Riversdale, Saskatoon: Best for First-Time Buyers and Investors Seeking Affordable, Walkable Inner-City Housing

Riversdale is a historic inner-city Saskatoon neighbourhood anchored by the 20th Street West commercial district that tends to suit first-time buyers and investors looking for older, comparatively affordable housing close to downtown and the river.

Riversdale at a Glance

Riversdale is one of Saskatoon’s oldest neighbourhoods, located in Ward 2 on the west bank of the South Saskatchewan River, just across from downtown. It may be a strong fit for first-time buyers and rental-property investors who want an established inner-city setting, a defined local commercial corridor, and a median multiple well under the City’s own affordability threshold. It may be less suitable for buyers who want a newer subdivision, a high owner-occupied profile, or a larger, newer home.

According to the City of Saskatoon’s 24th edition Neighbourhood Profiles, Riversdale had a 2025 population of 2,879, a 46.0 percent homeownership rate, and an average household size of 2.0. The same profile shows a 2024 dwelling mix of 50 percent single-family dwellings, 10 percent two-unit dwellings, and 40 percent multi-unit housing.

Quick Facts

Category	Riversdale Details
Area of Saskatoon	Inner-city Saskatoon, west bank of the South Saskatchewan River, within Ward 2
Population	2,879, City of Saskatoon 24th edition Neighbourhood Profiles, 2025
Homeownership Rate	46.0 percent owned, 54 percent rented (2021 Census)
Average Household Size	2.0
Main Housing Types	Single-family homes, two-unit housing, low-rise apartment condos, condo townhomes, semi-detached homes
Dwelling Mix	50 percent single-family, 10 percent two-unit, 40 percent multi-unit housing (2024)
Neighbourhood Area	87.3 hectares, or 215.8 acres, at 13.3 dwelling units per hectare
Main Parks	Optimist Park, Isinger Park, Victoria Park
Park Space	6.3 hectares, or 15.5 acres, according to the City profile
Schools in the Area	King George School (serving King George, Pleasant Hill, and Riversdale); misiwe-kisik | One Sky planned to open September 2027
Nearby Amenities	20th Street West commercial corridor, River Landing, Idylwyld Drive access, proximity to downtown
Transit and Road Access	Saskatoon Transit Route 9, Riversdale/City Centre, plus Idylwyld Drive and the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge
Buyer Fit	First-time buyers, investors, and budget-conscious buyers who value inner-city access and an established commercial district

The City profile includes time-sensitive real estate sales data showing average sale prices by property type in Riversdale. These figures should be treated as historical context, not a current pricing guarantee.

Where Is Riversdale in Saskatoon?

Riversdale sits on the west bank of the South Saskatchewan River, directly across from downtown Saskatoon. Wikipedia’s sourced boundary description places it between 22nd Street to the north, Idylwyld Drive to the east, the river corridor and 16th Street to the south, and Avenue K to the west.

For buyers, the location is one of Riversdale’s main advantages. Idylwyld Drive and the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge connect directly to downtown, while 20th Street West runs through the neighbourhood as its historic commercial spine. River Landing, the City’s riverfront park and pathway system, borders the neighbourhood’s southeast edge.

Riversdale also has a different feel than many newer Saskatoon neighbourhoods. More than half of its housing stock was built before 1960, and the neighbourhood has a long-standing commercial district, older residential streets, and a mix of property types. That mix is part of the appeal for some buyers, but it also means conditions can vary from block to block.

What Is Riversdale Known For?

Riversdale is known for being one of Saskatoon’s oldest neighbourhoods and for the 20th Street West commercial corridor, home to the Riversdale Business Improvement District. According to Wikipedia’s sourced history, the area was originally settled in the 1890s as “Richville,” was incorporated as a town on January 16, 1905, and merged with Saskatoon and Nutana on July 1, 1906, to form the City of Saskatoon.

The Riversdale Business Improvement District was established by City of Saskatoon bylaw on February 12, 1990, and is described by Wikipedia as the largest business improvement district in Saskatchewan, spanning 59 city blocks. The district includes more than 100 independently owned businesses and has been the focus of long-running streetscape and revitalization work, including the 20th Street West Streetscape Improvement Project, which added new sidewalks, street furniture, public art, and pedestrian-focused improvements along the corridor.

The neighbourhood is also known for its housing mix and age. The City profile shows 52 percent of dwellings were built before 1960, which gives Riversdale an older architectural character than most newer Saskatoon subdivisions, alongside a meaningful share of multi-unit and two-unit housing that creates more entry-level options.

