Broadwater vs Rileys Hill

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Broadwater, about half of households are people living alone. In Rileys Hill, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Broadwater tends to suit people living alone, while Rileys Hill suits families with children and couples.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Rileys Hill

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (90% vs 43%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 78%)
  • But Broadwater has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

Weighs schools, house stock, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Rileys Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 34%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Broadwater

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $360/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Rileys Hill

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (8/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (702.9 km vs 705.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Rileys Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (8/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Broadwater and Rileys Hill drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Walkability 0 / 8
Broadwater — Walkability: 0/100 Rileys Hill — Walkability: 8/100
Low fire risk 41 / 16
Broadwater — Low fire risk: 41/100 Rileys Hill — Low fire risk: 16/100

Demographics

Broadwater has more residents (670 vs 181); Rileys Hill rents higher ($360/wk vs $250/wk).

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Population 670
+73% vs other
 181
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.7% +2.3%
Median age 50 48
Median household income $55,692/yr $69,524/yr
+25% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk $360/wk
+44% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Broadwater Rileys Hill
0-4 3.7% / 5.5%
Broadwater — 0-4: 3.7% Rileys Hill — 0-4: 5.5%
5-14 12.1% / 16.0%
Broadwater — 5-14: 12.1% Rileys Hill — 5-14: 16.0%
15-19 4.5% / 3.9%
Broadwater — 15-19: 4.5% Rileys Hill — 15-19: 3.9%
20-24 2.5% / 2.8%
Broadwater — 20-24: 2.5% Rileys Hill — 20-24: 2.8%
25-34 7.3% / 7.7%
Broadwater — 25-34: 7.3% Rileys Hill — 25-34: 7.7%
35-44 12.2% / 12.2%
Broadwater — 35-44: 12.2% Rileys Hill — 35-44: 12.2%
45-54 14.8% / 13.3%
Broadwater — 45-54: 14.8% Rileys Hill — 45-54: 13.3%
55-64 18.7% / 20.4%
Broadwater — 55-64: 18.7% Rileys Hill — 55-64: 20.4%
65-74 16.6% / 19.3%
Broadwater — 65-74: 16.6% Rileys Hill — 65-74: 19.3%
75-84 6.9% / 5.0%
Broadwater — 75-84: 6.9% Rileys Hill — 75-84: 5.0%
85+ 1.2% / 1.7%
Broadwater — 85+: 1.2% Rileys Hill — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Broadwater 29.8% couple families
Broadwater — Couple Families: 29.8% Broadwater — Lone Person: 47.0% Broadwater — One Parent Families: 13.6% Broadwater — Group Household: 7.1% Broadwater — Other Families: 2.5%
Rileys Hill 46.2% couple families
Rileys Hill — Couple Families: 46.2% Rileys Hill — Lone Person: 10.3% Rileys Hill — One Parent Families: 43.6% Rileys Hill — Group Household: 0.0% Rileys Hill — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Broadwater 24.6% renting
Broadwater — Owned Outright: 42.3% Broadwater — Mortgage: 33.1% Broadwater — Renting: 24.6%
Rileys Hill 16.4% renting
Rileys Hill — Owned Outright: 29.9% Rileys Hill — Mortgage: 53.7% Rileys Hill — Renting: 16.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Broadwater Rileys Hill
England 2.4% / 3.3%
Broadwater — England: 2.4% Rileys Hill — England: 3.3%
New Zealand 0.6% / 1.7%
Broadwater — New Zealand: 0.6% Rileys Hill — New Zealand: 1.7%
Thailand 0.9% / —
Broadwater — Thailand: 0.9% Rileys Hill — Thailand: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.6% / —
Broadwater — Netherlands: 0.6% Rileys Hill — Netherlands: not among its largest
India 0.4% / —
Broadwater — India: 0.4% Rileys Hill — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Certificate III & IV 20.0% / 24.3%
Broadwater — Certificate III & IV: 20.0% Rileys Hill — Certificate III & IV: 24.3%
Bachelor Degree 6.4% / 9.4%
Broadwater — Bachelor Degree: 6.4% Rileys Hill — Bachelor Degree: 9.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.5% / 8.3%
Broadwater — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.5% Rileys Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 1.7%
Broadwater — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Rileys Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 1.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 2.2%
Broadwater — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Rileys Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Broadwater 78.3% houses
Broadwater — Houses: 78.3% Broadwater — Flats / Apartments: 21.7%
Rileys Hill 100.0% houses
Rileys Hill — Houses: 100.0% Rileys Hill — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Median house price $710,000 $664,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $227,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 88 days
from 4 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Broadwater has more land zoned for conservation (72% vs 13%); Rileys Hill has more rural and farming land (84% vs 26%).

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Rural and farming 26% 84%
Environmental 72% 13%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 3%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Broadwater Rileys Hill
New dwellings approved 24
across Richmond Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -78%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Broadwater Rileys Hill
House price Higher than 17% of NSW Higher than 24% of NSW
Income Higher than 16% of NSW Higher than 33% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 66% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 25% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 59% of NSW
same for both

Liveability

Rileys Hill is more walkable (8 vs 0).

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Grade D —
Score 13/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Rileys Hill carries more bushfire risk (84 vs 59).

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Bushfire Moderate
59/100
 High
84/100
Crime — Low
14/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
60/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Broadwater

  • Broadwater Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Rileys Hill

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 3 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 21 7

Mobility

Broadwater sits further from the CBD (705.8 km vs 702.9 km).

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Walkability score 0/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 705.8 km 702.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 459 min 460 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 2472
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 79
postcode 2472
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Car (driver) 72.5% / 90.8%
Broadwater — Car (driver): 72.5% Rileys Hill — Car (driver): 90.8%
Worked from Home 16.9% / 9.2%
Broadwater — Worked from Home: 16.9% Rileys Hill — Worked from Home: 9.2%
Car (passenger) 5.9% / —
Broadwater — Car (passenger): 5.9% Rileys Hill — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 4.7% / —
Broadwater — Walked Only: 4.7% Rileys Hill — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (90.8%).

Setting

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Elevation 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 -1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.6 km
3.0 km to a named beach
 6.2 km

NBN connectivity

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
270 premises
 0%
74 premises

Climate

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Annual rainfall 1,557 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 11.0°C
same for both

Council rates

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Average residential rate $1,282/yr
same for both
Council Richmond Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Division Page
same for both
Member Kevin Hogan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Broadwater Rileys Hill
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Broadwater

Affordable Coastal Rural

Rileys Hill

Affordable Retirees River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Broadwater

Broadwater vs Evans Head Broadwater vs Wardell Broadwater vs Woodburn Broadwater vs East Wardell Broadwater vs Doonbah Broadwater vs Bagotville

Other comparisons with Rileys Hill

Rileys Hill vs Woodburn Rileys Hill vs Kilgin
Full data on Broadwater Full data on Rileys Hill
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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