Compare
Penrith vs Riverstone
State Electorate comparison ≈ 19 km apart · Penrith profile · Riverstone profile
Penrith Riverstone
Riverstone and Penrith are two large, nearby areas in Western Sydney with very different social profiles. Riverstone is far more diverse and qualified, with 46.4% of people born overseas and 39.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. In contrast, Penrith has a much lower share of overseas-born residents (19.7%) and fewer university degrees (19.0%). Riverstone also has a wealthier population, with 41.4% of households earning $3,000 or more a week, compared to 20.9% in Penrith. This wealth is consistent with Riverstone's larger homes, where 89.6% have three or more bedrooms.
Daily life in both places shares some similarities, as they have nearly identical unemployment rates and similar levels of volunteering. However, their layouts differ; Penrith is very walkable and has far more public transport stops, while Riverstone is somewhat walkable. Over time, the gap in education and overseas birth has grown as Riverstone has become more diverse and qualified since 2011. Meanwhile, Penrith has seen a widening gap in its older population, as its share of people aged 65 and over is now 8.1 percentage points higher than in Riverstone.
Where they differ most
Demographics & Identity
- First area, 2011: 92,451
- First area, 2016: 78,786
- First area, 2021: 84,578
- Second area, 2011: 96,448
- Second area, 2016: 89,863
- Second area, 2021: 122,335
- First area, 2011: 33 yrs
- First area, 2016: 36 yrs
- First area, 2021: 36 yrs
- Second area, 2011: 32 yrs
- Second area, 2016: 33 yrs
- Second area, 2021: 34 yrs
Age structure
Marital status
Age & sex structure
Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.
- 85+ in Penrith: 0.7% males, 1.2% females; 85+ in Riverstone: 0.2% males, 0.3% females
- 80–84 in Penrith: 0.9% males, 1.1% females; 80–84 in Riverstone: 0.4% males, 0.4% females
- 75–79 in Penrith: 1.4% males, 1.6% females; 75–79 in Riverstone: 0.6% males, 0.7% females
- 70–74 in Penrith: 2.1% males, 2.3% females; 70–74 in Riverstone: 1.1% males, 1.2% females
- 65–69 in Penrith: 2.2% males, 2.5% females; 65–69 in Riverstone: 1.4% males, 1.5% females
- 60–64 in Penrith: 2.5% males, 2.8% females; 60–64 in Riverstone: 1.7% males, 1.8% females
- 55–59 in Penrith: 2.6% males, 2.8% females; 55–59 in Riverstone: 2.2% males, 2.2% females
- 50–54 in Penrith: 2.8% males, 3.0% females; 50–54 in Riverstone: 2.7% males, 2.7% females
- 45–49 in Penrith: 3.2% males, 3.2% females; 45–49 in Riverstone: 3.7% males, 3.4% females
- 40–44 in Penrith: 3.3% males, 3.4% females; 40–44 in Riverstone: 4.9% males, 4.5% females
- 35–39 in Penrith: 3.6% males, 3.7% females; 35–39 in Riverstone: 5.3% males, 5.6% females
- 30–34 in Penrith: 3.5% males, 3.8% females; 30–34 in Riverstone: 3.8% males, 4.5% females
- 25–29 in Penrith: 3.8% males, 3.9% females; 25–29 in Riverstone: 3.2% males, 3.1% females
- 20–24 in Penrith: 3.5% males, 3.5% females; 20–24 in Riverstone: 3.2% males, 2.9% females
- 15–19 in Penrith: 3.0% males, 2.8% females; 15–19 in Riverstone: 3.2% males, 3.0% females
- 10–14 in Penrith: 3.3% males, 3.1% females; 10–14 in Riverstone: 4.1% males, 3.8% females
- 5–9 in Penrith: 3.3% males, 3.2% females; 5–9 in Riverstone: 4.5% males, 4.3% females
- 0–4 in Penrith: 3.4% males, 3.0% females; 0–4 in Riverstone: 4.1% males, 3.9% females
Ancestry & Birthplace
Country of birth
Ancestry
Language
Language used at home
Religion
Religious affiliation
Education & Qualifications
Highest year of school
Highest qualification level
Field of qualification
Income
- First area, 2011: $591
- First area, 2016: $719
- First area, 2021: $858
- Second area, 2011: $705
- Second area, 2016: $844
- Second area, 2021: $1,059
- First area, 2011: $1,328
- First area, 2016: $1,538
- First area, 2021: $1,738
- Second area, 2011: $1,771
- Second area, 2016: $2,265
- Second area, 2021: $2,698
- First area, 2011: $1,494
- First area, 2016: $1,847
- First area, 2021: $2,154
- Second area, 2011: $1,892
- Second area, 2016: $2,301
- Second area, 2021: $2,786
Household income distribution
Personal income distribution
Health & Disability
Long-term health conditions reported
Number of long-term health conditions
Community Participation
Family & Households
- First area, 2011: 2.6
- First area, 2016: 2.7
- First area, 2021: 2.5
- Second area, 2011: 3.1
- Second area, 2016: 3.3
- Second area, 2021: 3.2
Family composition
Household size
Housing & Dwellings
- First area, 2011: $340
- First area, 2016: $360
- First area, 2021: $385
- Second area, 2011: $350
- Second area, 2016: $500
- Second area, 2021: $530
- First area, 2011: $2,058
- First area, 2016: $1,980
- First area, 2021: $2,100
- Second area, 2011: $2,383
- Second area, 2016: $2,418
- Second area, 2021: $2,600
- First area, 2011: 1.20
- First area, 2016: 0.80
- First area, 2021: 0.80
- Second area, 2011: 1.10
- Second area, 2016: 0.90
- Second area, 2021: 0.90
How homes are owned or rented
Types of homes
Bedrooms per home
Weekly rent distribution
Monthly mortgage distribution
Transport & Vehicles
How people get to work
Motor vehicles per home
Migration & Movement
Jobs & Industry
Industries people work in
Occupations people work in
Walkability
Compare Penrith with nearby areas
Compare Riverstone with nearby areas
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Penrith vs Riverstone [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sed/SED10066/penrith/vs/SED10071/riverstone