Riverton vs Shelley

Riverton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 42 in Shelley. In both, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Shelley: a median of $1.62 million, against $1.3 million in Riverton. On these figures, Riverton tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Riverton

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (4 vs 1)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (88% vs 78%)
  • But Shelley carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 52/100)

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

First-home buyers

Riverton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,305,000 vs $1,620,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

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

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

Commuting to the city

Riverton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (82/100 vs 65/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Shelley

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (22% vs 12%)
  • carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 52/100)
  • But Riverton is more walkable (82/100 vs 65/100)

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

Investors

Riverton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.5% vs 2.9%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Riverton Shelley
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.

Riverton Shelley
Walkability 82 / 65
Riverton — Walkability: 82/100 Shelley — Walkability: 65/100
Safety 48 / 65
Riverton — Safety: 48/100 Shelley — Safety: 65/100
Low fire risk 63 / 100
Riverton — Low fire risk: 63/100 Shelley — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 35 / 25
Riverton — Low flood risk: 35/100 Shelley — Low flood risk: 25/100

Demographics

Riverton has more residents (6,078 vs 4,795); Shelley has higher household incomes ($113,672 vs $99,112).

Riverton Shelley
Population 6,078
+21% vs other
 4,795
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.7% +6.0%
Median age 39 42
Median household income $99,112/yr $113,672/yr
+15% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+5% vs other
 $380/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Riverton Shelley
0-4 4.7% / 4.4%
Riverton — 0-4: 4.7% Shelley — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 16.0% / 14.0%
Riverton — 5-14: 16.0% Shelley — 5-14: 14.0%
15-19 8.1% / 7.1%
Riverton — 15-19: 8.1% Shelley — 15-19: 7.1%
20-24 5.9% / 6.5%
Riverton — 20-24: 5.9% Shelley — 20-24: 6.5%
25-34 8.7% / 8.4%
Riverton — 25-34: 8.7% Shelley — 25-34: 8.4%
35-44 15.6% / 13.3%
Riverton — 35-44: 15.6% Shelley — 35-44: 13.3%
45-54 14.8% / 14.3%
Riverton — 45-54: 14.8% Shelley — 45-54: 14.3%
55-64 10.1% / 13.2%
Riverton — 55-64: 10.1% Shelley — 55-64: 13.2%
65-74 8.7% / 10.9%
Riverton — 65-74: 8.7% Shelley — 65-74: 10.9%
75-84 5.8% / 6.2%
Riverton — 75-84: 5.8% Shelley — 75-84: 6.2%
85+ 1.6% / 1.4%
Riverton — 85+: 1.6% Shelley — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Riverton 57.3% couple families
Riverton — Couple Families: 57.3% Riverton — Lone Person: 25.0% Riverton — One Parent Families: 13.6% Riverton — Group Household: 2.9% Riverton — Other Families: 1.2%
Shelley 56.6% couple families
Shelley — Couple Families: 56.6% Shelley — Lone Person: 26.7% Shelley — One Parent Families: 13.0% Shelley — Group Household: 2.9% Shelley — Other Families: 0.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Riverton 26.3% renting
Riverton — Owned Outright: 37.7% Riverton — Mortgage: 36.1% Riverton — Renting: 26.3%
Shelley 24.9% renting
Shelley — Owned Outright: 41.7% Shelley — Mortgage: 33.5% Shelley — Renting: 24.9%
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.

Riverton Shelley
India 8.9% / 6.2%
Riverton — India: 8.9% Shelley — India: 6.2%
Malaysia 7.3% / 5.2%
Riverton — Malaysia: 7.3% Shelley — Malaysia: 5.2%
England 4.0% / 6.7%
Riverton — England: 4.0% Shelley — England: 6.7%
China 6.0% / 4.1%
Riverton — China: 6.0% Shelley — China: 4.1%
Sri Lanka 4.1% / 2.3%
Riverton — Sri Lanka: 4.1% Shelley — Sri Lanka: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.9%).

