Waterloo
Statistical Area - sa2

Waterloo lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Waterloo's population is 18,359 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,980 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,379. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,291 in June 2024 and an additional 35 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 16,246 persons per square kilometer, placing Waterloo in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth of 12.1% since the 2021 census exceeded both state (6.7%) and metropolitan area averages. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 90.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

For projections, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for covered SA2 areas, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for uncovered areas. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, Waterloo is expected to grow exceptionally over the period, expanding by 8,047 persons to 2041 with a total increase of 43.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Waterloo among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Waterloo has seen approximately 268 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 1344 homes. As of FY26, no approvals have been recorded yet. On average, 1.1 new residents arrive per year for each new home approved between FY21 and FY25, indicating balanced supply and demand dynamics. The average construction cost value for new dwellings is $396,000.

In FY26, $3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Sydney, Waterloo shows 179% higher construction activity per person. Recent developments have consisted entirely of attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living and creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With around 145 people per approval, Waterloo reflects a developing area. By 2041, the population is expected to grow by 7979 residents. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Looking ahead, Waterloo is expected to grow by 7,979 residents through to 2041. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Waterloo has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 45 projects that could impact the area. Notable ones include Waterloo Metro Quarter, Danks Street District, 207 Young Street Waterloo, and Waterloo South Renewal Project. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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.

Employment drivers in Waterloo are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Waterloo has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. As of June 2025, its unemployment rate is 8.1%.

Over the past year, employment stability has been relatively consistent. Waterloo's unemployment rate is 3.9% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation in Waterloo is 64.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading industries for residents include professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance.

Professional & technical services have a particularly notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average. Conversely, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 9.6%, compared to the regional average of 14.1%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as suggested by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 0.1% while the labour force grew by 0.5%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6%, the labour force grow by 2.9%, and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 provide insight into potential future demand within Waterloo. These projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Waterloo's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.2% over five years and 14.3% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows median assessed income in Waterloo is $64,199 and average income is $78,302. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's figures of a median income of $56,994 and an average income of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Waterloo would be approximately $72,294 (median) and $88,176 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals individual earnings at the 90th percentile nationally are $1,172 weekly. Income analysis shows that in Waterloo, 29.8% earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, with a total of 5,470 residents falling into this category. This is consistent with broader trends across the area showing 30.9% in the same category. Notably, 30.7% earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting prosperous pockets driving robust local economic activity. High housing costs consume 24.9% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 55th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Waterloo's latest Census data showed 0.5% houses and 99.4% other dwellings. Sydney metro had 2.3% houses and 97.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Waterloo was 6.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.4% and rented ones at 75.3%. Median monthly mortgage repayments were $2,500 compared to Sydney metro's $2,705. Median weekly rent was $530 versus Sydney metro's $550. Nationally, Waterloo's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863 and rents surpassed the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 46.6% of all households, including 9.4% that are couples with children, 30.5% that are couples without children, and 5.4% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 53.4%, with lone person households at 40.5% and group households comprising 12.8%. The median household size is 1.8 people, smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 1.9.

Educational outcomes in Waterloo fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Waterloo's educational attainment is notably high, with 56.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. This places Waterloo favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 36.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational pathways account for 21.3% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 10.5% and certificates 10.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 14.1% in tertiary education, 3.3% in primary education, and 2.0% pursuing secondary education. Waterloo has two schools serving 119 students: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School and Yudi Gunyi School. The area offers varied educational conditions with one primary school and one K-12 school. Local school capacity is limited at 0.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 7.7, 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

Waterloo has 33 active public transport stops. These include a mix of light rail and bus services. There are 16 individual routes operating in total, serving 9,109 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 100 meters to the nearest stop. The service frequency is 1,301 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately 276 weekly trips per individual stop.

Waterloo's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Waterloo region. Younger cohorts in particular have very low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population, which is 10,795 people. This compares to 69.7% across Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 8.4 and 6.6% of residents respectively. A total of 76.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.4% across Greater Sydney. Waterloo region has 10.4% of residents aged 65 and over, which is 1,907 people.

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

Waterloo's population is diverse, with 43.3% speaking a language other than English at home and 59.3% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Waterloo, comprising 32.2%. Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 1.6% of Waterloo's population.

The top three ancestry groups are English (18.2%), Other (16.7%), and Chinese (16.1%). Notably, Russian (1.7%) Spanish (1.3%), and French (0.9%) ethnicities have higher representation in Waterloo compared to the regional averages.

Waterloo's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Waterloo's median age is 33, which is younger than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Waterloo has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (33.3%) compared to Greater Sydney but fewer residents aged 5-14 (3.7%). This 25-34 age group is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 11.4% to 13.3%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 18.4% to 19.7%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group has decreased from 35.6% to 33.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes in Waterloo. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 32%, adding 1,931 residents and reaching a total of 8,040.