Ruthven flood map & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Ruthven (Lismore, NSW) - 17.71 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is relatively unconstrained.
Everything below is suburb-wide. Overlays change block to block - see which ones actually touch your lot. The map is free.
Constraint readout
17.71 km² - this suburb is relatively unconstrained by planning overlays.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Ruthven's boundary, with the flood, bushfire and environmental overlays drawn on top. It shows where constraints fall; the interactive map shows them on your exact address.
Ruthven at a glance
How Ruthven is zoned
Buying in Ruthven? The zoning, flood and bushfire lines on the section 10.7 certificate attached to the contract are mapped controls - see our s10.7 certificate guide.
Across its 17.71 km², Ruthven is relatively unconstrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 7% is flagged bushfire-prone. The dominant land-use zone is Primary Production. The median lot measures about 71,514 m² across 103 parcels. These figures are suburb-wide - the overlays that actually apply to a given lot can differ block to block, which is what a property-level check tells you.
Who lives in Ruthven
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Ruthven suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.
Socio-economic standing
ABS SEIFA 2021 ranks every Australian suburb. Decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of the country, decile 10 the least.
Score 963, and decile 4 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Ruthven's 114 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Lismore Surrounds, the wider ABS statistical area containing Ruthven. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Ruthven itself.
14,249 in 2001 to 16,160 in 2025, up 13%.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Census of Population and Housing 2021 (General Community Profile) and SEIFA 2021, both published at the Suburbs and Localities level; Regional Population (estimated resident population) at Statistical Area Level 2. Used under CC BY 4.0. Census counts of small populations are randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality, so figures for small suburbs are indicative.
Ruthven data sources and coverage
Every figure below is an aggregate for the suburb boundary. “Not mapped” means LayeredGeo does not hold a source layer covering this suburb; it is never an all-clear for a particular property.
| Dataset | Coverage | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Flood mapping | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Bushfire-prone mapping | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Zoning | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Heritage and environment | Mapped where published | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Demographics | Available | Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021 Census and SEIFA) |
Profile last materially updated 5 August 2026. See the methodology and full source list. Source data changes over time and critical decisions should be checked with the responsible authority.
Check a specific Ruthven address
See exactly which overlays touch a single property - the interactive map is free. Need it on paper? A full planning PDF is just $9.
See what's in the $9 report →Ruthven planning - frequently asked
Where can I see a flood map of Ruthven?
The schematic on this page is a Ruthven flood map: the mapped flood overlays drawn over the suburb's terrain and street grid. Flood lines vary block to block, so for a specific property use the free interactive map - search any Ruthven address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.
Is Ruthven flood-prone?
Flood mapping covers Ruthven and none of the suburb falls within a mapped flood overlay. Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.
Is Ruthven bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 7% of Ruthven is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Lismore average of 33%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.
What is the zoning in Ruthven?
The dominant planning zone in Ruthven is Primary Production, though the suburb also includes Natural Waterways and Environmental Management. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Ruthven have heritage-listed places?
No heritage-listed places are on record within Ruthven. Even so, it is worth confirming for an individual property before any works.
What is the typical lot size in Ruthven?
Across 103 surveyed parcels in Ruthven, the median lot size is about 71,514 m².
What is the population of Ruthven?
At the 2021 Census Ruthven had 114 usual residents, with a median age of 40 and an average household size of 2.9 people. The wider Lismore Surrounds statistical area, which contains Ruthven, went from 14,249 people in 2001 to 16,160 in 2025, up 13%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Ruthven alone.
Is Ruthven an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Ruthven scores 963 and sits in decile 4 of 10 nationally and decile 4 within New South Wales - decile 1 being the most disadvantaged tenth of Australian suburbs and decile 10 the least. The national average score is 1000. SEIFA summarises income, education, occupation and housing across the whole suburb, so it describes the area, not any particular household in it.
What is the median household income in Ruthven?
Median household income in Ruthven was $2,208 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,458 for the typical suburb in Lismore. Median rent was $313 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,192 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.
Do I need a planning report for a Ruthven property?
A Ruthven planning report pulls every overlay - zoning, flood, bushfire, heritage and environmental - that touches a single lot, on live council and state data. The interactive map preview is free; a full PDF report is $9.
Compare nearby suburbs
| Nearby suburb | Distance | Flood mapped | Bushfire-prone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Codrington Richmond Valley |
3.1 km | 0% | 100% |
| South Gundurimba | 4.0 km | 0% | 8% |
| Tucki Tucki | 4.9 km | 0% | 7% |
| Coraki Richmond Valley |
6.3 km | 0% | 60% |
| Tuckurimba | 6.6 km | 0% | 16% |
| Wyrallah | 7.1 km | 0% | 15% |
| Monaltrie | 9.0 km | 0% | 13% |
| Tatham Richmond Valley |
9.1 km | 0% | 91% |
| Marom Creek | 9.3 km | 0% | 30% |
| Mckees Hill | 9.9 km | Not mapped | 26% |