Qualifications

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

Riverton Shelley
Bachelor Degree 20.5% / 21.7%
Riverton — Bachelor Degree: 20.5% Shelley — Bachelor Degree: 21.7%
Postgraduate Degree 9.3% / 10.3%
Riverton — Postgraduate Degree: 9.3% Shelley — Postgraduate Degree: 10.3%
Certificate III & IV 8.3% / 8.9%
Riverton — Certificate III & IV: 8.3% Shelley — Certificate III & IV: 8.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.5% / 8.1%
Riverton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5% Shelley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 2.6%
Riverton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Shelley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Riverton 88.4% houses
Riverton — Houses: 88.4% Riverton — Townhouses: 9.3% Riverton — Flats / Apartments: 2.3%
Shelley 78.3% houses
Shelley — Houses: 78.3% Shelley — Townhouses: 21.2% Shelley — Flats / Apartments: 0.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Riverton Shelley
Median house price $1,305,000 $1,620,000
Median unit price — $855,000
Median land price $900,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 49 sales
 16 days
from 21 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.

Riverton Shelley
3 bed $1.2M / $1.18M
Riverton — 3 bed: $1.2M (27 sales) Shelley — 3 bed: $1.18M (14 sales)

27 vs 14 sales

4 bed $1.3M / $1.7M
Riverton — 4 bed: $1.3M (40 sales) Shelley — 4 bed: $1.7M (15 sales)

40 vs 15 sales

5 bed $1.62M / $2.62M
Riverton — 5 bed: $1.62M (9 sales) Shelley — 5 bed: $2.62M (8 sales)

9 vs 8 sales

Development activity

Riverton Shelley
New dwellings approved 423
across Canning
same for both
Approvals change year on year -3%
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.

Riverton Shelley
Houses 3.5%
$850/wk on $1.26M
 2.9%
$850/wk on $1.5M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within WA

Riverton Shelley
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 66% of WA Higher than 80% of WA
Schools Higher than 92% of WA —
Walkability Higher than 96% of WA Higher than 88% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 96% of WA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of WA Higher than 86% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 14% of WA Higher than 6% of WA

Liveability

Riverton is more walkable (82 vs 65).

Riverton Shelley
Grade B A
Score 68/100 71/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Riverton carries more bushfire risk (37 vs 0); Riverton carries more crime risk (52 vs 35).

Riverton Shelley
Bushfire Low
37/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
52/100
 Low
35/100
Flood Moderate
65/100
 High
75/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 17
within 5 km
 16
within 5 km

Schools

Riverton Shelley
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 2 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Curtin University of Technology, 3.3 km
same for both
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.3% 4.4%

Schools in Riverton

  • Queen of Apostles School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Riverton Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Riverton Education Support Centre Government · Primary · Special school

Schools in Shelley

  • Shelley Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Riverton Shelley
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 9 10
Childcare 4 1
Pharmacies 0 2
Fuel stations 1 0
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 2 0

Mobility

Riverton Shelley
Walkability score 82/100 65/100
Distance to Perth 14.6 km
+5% vs other
 13.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 22 min 21 min
Public transport score 94/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 159.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 72.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 2.3%
postcode 6148
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 62
postcode 6148
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.

Riverton Shelley
Car (driver) 73.4% / 74.6%
Riverton — Car (driver): 73.4% Shelley — Car (driver): 74.6%
Worked from Home 9.4% / 10.2%
Riverton — Worked from Home: 9.4% Shelley — Worked from Home: 10.2%
Train 7.3% / 6.5%
Riverton — Train: 7.3% Shelley — Train: 6.5%
Car (passenger) 4.7% / 4.6%
Riverton — Car (passenger): 4.7% Shelley — Car (passenger): 4.6%
Bus 3.4% / 2.9%
Riverton — Bus: 3.4% Shelley — Bus: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.6%).

Setting

Riverton Shelley
Elevation 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 14.1 km
1.7 km to a named beach
 12.8 km
422 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Riverton Shelley
Connectivity score 76/100 74/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 54%
2,486 premises
 50%
2,102 premises

Climate

Riverton Shelley
Annual rainfall 745 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.6°C
same for both

Council rates

Riverton Shelley
Average residential rate $1,833/yr
same for both
Council Canning
same for both

Federal electorate

Riverton Shelley
Division Tangney
same for both
Member Sam Lim
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Riverton Shelley
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Riverton

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Professionals Quiet Transport Hub

Shelley

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Riverton

Riverton vs Willetton Riverton vs Wilson Riverton vs Parkwood Riverton vs Ferndale

Other comparisons with Shelley

Shelley vs Willetton Shelley vs Rossmoyne
Full data on Riverton Full data on Shelley
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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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