Who Is Riversdale a Good Fit For?

Riversdale fits buyers who specifically want an older, walkable inner-city setting at a comparatively affordable price point. Its housing mix, detached homes, two-unit housing, and apartment or condo units, can suit first-time buyers and rental-property investors looking for entry-level options close to downtown.

The City profile’s 2024 median multiple of 2.70 is well below the Saskatoon average of 3.96 and under the City’s own 3.0 affordability threshold, which means Riversdale is, by the City’s own measure, one of the more affordable neighbourhoods in Saskatoon relative to local incomes. The median personal income reported in the profile was $52,400, though the median total personal income from the 2022 tax-file data was $28,190, well below the citywide figure of $44,650 cited in the same document. Buyers should weigh both figures and confirm current income context rather than relying on either number alone.

Riversdale may be a better fit for buyers who are comfortable with an older, mixed-use, lower-household-size neighbourhood. With an average household size of 2.0, the neighbourhood’s housing pattern leans toward smaller households rather than larger families. It may be less suitable for buyers who want a newer subdivision with mostly detached homes and a uniform housing style, or for families who specifically want a larger home with more bedrooms.

School availability, programs, transportation, and boundaries should always be confirmed directly with Saskatoon Public Schools or Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools before buying, particularly given the planned 2027 school consolidation described below.

Schools And Childcare

King George School, located at 721 Avenue K South, is a Saskatoon Public Schools facility that currently serves the communities of King George, Pleasant Hill, and Riversdale. Saskatoon Public Schools describes the school as located close to the South Saskatchewan River and downtown Saskatoon.

A new consolidated school, named misiwe-kisik | One Sky, a Cree phrase meaning “under one big sky,” is planned to open in September 2027 at 210 Avenue H South, the former Princess Alexandra School site. The new prekindergarten-to-grade-8 school will bring together the school communities of King George, Pleasant Hill, and the former Princess Alexandra School, serving the same three communities King George currently serves. Princess Alexandra School itself closed permanently, and the City profile’s enrolment table shows the school listed as “N/A” from 2022 onward.

E.D. Feehan Catholic High School, located at 411 Avenue M North, is a Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools secondary school serving grades 9 through 12, with an enrolment of 516 students reported in 2025. Buyers seeking Catholic elementary options should confirm current attendance boundaries directly with Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, since no Catholic elementary school is located within Riversdale itself.

Given the planned 2027 school consolidation, buyers with school-age children should confirm current and future attendance boundaries directly with Saskatoon Public Schools before purchasing.

Parks And Outdoor Space

Riversdale has 6.3 hectares, or 15.5 acres, of total park space according to the City profile. Named parks include Optimist Park, a district park at 2.9 hectares (7.1 acres), Victoria Park, a special-use park at 2.8 hectares (6.9 acres), and Isinger Park, a neighbourhood park at 0.6 hectares (1.5 acres).

The neighbourhood also borders River Landing, the City’s riverfront park and pathway system, along its southeast edge near the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge. The Riversdale Local Area Plan’s implementation summary notes that pathway improvements in Victoria Park, completed following a 2009 master plan process, created linkages between Victoria Park, River Landing, Avenue C and the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, and the 17th Street green space.

Daily errands are supported by the 20th Street West commercial corridor, which the Riversdale Business Improvement District describes as home to more than 100 independently owned shops, restaurants, and services. Buyers wanting larger-format shopping are a short drive from downtown and other central Saskatoon commercial areas, depending on the exact address.

Housing Types And Price Reality

Riversdale’s housing stock is roughly evenly split between single-family and multi-unit housing, with a smaller two-unit share. The City’s 2024 dwelling count shows 575 single-family dwellings (50 percent), 121 two-unit dwellings (10 percent), and 466 multi-unit dwellings (40 percent), out of 1,162 total dwellings.

The age of housing is heavily weighted toward older construction. The City profile’s 2021 Census data shows 52 percent of dwellings were built before 1960, 12 percent from 1961 to 1980, 6 percent from 1981 to 1990, and smaller shares from more recent decades, including 13 percent built from 2016 to 2021. For buyers, that means inspections matter a great deal. Depending on the property, important review items may include foundation condition, sewer line age, electrical panel capacity, knob-and-tube or older wiring, windows, roofing, grading, water heater age, furnace age, and any past renovation work.

