Riverstone vs SchofieldsTwo Sydney suburbs compared for a home loan
Riverstone (NSW 2765) is approximately 45 km north-west of the Sydney CBD, on the T1 line. Schofields (NSW 2762) is approximately 42 km north-west of the Sydney CBD, on the T1 line. At the 2021 Census, Riverstone had 8,627 residents with a median age of 32, and Schofields had 15,213 residents with a median age of 32.
In both suburbs the most common occupied dwelling was separate houses. Flats and apartments made up 1% of occupied dwellings in Riverstone and 11% in Schofields, while 35% of Riverstone households rented compared with 32% in Schofields. These differences matter for finance, because lenders assess apartments, strata buildings and houses on land differently.
Both suburbs are in the same state, so transfer duty is calculated on the same scale and the difference in upfront cost comes from the purchase price. The panel below applies that scale, and an estimate of lenders mortgage insurance, to the prices you enter.
NSW 2765 · North-west growth corridor
Riverstone
Riverstone is an older Blacktown township now surrounded by growth corridor development, 94.5 per cent detached houses with only 27 apartments.
Blacktown. Approximately 45 km north-west of the Sydney CBD, on the T1 line.
Read the full Riverstone guideNSW 2762 · North-west growth corridor
Schofields
Schofields is a growth corridor suburb with its own station, where only 8.3 per cent of households own outright and 59.4 per cent hold a mortgage.
Blacktown. Approximately 42 km north-west of the Sydney CBD, on the T1 line.
Read the full Schofields guide
What buying in Riverstone and Schofields would mean for the loan
The difference between two suburbs is usually a difference in price, and price drives the deposit, the transfer duty, any lenders mortgage insurance and the repayment. Enter the prices you are seeing and the panel works out each of those for Riverstone and Schofields.
Your prices and deposit
Enter the price you are seeing in each suburb. BorrowWise does not quote prices, so the comparison uses yours.
Enter a price for Riverstone to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Enter a price for Schofields to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Warning: The interest rate used here is an example only. It is not a comparison rate and is not a rate offered by any lender, and it does not include fees and charges. Different rates, terms, fees or loan amounts will give a different result.
Estimates only. Repayments assume a principal and interest loan at a constant rate, which is an assumption and not a current market rate. Transfer duty is indicative for established homes, first home buyer relief depends on eligibility, and upfront cash includes an allowance of $3,000 for conveyancing and inspections. Lenders mortgage insurance is an estimate and is added to the loan. A lender makes its own assessment.
Riverstone and Schofields: Census profile compared
Figures are from the 2021 Census, so rents, repayments and incomes have moved since. They are most useful for comparing one suburb with another and with Australia as a whole.
| Measure | Riverstone | Schofields |
|---|---|---|
| People and households | ||
| Residents | 8,627 | 15,213 |
| Median ageAustralia 38 | 32 | 32 |
| Average household sizeAustralia 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.2 |
| Median household income, weeklyAustralia $1,746 | $2,138 | $2,696 |
| Housing costs at the 2021 Census | ||
| Median rent, weeklyAustralia $375 | $450 | $540 |
| Median mortgage repayment, monthlyAustralia $1,863 | $2,513 | $2,600 |
| Who owns and who rents | ||
| Households rentingAustralia 31% | 35% | 32% |
| Owned with a mortgageAustralia 35% | 45% | 59% |
| Owned outrightAustralia 31% | 19% | 8% |
| Types of home | ||
| Separate housesAustralia 72% | 94% | 83% |
| Townhouses, terraces and semi-detachedAustralia 13% | 4% | 6% |
| Flats and apartmentsAustralia 14% | 1% | 11% |
| Homes with two bedrooms or fewer | 9% | 12% |
| Homes with four bedrooms or more | 50% | 65% |
| Dwellings unoccupied on Census night | 5% | 5% |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0). Tenure shares exclude households that did not state their tenure. Dwelling shares are of occupied private dwellings.
Home loan considerations in Riverstone and Schofields
Lenders treat houses on land, townhouses and apartments differently, and some apply extra conditions to small apartments, high-density buildings or particular postcodes. These are the points each guide raises.
Riverstone
- First home buyers
- Upgraders
- Investors
- Housing spans a wide range of ages, so comparisons should come from similar stock.
- The lowest income of this group sits alongside above-median repayments.
- No vendor building report is required, which matters given the mixed housing age.
- Some lenders apply postcode-based limits to high LVR lending in growth corridors.
- There is effectively no attached market, with only 27 apartments in the suburb.
Schofields
- First home buyers
- Upgraders
- Investors
- Outright ownership of 8.3 per cent is among the lowest recorded in these guides.
- Estate guidelines can differ between areas released at different times.
- A construction loan draws down in stages against an as-if-complete valuation.
- Some lenders apply postcode-based limits to high LVR lending in growth corridors.
- The apartments near the station are a distinct market from the houses.
Housing stock in Riverstone and Schofields compared
Riverstone
- Detached houses of mixed age
- Separate houses numbered 2,642 at the 2021 Census, 94.5 per cent of occupied homes.
- Three and four bedroom homes
- At the 2021 Census, 1,144 dwellings had four bedrooms and 1,109 had three.
- Negligible attached stock
- Only 108 townhouse dwellings and 27 flats were counted at the 2021 Census.
Schofields
- New detached estate houses
- Separate houses numbered 3,820 at the 2021 Census, 83.1 per cent of occupied homes.
- Four bedroom homes
- At 2,436 dwellings, the dominant size recorded at the 2021 Census, with 542 having five or more.
- Apartments near the station
- The 488 flats counted at the 2021 Census, 10.6 per cent of occupied homes.
Official sale price and rent figures for Riverstone and Schofields
Only figures published free of charge by a government agency are shown. Where none is published the space is left empty rather than filled with an estimate. Each guide charts the full series.
Riverstone
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Riverstone, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Schofields
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Schofields, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Transport, schools and amenities in Riverstone and Schofields
Riverstone
Transport
- Riverstone Station (train)
- Sydney buses (bus)
- Richmond Road (road)
- M7 Motorway (road)
Amenities
- Riverstone local shops
- Rouse Hill Town Centre
- Riverstone parklands
Schofields
Transport
- Schofields Station (train)
- Tallawong Metro (metro)
- Sydney buses (bus)
- M7 Motorway (road)
Amenities
- Schofields local shops
- Rouse Hill Town Centre
- Schofields parklands
School listings show name, level and sector only. Enrolment areas change, so confirm eligibility for a specific address with the school or the New South Wales education department.
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Request a free assessment: Riverstone or Schofields
An accredited mortgage broker can check your borrowing power against prices in Riverstone and Schofields, and explain how lenders treat the homes you are considering. The assessment is free of charge and carries no obligation.