Punchbowl vs Riverwood

Punchbowl is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 40 in Riverwood. In Punchbowl, most households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. In Riverwood, most households rent and about half of homes are flats or apartments. On these figures, Punchbowl tends to suit families with children and couples, while Riverwood suits renters and people living alone.

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

Punchbowl

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (23 vs 8)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (57% vs 38%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (71% vs 56%)
  • But Riverwood has more parks and reserves (15 vs 7)

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

First-home buyers

Punchbowl

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($532,000 vs $649,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (34% vs 41%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Riverwood

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (56% vs 40%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $380/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Riverwood

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (11% vs 6%)
  • has a shorter drive in (26 min vs 31 min)
  • is more walkable (93/100 vs 84/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Riverwood

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (19% vs 13%)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (62% vs 43%)
  • is more walkable (93/100 vs 84/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Punchbowl Riverwood
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.

Punchbowl Riverwood
Walkability 84 / 93
Punchbowl — Walkability: 84/100 Riverwood — Walkability: 93/100
Low fire risk 26 / 100
Punchbowl — Low fire risk: 26/100 Riverwood — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Punchbowl has more residents (21,384 vs 12,793); Punchbowl rents higher ($380/wk vs $300/wk).

Punchbowl Riverwood
Population 21,384
+40% vs other
 12,793
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.7%
same for both
Median age 33 40
Median household income $72,228/yr
+13% vs other
 $62,920/yr
Median weekly rent $380/wk
+21% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Punchbowl Riverwood
0-4 6.9% / 5.0%
Punchbowl — 0-4: 6.9% Riverwood — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 14.4% / 10.4%
Punchbowl — 5-14: 14.4% Riverwood — 5-14: 10.4%
15-19 7.0% / 4.8%
Punchbowl — 15-19: 7.0% Riverwood — 15-19: 4.8%
20-24 7.9% / 6.8%
Punchbowl — 20-24: 7.9% Riverwood — 20-24: 6.8%
25-34 15.7% / 15.1%
Punchbowl — 25-34: 15.7% Riverwood — 25-34: 15.1%
35-44 13.0% / 13.5%
Punchbowl — 35-44: 13.0% Riverwood — 35-44: 13.5%
45-54 11.5% / 11.9%
Punchbowl — 45-54: 11.5% Riverwood — 45-54: 11.9%
55-64 10.8% / 13.2%
Punchbowl — 55-64: 10.8% Riverwood — 55-64: 13.2%
65-74 7.2% / 10.4%
Punchbowl — 65-74: 7.2% Riverwood — 65-74: 10.4%
75-84 4.1% / 6.4%
Punchbowl — 75-84: 4.1% Riverwood — 75-84: 6.4%
85+ 1.6% / 2.4%
Punchbowl — 85+: 1.6% Riverwood — 85+: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Punchbowl 52.2% couple families
Punchbowl — Couple Families: 52.2% Punchbowl — Lone Person: 22.3% Punchbowl — One Parent Families: 18.8% Punchbowl — Group Household: 4.6% Punchbowl — Other Families: 2.2%
Riverwood 36.3% couple families
Riverwood — Couple Families: 36.3% Riverwood — Lone Person: 37.6% Riverwood — One Parent Families: 19.2% Riverwood — Group Household: 5.1% Riverwood — Other Families: 1.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Punchbowl 40.5% renting
Punchbowl — Owned Outright: 28.4% Punchbowl — Mortgage: 31.0% Punchbowl — Renting: 40.5%
Riverwood 56.2% renting
Riverwood — Owned Outright: 19.8% Riverwood — Mortgage: 24.0% Riverwood — Renting: 56.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Punchbowl Riverwood
Bachelor Degree 10.2% / 14.4%
Punchbowl — Bachelor Degree: 10.2% Riverwood — Bachelor Degree: 14.4%
Certificate III & IV 7.7% / 7.7%
Punchbowl — Certificate III & IV: 7.7% Riverwood — Certificate III & IV: 7.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.6% / 7.5%
Punchbowl — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6% Riverwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5%
Postgraduate Degree 3.8% / 5.3%
Punchbowl — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8% Riverwood — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 1.1%
Punchbowl — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Riverwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.4%).

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.

Punchbowl Riverwood
China 2.8% / 18.3%
Punchbowl — China: 2.8% Riverwood — China: 18.3%
Lebanon 12.3% / 2.8%
Punchbowl — Lebanon: 12.3% Riverwood — Lebanon: 2.8%
Vietnam 5.4% / 2.8%
Punchbowl — Vietnam: 5.4% Riverwood — Vietnam: 2.8%
Indonesia 1.9% / 2.5%
Punchbowl — Indonesia: 1.9% Riverwood — Indonesia: 2.5%
Bangladesh 3.0% / —
Punchbowl — Bangladesh: 3.0% Riverwood — Bangladesh: not among its largest
Philippines — / 3.0%
Punchbowl — Philippines: not among its largest Riverwood — Philippines: 3.0%
Pakistan 2.7% / —
Punchbowl — Pakistan: 2.7% Riverwood — Pakistan: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Punchbowl 56.7% houses
Punchbowl — Houses: 56.7% Punchbowl — Flats / Apartments: 24.8% Punchbowl — Townhouses: 18.4%
Riverwood 38.0% houses
Riverwood — Houses: 38.0% Riverwood — Flats / Apartments: 48.9% Riverwood — Townhouses: 13.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Punchbowl Riverwood
Median house price $1,440,000 $1,470,000
Median unit price $532,000 $649,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 96 sales
 24 days
from 42 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Punchbowl Riverwood
1 bed $420K / $490K
Punchbowl — 1 bed: $420K (11 sales) Riverwood — 1 bed: $490K (16 sales)

