Federal Electorate · Area profile
Riverina
48,976 km²
Daily life in Riverina is shaped by a sprawling landscape where 89.2% of people live in separate houses and cars are the primary way to get around. The area has seen a 20% population increase since 2011, adding over 27,000 people to the community. It is a place of contrasts, with a significantly higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents and seniors compared to the rest of the state. This creates a unique regional character defined by a strong connection to the land and a growing, aging population.
128 schools within reach make Riverina convenient for families.
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The community is notably older than the national figure, with the typical resident aged 40 and 21% of people aged 65 or over. Indigenous residents make up 7.5% of the population, a figure that has risen since 2011 and remains well above the state average.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has one of the lowest proportions of overseas-born people at this level. The number of people born outside Australia fell 7 points since 2011 to 8.4%, far below the national figure.
English is the dominant language, with only 5.8% of people using another tongue at home, which is far below the state and national averages. Very few people speak little or no English, at just 1.0%.
Religious affiliation is more common here than in other areas; 60.6% of people identify as Christian. Those with no religion make up 28.3%, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.
Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 14.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Similarly, 40.9% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the state average of 58.9%.
Typical incomes are much lower than the national figures, with the typical family earning $1,810 a week. However, there has been a notable trend toward higher earnings, as the share of households earning over $3,000 a week rose 10 points since 2011.
Health challenges are more prevalent here, as 32.7% of people have a long-term health condition, well above the national figure. This is reflected in the 6.6% of people who need help with daily activities.
Civic engagement is very high, with 18.3% of people volunteering, a rate well above the national average. There is also a strong military connection, as 4.1% of residents served in the Defence Force.
Living arrangements lean toward smaller groups or individuals, with 29.6% of people living alone. This is well above the state average, though 53.4% of households remain couples with children.
Housing is dominated by large, detached homes, and 37.4% of these are owned outright. Because of this, typical weekly rents of $260 and mortgage payments of $1,309 are much lower than in most other areas.
Cars are essential for most, with 66.5% of people driving to work and only 0.6% using public transport. Working from home is also less common here than in the rest of the state, at 10.3%.
While fewer people have moved recently compared to the national average, there has been a significant increase in new arrivals from overseas, which rose 12 points since 2011 to 22.3%.
The workforce is strong, with 62% of people employed full-time and an unemployment rate of 4.1% that is lower than most areas. Health care and agriculture are the two most prominent industries.
Walking to essentials is difficult for many, as only 40.3% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries. Overall walkability is well below the state average, consistent with the high number of detached houses and reliance on cars.