +1.9 |
| Studio / none | 0.5% | 2.0% | -1.5 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $350–$549 | 38.9% | 33.3% | +5.7 |
| Under $200 | 12.9% | 34.5% | -21.6 |
| $200–$349 | 23.5% | 17.2% | +6.2 |
| $550–$749 | 17.6% | 9.6% | +8.0 |
| $750 or more | 2.4% | 0.9% | +1.5 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 31.7% | 34.1% | -2.4 |
| $3,000 or more | 22.2% | 25.6% | -3.5 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 21.7% | 20.3% | +1.4 |
| Under $1,000 | 15.1% | 12.1% | +3.0 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 11.3% | 22.2% | 10.9 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Work from home | 22.9% | 30.9% | 8.0 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |
| PT commute | 3.9% | 7.0% | 3.2 pts higher in Riverwood | gap narrowing |
| PT stops | 96 | 82 | 14 more in Punchbowl |  |
| Stops/1k | 4.49 | 6.41 | 1.92 more in Riverwood |  |
| Departures/1k | 1,353.3 | 1,604.4 | 251.1 more in Riverwood |  |
| PT routes | 13 | 9 | 4 more in Punchbowl |  |
| Stop walk | 4 | 0 | 4 longer in Punchbowl |  |
| Drive to city | 20 | 19 | 1 longer in Punchbowl |  |
| Reach 30 min | 33,150 | 67,161 | 34,011 more in Riverwood |  |
| Reach 45 min | 201,743 | 260,917 | 59,174 more in Riverwood |  |
| Transit to city | 73 | 56 | 17 longer in Punchbowl |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 43.0% | 33.0% | +9.9 |
| Worked at home | 22.9% | 30.9% | -8.0 |
| Train | 3.2% | 6.1% | -2.9 |
| Car (passenger) | 4.3% | 3.3% | +1.0 |
| Walked | 1.7% | 1.9% | -0.1 |
| Bus | 0.7% | 0.9% | -0.2 |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.2% | +0.0 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 vehicle | 37.7% | 44.1% | -6.4 |
| 2 vehicles | 30.6% | 24.3% | +6.3 |
| No vehicle | 11.3% | 22.2% | -10.9 |
| 3 vehicles | 12.5% | 6.4% | +6.1 |
| 4 or more | 7.9% | 3.1% | +4.8 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 31.5% | 37.6% | 6.1 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |
| Recent arrivals | 12.3% | 12.4% | 0.0 pts higher in Riverwood | gap steady |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 10.6% | 7.8% | 2.8 pts higher in Punchbowl | gap widening |
| Participation | 42.6% | 46.5% | 3.8 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |
| Full-time | 46.2% | 51.7% | 5.5 pts higher in Riverwood | gap widening |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 13.0% | 13.3% | -0.3 |
| Retail trade | 12.3% | 11.0% | +1.3 |
| Transport & warehousing | 9.4% | 8.4% | +0.9 |
| Professional & technical | 5.5% | 9.0% | -3.5 |
| Construction | 8.2% | 6.4% | +1.8 |
| Education & training | 7.1% | 6.0% | +1.1 |
| Accommodation & food | 5.6% | 6.9% | -1.3 |
| Manufacturing | 6.7% | 6.2% | +0.5 |
| Finance & insurance | 4.9% | 5.6% | -0.7 |
| Public administration & safety | 4.8% | 4.1% | +0.7 |
| Other services | 4.0% | 3.6% | +0.4 |
| Wholesale trade | 3.1% | 3.6% | -0.6 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Punchbowl % | Riverwood % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 18.2% | 23.1% | -4.9 |
| Clerical & administrative | 14.6% | 14.8% | -0.2 |
| Community & personal service | 11.8% | 10.7% | +1.1 |
| Technicians & trades | 11.7% | 11.7% | +0.0 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 10.8% | 8.8% | +2.0 |
| Labourers | 10.6% | 9.9% | +0.7 |
| Sales workers | 10.3% | 9.7% | +0.6 |
| Managers | 8.8% | 8.8% | +0.0 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Punchbowl | Riverwood | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 7.3 | 7.5 | 0.1 higher in Riverwood |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 7.3 | 7.4 | 0.1 more in Riverwood |  |
| 15-min city | 99.9% | 97.8% | 2.1 pts higher in Punchbowl |  |
| Walk to shops | 96.3% | 88.6% | 7.7 pts higher in Punchbowl |  |
| Walk to transit | 100.0% | 99.5% | 0.5 pts higher in Punchbowl |  |
| Walk to school | 97.5% | 98.9% | 1.4 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Walk to a park | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to health | 56.4% | 79.5% | 23.1 pts higher in Riverwood |  |
| Amenities/1k | 6.9 | 10.9 | 3.9 more in Riverwood |  |
| Intersections/km² | 280 | 285 | 5 higher in Riverwood |  |
| Mean slope | 4.3% | 4.9% | 0.5 pts higher in Riverwood |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL13286/punchbowl/vs/SAL13386/riverwood