11 vs 16 sales

2 bed $534K / $642K
Punchbowl — 2 bed: $534K (70 sales) Riverwood — 2 bed: $642K (62 sales)

70 vs 62 sales

3 bed $650K / $875K
Punchbowl — 3 bed: $650K (13 sales) Riverwood — 3 bed: $875K (18 sales)

13 vs 18 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Punchbowl Riverwood
2 bed $1.37M / $1.28M
Punchbowl — 2 bed: $1.37M (11 sales) Riverwood — 2 bed: $1.28M (9 sales)

11 vs 9 sales

3 bed $1.36M / $1.47M
Punchbowl — 3 bed: $1.36M (65 sales) Riverwood — 3 bed: $1.47M (35 sales)

65 vs 35 sales

4 bed $1.42M / $1.46M
Punchbowl — 4 bed: $1.42M (48 sales) Riverwood — 4 bed: $1.46M (15 sales)

48 vs 15 sales

5 bed $1.73M / $1.7M
Punchbowl — 5 bed: $1.73M (20 sales) Riverwood — 5 bed: $1.7M (13 sales)

20 vs 13 sales

Zoning mix

Punchbowl Riverwood
Residential 81% 54%
Parks and recreation 5% 18%
Industrial 5% 15%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 8%
Commercial 3% 2%
Environmental 0% 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

Punchbowl Riverwood
New dwellings approved 1,785
across Canterbury-Bankstown
same for both
Approvals change year on year +50%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Punchbowl Riverwood
Houses 3.6%
$880/wk on $1.25M
 3.2%
$800/wk on $1.31M
Units 5.2%
$560/wk on $561K
 5.2%
$670/wk on $670K

Ranking within NSW

Punchbowl Riverwood
House price Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 71% of NSW
Income Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW
Schools Higher than 49% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 94% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 17% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 54% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 28% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 73% of NSW
same for both

Liveability

Riverwood scores higher overall (63 vs 40); Riverwood is more walkable (93 vs 84).

Punchbowl Riverwood
Grade C B
Score 40/100 63/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Punchbowl carries more bushfire risk (74 vs 0).

Punchbowl Riverwood
Bushfire High
74/100
 None
0/100
Crime — High
83/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 18
within 5 km
 10
within 5 km

Schools

Punchbowl Riverwood
Inside the suburb 4
same for both
Rated above peers 1 2
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 3 1
Universities within 10 km 2
Western Sydney University - Bankstown City, 2.0 km
 2
Western Sydney University - Bankstown City, 3.5 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.5% 2.9%

Schools in Punchbowl

  • St Jerome's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Punchbowl Boys High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Punchbowl Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • St Charbel's College Independent · Combined below peers

Schools in Riverwood

  • Riverwood Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Hannans Road Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Southside Montessori School Independent · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Punchbowl Riverwood
Supermarkets 1 2
Cafes & restaurants 3 9
Parks & reserves 7 15
Childcare 23 8
GPs 7 8
Pharmacies 4 6
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 2 1
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Punchbowl Riverwood
Walkability score 84/100 93/100
Distance to Sydney 24.1 km 25.2 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 31 min 26 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 92/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 369.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 215.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2196
 1.1%
postcode 2210
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 22
postcode 2196
 25
postcode 2210

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.

Punchbowl Riverwood
Car (driver) 55.4% / 41.8%
Punchbowl — Car (driver): 55.4% Riverwood — Car (driver): 41.8%
Worked from Home 29.6% / 39.1%
Punchbowl — Worked from Home: 29.6% Riverwood — Worked from Home: 39.1%
Train 6.0% / 11.0%
Punchbowl — Train: 6.0% Riverwood — Train: 11.0%
Car (passenger) 5.6% / 4.2%
Punchbowl — Car (passenger): 5.6% Riverwood — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Walked Only 2.2% / 2.4%
Punchbowl — Walked Only: 2.2% Riverwood — Walked Only: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.4%).

Setting

Punchbowl Riverwood
Elevation 22 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 10.4 km 9.6 km

NBN connectivity

Punchbowl Riverwood
Connectivity score 77/100 83/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the curb
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 14%
7,356 premises
 39%
6,241 premises

Climate

Punchbowl Riverwood
Annual rainfall 909 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.4°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Punchbowl Riverwood
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.9 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Punchbowl Riverwood
Average residential rate $1,322/yr
same for both
Council Canterbury-Bankstown
same for both

Federal electorate

Punchbowl Riverwood
Division Watson Banks
Member Tony Burke Zhi Soon
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Punchbowl Riverwood
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Punchbowl

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Urban

Riverwood

Affordable Apartments Easy Commute Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Punchbowl

Punchbowl vs Bankstown Punchbowl vs Greenacre Punchbowl vs Lakemba Punchbowl vs Padstow Punchbowl vs Roselands Punchbowl vs Wiley Park

Other comparisons with Riverwood

Riverwood vs Padstow Riverwood vs Roselands Riverwood vs Peakhurst Riverwood vs Beverly Hills Riverwood vs Narwee
Full data on Punchbowl Full data on Riverwood
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or