The City profile’s 2024 real estate sales data shows 64 single-family dwelling sales at an average price of $245,906, 16 low-rise apartment condo sales at an average price of $277,400, 2 semi-detached sales at an average price of $282,500, and 1 condo townhouse sale at $335,000. No high-rise apartment condo or semi-detached two-titles sales were recorded in that period. These figures are historical context from the City profile, not a current pricing guarantee, and buyers should review current comparable sales before making decisions.

Housing affordability data in the same City profile shows a median multiple of 2.70 in 2024 for Riversdale, compared with 3.96 for Saskatoon overall. The City profile notes that a median multiple of 3.0 or under is rated as affordable, which places Riversdale below that threshold. Average owner’s major payments were reported at $1,240 and average gross rent at $1,132 in the 2021 Census data cited in the profile.

Before you start viewing homes here, it is worth knowing what buying in Saskatoon actually costs in cash, since the purchase price is only part of what you will need at closing.

Buying in Riversdale

Riversdale is worth considering if you want an older, walkable inner-city neighbourhood with a comparatively affordable median multiple, a defined local commercial corridor, and proximity to downtown and the river. The City’s housing data shows a tenure profile leaning toward rental housing, with 46.0 percent owned and 54 percent rented in 2021, which helps explain why the area can appeal to both entry-level buyers and investors.

Buyers should pay close attention to the age and condition of individual properties, since more than half of the housing stock predates 1960. A home near 20th Street West or River Landing may carry a different premium and feel than one closer to Idylwyld Drive or the rail corridor.

Best Fit for Buyers Who Want:

• An older, walkable inner-city neighbourhood close to downtown and the river
• A comparatively affordable median multiple relative to the Saskatoon average
• A mix of single-family homes, two-unit housing, and multi-unit housing
• Proximity to the 20th Street West commercial corridor and River Landing
• Older homes with renovation or rental potential
• Investment or rental-property possibilities

May Not Be the Best Fit for Buyers Who Need:

• A newer neighbourhood with mostly modern detached homes
• A high owner-occupied housing profile
• A larger home suited to a bigger household
• Minimal exposure to older-home maintenance needs
• Confirmed, stable school attendance boundaries with no upcoming changes
• A quiet, residential-only setting with no nearby commercial corridor

Selling in Riversdale

Sellers in Riversdale need to understand what buyers are comparing against. A buyer may also be looking at Pleasant Hill, King George, City Park, or sometimes Nutana, depending on budget and how much they prioritize an established commercial corridor versus a more residential or riverside feel. That means the listing should make the home’s exact fit clear, including proximity to 20th Street West, River Landing, and the planned 2027 school site.

For single-family homes, which the City profile shows as the most active 2024 sales category by volume, buyers will likely focus on the home’s age, foundation, mechanical systems, basement usability, and any updates made since the property’s original construction, given that more than half of the neighbourhood’s housing predates 1960. For condos or two-unit properties, buyers will want to review condo fees, reserve fund information, bylaws, and the condition of common areas.

Sellers should be careful not to overstate the property. In Riversdale, honest positioning works better, particularly around the home’s age and any original-condition systems. A well-priced, accurately described home can attract first-time buyers and investors, while overstating condition can create problems during showings and inspections.

Investor Notes for Riversdale

Riversdale deserves investor attention because of its rental housing share, comparatively low median multiple, and mix of single-family, two-unit, and multi-unit housing. The City profile shows 54 percent of housing was rented in 2021, which supports the idea that rental demand is already part of the neighbourhood’s housing pattern. The City’s Riversdale Local Area Plan implementation summary also notes that the City distributed a “How to Legalize an Existing Suite” brochure to Riversdale property owners in 2008 as part of a broader push to formalize secondary suites in the neighbourhood.

Potential investor options may include single-family homes, two-unit properties, low-rise apartment condos, and semi-detached homes. Investors should not assume every basement or older suite is legally configured. Zoning, permits, ceiling height, egress, parking, fire separation, electrical capacity, and building-code requirements must all be confirmed directly with the City before relying on any existing suite.

Riversdale may appeal to tenants who want inner-city access, proximity to downtown, and the services and character of the 20th Street West commercial district. The neighbourhood may also appeal to tenants who value lower-cost housing compared with many newer Saskatoon neighbourhoods. Investor risks include older-home maintenance costs, the upcoming 2027 school consolidation, block-by-block perception differences, and the general risks of an aging housing stock. No active rezoning or major development proposal specific to a single Riversdale property was identified as part of this research; investors should confirm current planning activity directly with the City of Saskatoon before relying on the absence of a finding here.

