Riverview is an unincorporated community in southeastern Hillsborough County, along the Alafia River about 12 miles southeast of downtown Tampa. It grew from a river settlement into one of the largest communities in the county: the 2020 census counted 107,396 residents in the Riverview census-designated place, up from 71,050 in 2010. Master-planned communities built since 2000 make up most of its housing.
Riverview is an unincorporated community in southeastern Hillsborough County, Florida, along the Alafia River about 12 miles southeast of downtown Tampa. The 2020 census counted 107,396 residents in the Riverview census-designated place, up from 71,050 in 2010, which makes it one of the largest communities in the county. Most of its homes are in master-planned communities built since 2000, with older large-lot and riverfront homes along the Alafia. Shane Vanderson works with buyers and sellers in Riverview from Engel & Völkers South Tampa.
Living in Riverview
Riverview began in the 1880s as a settlement on the north bank of the Alafia River, and in the 1940s it absorbed Peru, an older settlement on the south bank. The river still runs through the north part of the community, with public access at the Riverview Civic Center on Park Drive and at Pebble Park, a 27-acre Hillsborough County conservation park on Riverview Drive that opened in 2022. Bell Creek Nature Preserve, 477 acres off McMullen Road, has several miles of marked hiking trails. Interstate 75, U.S. 301, and the Selmon Expressway connect Riverview to downtown Tampa and Brandon, and St. Joseph’s Hospital-South, which BayCare opened in 2015, sits on Big Bend Road just east of I-75. Alafia River State Park is a short drive east in Lithia.
The Riverview market
Most Riverview homes were built after 2000 in master-planned communities such as Panther Trace and Summerfield, where single-family homes and townhomes come with HOA dues and, in many cases, community development district assessments on the property tax bill. New construction continues across the area, so resale homes compete with builder inventory and incentives, and a total-cost comparison of price, HOA, CDD, insurance, and commute matters more than price per square foot. The older Riverview along the Alafia River and Riverview Drive has larger lots, mature trees, and some riverfront homes with docks; those are where the flood zone, elevation, and seawall or dock condition need the closest look. The Riverview Community Plan, first adopted in 2005, is being updated by Plan Hillsborough, so check current land-use and road plans near any home you consider. Apollo Beach to the southwest offers canal waterfront on Tampa Bay.
Boundaries
The Riverview census-designated place lies in southeastern Hillsborough County, with ZIP codes 33569, 33578, and 33579. The Alafia River runs through its north side and separates it from Bloomingdale to the northeast; Brandon is to the north, Lithia and FishHawk are to the east, Gibsonton is to the west, and Apollo Beach and Ruskin are to the southwest. Interstate 75 and U.S. 301 run north and south; Big Bend Road, Boyette Road, and Riverview Drive are the main east-west routes.
Homes in Riverview
Two patterns. Most homes were built after 2000 in master-planned communities, including Panther Trace and Summerfield, with single-family homes and townhomes, community pools and parks, HOA dues, and in many cases community development district assessments. New construction continues in several areas, so builder inventory competes with resale. The older Riverview along the Alafia River, Riverview Drive, and U.S. 301 has homes from earlier decades on larger lots, including some riverfront homes with docks.
Nearby amenities
Alafia River access at the Riverview Civic Center (11020 Park Drive) and Pebble Park, a 27-acre county conservation park at 9955 Riverview Drive; a public boat ramp on Riverview Drive; Bell Creek Nature Preserve, 477 acres at 10940 McMullen Road with hiking trails; Alafia River State Park in nearby Lithia; St. Joseph’s Hospital-South at 6901 Simmons Loop off Big Bend Road; Winthrop Town Centre shops and restaurants; Interstate 75, U.S. 301, and the Selmon Expressway; Downtown Tampa, typically 20 to 30 minutes; Tampa International Airport and MacDill Air Force Base, each typically 30 to 40 minutes.
Newest listings in Riverview
Frequently asked questions
Is Riverview part of the City of Tampa?
No. Riverview is unincorporated Hillsborough County, so the county handles zoning, permits, and code enforcement, and property taxes carry no city millage. A Riverview mailing address uses ZIP 33569, 33578, or 33579. Confirm the parcel on the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser record before you rely on an address alone.
Do Riverview homes have CDD fees?
Many do. A large share of the communities built since 2000 use community development districts, which add a non-ad valorem assessment to the property tax bill on top of HOA dues. The amount and the payoff date differ by community and by phase. Ask for the current tax bill and the CDD bond schedule before you write an offer.
Does Riverview have flood risk?
Riverview is inland from Tampa Bay, so most of it has less storm-surge exposure than coastal communities such as Apollo Beach. The Alafia River, Bell Creek, and other creeks still carry mapped FEMA flood zones. Check the flood zone, an elevation certificate if one exists, and the flood insurance history for the specific address.
