Crows Nest - Waverton
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Crows Nest - Waverton reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Crows Nest - Waverton's population is around 18,970 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,054 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,916 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,908 in June 2024 and an additional 144 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 6,387 persons per square kilometer. Crows Nest - Waverton's growth rate of 5.9% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's growth rate of 5.4%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 68.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends and latest population numbers, Crows Nest - Waverton is expected to grow by 1,477 persons to reach approximately 20,447 by 2041, recording a gain of 7.5% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Crows Nest - Waverton when compared nationally

Crows Nest-Waverton has seen approximately 81 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 406 homes were approved. In FY26, up until now, about 10 homes have been approved.

Despite a population decline in recent years, new supply appears to have kept pace with demand, providing good options for buyers. The average construction cost value of new properties is around $895,000, indicating a focus on the premium market by developers. This financial year has seen approximately $385.7 million in commercial approvals, suggesting strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Crows Nest-Waverton has about 109% more building activity per person, offering buyers greater choice. New building activity is predominantly medium and high-density housing (99%), with detached houses making up only 1%.

This focus on compact living provides affordable entry pathways, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 819 people per dwelling approval, the area reflects a highly mature market. Population forecasts indicate that Crows Nest-Waverton will gain approximately 1,415 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand readily, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Crows Nest - Waverton has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 77 projects that may affect the area. Notable projects include the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade, Hume Place (Crows Nest Over-Station Development), Falcon & Alexander (Five Ways), and The Newlands St Leonards.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Employment conditions in Crows Nest - Waverton remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Crows Nest - Waverton has a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector notably represented. As of June 2025, its unemployment rate is 4.4%.

The area's employment figures show that 12,461 residents are working, which is 0.2% above Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Crows Nest - Waverton is high at 73.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The leading employment industries among residents include professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Notably, the area specialises in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 2.0 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 4.2% compared to the regional average of 8.6%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work, as indicated by the Census working population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.1%, while employment declined by 1.6%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 1.4 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6% during this period. As of Sep-25, NSW's employment has contracted by 0.41%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5%, and employment growth is 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Crows Nest - Waverton's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.8% over five years and 15.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

The median income among taxpayers in Crows Nest - Waverton, according to AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, is $81,929. The average income for the area during this period was $125,013. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high, with Greater Sydney having a median income of $56,994 and an average income of $80,856. By March 2025, based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, the estimated median income would be approximately $90,613 and the average income would be around $138,264. Census 2021 income data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Crows Nest - Waverton all rank highly nationally, between the 93rd and 99th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 32.4% of residents earning $4000 or more per week (6,146 residents), which contrasts with the metropolitan region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. The substantial proportion of high earners, with 45.7% earning above $3,000 per week, indicates strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. High housing costs consume 17.3% of income in Crows Nest - Waverton, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 91st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Crows Nest - Waverton features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Crows Nest-Waverton, as per the latest Census evaluation, 9.8% of dwellings were houses while 90.2% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwellings. This contrasts with Sydney metropolitan areas where 17.9% of dwellings are houses and 82.1% are other types. Home ownership in Crows Nest-Waverton stood at 25.7%, with mortgaged properties at 23.0% and rented ones at 51.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,950, lower than Sydney's average of $3,085. Weekly rent median was $575 compared to Sydney's $582. Nationally, Crows Nest-Waverton's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,950 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Crows Nest - Waverton features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 58.8% of all households, including 20.6% couples with children, 30.8% couples without children, and 6.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for 41.2%, with lone person households at 35.3% and group households comprising 5.8%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.1.

Crows Nest - Waverton demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Crows Nest-Waverton is notably high, with 66.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 41.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (20.0%) and graduate diplomas (4.9%). Vocational pathways account for 17.6%, with advanced diplomas at 9.7% and certificates at 7.9%. A significant 23.1% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 7.2% in tertiary education, 6.2% in primary education, and 3.9% in secondary education.

The area has two schools serving 1,704 students: North Sydney Girls High School and Anzac Park Public School. These schools demonstrate high educational performance, with an ICSEA score of 1172, placing them among the most advantaged nationally. Educational provision follows conventional lines, with one primary and one secondary institution. However, local school capacity is limited at 9.0 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 19.2, leading many families to travel for schooling.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

The transport analysis conducted indicates that there are 67 active transport stops currently operating within the Crows Nest - Waverton area. These stops offer a variety of services, including trains, light rail, and buses. In total, these stops are serviced by 101 different routes which collectively facilitate 13,879 weekly passenger trips.

The analysis rates the transport accessibility in this region as excellent, with residents typically located just 123 meters away from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are 1,982 trips made per day across all routes, translating to approximately 207 weekly trips per individual stop.

Crows Nest - Waverton's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Crows Nest - Waverton, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 80% of the total population (15,213 people), compared to 86.4% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 7.4 and 7.2% of residents respectively, while 75.1% report being completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 75.2% across Greater Sydney.

As of 30 June 20XX (note: the year is not provided in the original text), 16.4% of residents are aged 65 and over (3,114 people), lower than the 20.1% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors in Crows Nest - Waverton are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

Crows Nest - Waverton is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Crows Nest-Waverton has a high cultural diversity, with 25.7% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 41.1% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Crows Nest-Waverton, making up 40.1% of people. Judaism is slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 1.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (23.7%), Australian (17.4%), and Other (12.3%). French, Russian, and South African ethnic groups are notably overrepresented in Crows Nest-Waverton compared to regional averages.

Crows Nest - Waverton's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Crows Nest - Waverton is close to Greater Sydney's average at 37 years and equivalent to Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Crows Nest - Waverton has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (22.2%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (7.1%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between June 2021 and June 2026, the percentage of residents aged 75 to 84 grew from 4.7% to 6.0%, while those aged 35 to 44 declined from 19.4% to 18.7%. By 2041, Crows Nest - Waverton's population is projected to see notable shifts in age composition. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 49%, reaching 1,707 from 1,141. This growth will be led by the aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising 71% of projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for residents aged 5-14 and 0-4 years old.