Crows Nest - Waverton

Crows Nest - Waverton is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Crows Nest - Waverton's population is around 18,989 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,073 people (6.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,916 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,908 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 152 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 6,393 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly sought-after resource. Crows Nest - Waverton's 6.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (5.6%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 68.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Regarding demographic trends, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation is expected, with the area expected to grow by 1,477 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 7.3% in total over the 17 years.

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

Crows Nest - Waverton has seen around 81 new homes approved each year, with 406 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 17 so far in FY-26. With population declining over recent years, new supply has likely been keeping up with demand, offering good choice to buyers, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $773,000, showing that developers are focusing on the premium market with high-end developments. Additionally, $385.7 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, suggesting robust local business investment.

When measured against Greater Sydney, Crows Nest - Waverton has 109.0% more building activity (per person), offering buyers greater choice. New building activity consists of 1.0% detached houses and 99.0% medium and high-density housing. This skew toward compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 819 people per dwelling approval, Crows Nest - Waverton reflects a highly mature market.

Population forecasts indicate Crows Nest - Waverton will gain 1,396 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Crows Nest - Waverton has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 94 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade, Hume Place, Falcon & Alexander (Five Ways), and The Collective, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The labour market in Crows Nest - Waverton demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Crows Nest - Waverton possesses a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector a particular standout in terms of representation, an unemployment rate of 4.1%, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of December 2025, 12,330 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is in line with Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (77.4% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%). Based on Census responses, a high 67.7% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in professional & technical, with employment levels at 2.0 times the regional average. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 4.2% versus the regional average of 8.6%. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.4% and labour force increased by 1.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a marginal rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Crows Nest - Waverton. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Crows Nest - Waverton's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.8% over five years and 15.3% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Crows Nest - Waverton SA2 is exceptionally high nationally, with the median assessed at $84,399 while the average income stands at $123,571. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's figures of a median income of $60,817 and an average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $91,877 (median) and $134,519 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Crows Nest - Waverton, between the 92nd and 98th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals the $4000+ earnings band captures 32.4% of the community (6,152 individuals), unlike trends in the surrounding region where 30.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. A significant 45.7% earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting pockets of prosperity that drive robust local economic activity. High housing costs consume 17.3% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 91st percentile and 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

Dwelling structure within Crows Nest - Waverton, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 9.8% houses and 90.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Crows Nest - Waverton lagged that of Sydney metro, at 25.7%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (23.0%) or rented (51.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Sydney metro average at $2,950, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $575, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427 and $470. Nationally, Crows Nest - Waverton's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are 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 dominate at 58.8% of all households, comprising 20.6% couples with children, 30.8% couples without children, and 6.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 41.2%, with lone person households at 35.3% and group households comprising 5.8% of the total. The median household size of 2.0 people is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 66.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in NSW. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 41.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (20.0%) and graduate diplomas (4.9%). Vocational pathways account for 17.6% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (9.7%) and certificates (7.9%).

A substantial 23.1% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 7.2% in tertiary education, 6.2% in primary education, and 3.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 83 active transport stops operating within Crows Nest - Waverton, comprising a mix of train, light rail, and buses. These stops are serviced by 101 individual routes, collectively providing 18,863 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 123 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 51%, with 18% walking and 16% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 0.5 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A high 67.7% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 2,694 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 227 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 demonstrates outstanding results across Crows Nest - Waverton, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 79% of the total population (14,963 people). This compares to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 7.4% and 7.2% of residents, respectively, while 75.1% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 17.2% of residents aged 65 and over (3,266 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Crows Nest - Waverton was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Crows Nest - Waverton scores highly on cultural diversity, with 25.7% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 41.1% born overseas. The main religion in Crows Nest - Waverton is Christianity, which makes up 40.1% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 1.1% of the population, compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Crows Nest - Waverton are English, comprising 23.7% of the population, Australian, comprising 17.4% of the population, and Other, comprising 12.3% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: French is notably overrepresented at 1.1% of Crows Nest - Waverton (vs 0.5% regionally), Russian at 0.8% (vs 0.4%) and South Australian at 0.9% (vs 0.5%).

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

The 38-year median age in Crows Nest - Waverton is close to Greater Sydney's average of 37 and equivalent to the Australian median of 38. Relative to Greater Sydney, Crows Nest - Waverton has a higher concentration of 25 - 34 residents (21.5%) but fewer 5 - 14 year-olds (7.0%). This 25 - 34 concentration is well above the national 14.4%. Since the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 4.7% to 6.4% of the population. Conversely, the 35 to 44 cohort has declined from 19.4% to 18.6%. By 2041, Crows Nest - Waverton is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading the demographic shift, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 40% (487 people), reaching 1,707 from 1,219. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those 65+ comprising 70% of projected growth. On the other hand, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 0 to 4 cohorts.