Commute And Daily Convenience

Riversdale has strong access to downtown via Idylwyld Drive and the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge, both of which connect directly into the downtown core. The City’s neighbourhood map places Riversdale immediately west of downtown across the South Saskatchewan River, with Pleasant Hill and King George bordering to the south and west.

Saskatoon Transit’s official routes and schedules page lists Route 9, Riversdale/City Centre, connecting the neighbourhood to downtown and Confederation Terminal. Riders should check the current Saskatoon Transit routes and schedules page or the Transit mobile app for specific stop locations and schedules by address.

For buyers who commute to downtown, the university area, or the broader east side, Riversdale’s location can be convenient given its direct bridge and Idylwyld Drive access. Drive and transit patterns should still be tested during actual commute times, since conditions vary by exact route and time of day.

Winter driving, snow clearing, parking, and alley access may vary by property given the age of the neighbourhood. Older areas can have different parking patterns than newer subdivisions, so buyers should look at the street and rear-lane setup when viewing homes.

Safety And Neighbourhood Perception

No independently verified, current crime statistics for Riversdale are cited here, none were available from an official source as part of this draft. What can be said directly from City sources is that Riversdale has been the subject of sustained, documented City attention around safety and revitalization. The City’s Community Support Program placed civilian uniformed Community Support Officers in the Riversdale, Broadway, and Downtown Business Improvement Districts beginning as a pilot following a 2011 Street Activity Baseline Study, was made permanent in September 2015, and as of July 1, 2024, transferred management to the Saskatoon Fire Department’s Community Support team. The City has also installed zebra crosswalks and other pedestrian-safety measures in the neighbourhood as part of streetscape improvement work.

Riversdale is also a real inner-city neighbourhood with an active, decades-long revitalization history, including the 2008 Riversdale Local Area Plan and the 20th Street West Streetscape Improvement Project. Buyers who weigh safety perception heavily should walk the specific blocks they are considering at different times of day rather than judging the neighbourhood as a whole, and can request current crime statistics from the Saskatoon Police Service directly.

Pros and Cons of Living in Riversdale

Pros	Cons
Inner-city location with direct access to downtown via Idylwyld Drive and the bridge	Lower homeownership rate than many suburban family areas
Median multiple of 2.70, well below the Saskatoon average of 3.96 and the City’s affordability threshold	More than half of homes were built before 1960, so maintenance needs can be significant
Established 20th Street West commercial corridor with more than 100 local businesses	The neighbourhood can feel different block by block
Documented City investment in revitalization and pedestrian safety	Buyers need to confirm school boundaries given the planned 2027 consolidation
Mix of single-family, two-unit, and multi-unit housing for entry-level buyers and investors	Smaller average household size may not suit larger families
Proximity to River Landing and Victoria Park	Not as uniform or quiet as many newer subdivisions
Existing rental market and investor appeal	Investors must carefully verify suite legality and property condition

Compared To Nearby Areas

• Pleasant Hill borders Riversdale to the southwest and offers a similarly affordable, older inner-city profile, with King George School also serving that community, making the two areas a natural comparison for budget-focused buyers.
• King George sits along the southern edge near Riversdale and shares the same school and many of the same revitalization programs, which may suit buyers comparing very similar inner-city options.
• City Park lies across the river to the northeast and may appeal to buyers who want a similarly historic, walkable setting with a different housing mix and a higher multi-unit share.
• Nutana sits across the river to the southeast and may suit buyers who want a comparable heritage, walkable riverside lifestyle at a higher price point and a different affordability profile.
• Downtown, directly across the bridge, may appeal to buyers who want an even denser, rental-dominated urban setting with fewer single-family options than Riversdale.

Best Fit By Buyer Type

Riversdale is worth considering if you want an older, walkable inner-city neighbourhood with a comparatively affordable median multiple, an established commercial corridor, and proximity to downtown and the river. It may not be the right fit if you want a newer, quieter, mostly owner-occupied neighbourhood with larger, newer homes.

For many buyers, the decision comes down to comfort with an older housing stock, the upcoming school consolidation, and whether Riversdale’s affordability and location outweigh the trade-offs of an aging neighbourhood with a lower homeownership rate.

For a wider comparison, see how Riversdale compares to other areas in my guide to the best Saskatoon neighbourhoods by lifestyle.