Waterloo

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 was 18,359 as of November 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This represented a 12.1% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 16,379 people. The growth 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 resulted in a population density ratio of 16,246 persons per square kilometer, placing Waterloo in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Waterloo's growth rate exceeded both the state (6.7%) and metropolitan area figures, making it a regional growth leader since the 2021 Census. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.6% of overall population gains during recent periods in Waterloo.

AreaSearch adopted 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 used NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations were applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, Waterloo is forecasted to experience significant population growth, with an expected increase of 8,047 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers. This reflects a total increase of 43.5% over the 17-year period.

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

Waterloo has seen approximately 268 new homes approved each year over the past five financial years, totalling 1,344 homes. As of FY-26, there have been zero approvals recorded so far. On average, 1.1 new residents per year arrive for every new home approved between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balance between supply and demand. The average construction cost value of new dwellings over this period was $396,000.

In the current financial year, Waterloo has seen $3.0 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting its residential character. Compared to Greater Sydney, Waterloo shows 179% higher construction activity per person, offering greater choice for buyers. This is notably higher than the national average, indicating strong developer confidence in the location. All recent developments have been attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living and creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With approximately 145 people per approval, Waterloo reflects a developing area. By 2041, Waterloo is projected to grow by 7,979 residents according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate.

Current development appears well-suited to meet 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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 45 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Waterloo Metro Quarter, Danks Street District, 207 Young Street Waterloo, and Zetland Square. The following details projects likely most 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 an educated workforce with the technology sector prominent. The unemployment rate was 8.4% as of September 2025.

In this period, 10,551 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 4.2%, matching Greater Sydney's rate. Workforce participation was 64.2%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 60%. Leading employment industries were professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Professional & technical had a notable concentration with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average.

Conversely, health care & social assistance showed lower representation at 9.6% versus the regional average of 14.1%. The area offered limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. In the 12 months prior, Waterloo's labour force decreased by 1.3% and employment declined by 1.7%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. This contrasted with Greater Sydney where employment rose by 2.1%. State-level data to 25-Nov showed NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 3.9%, favourable compared to the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Waterloo's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though this was a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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 income in Waterloo SA2 is $64,199 and average income is $78,302. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Waterloo SA2 would be approximately $72,294 (median) and $88,176 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows individual earnings in Waterloo SA2 reach the 89th percentile nationally at $1,172 weekly. Income analysis reveals that 29.8% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (5,470 residents), consistent with broader trends across the area showing 30.9% in the same category. A significant 30.7% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 24.9% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 54th 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

The latest Census evaluated in Waterloo showed 0.5% houses and 99.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 2.3% houses and 97.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Waterloo was at 6.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.4% and rented dwellings at 75.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Waterloo was $2,500, below Sydney metro's average of $2,705. The median weekly rent in Waterloo was $530, compared to Sydney metro's $550. Nationally, Waterloo's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,500 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above 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, which is 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 higher than broader standards. Among residents aged 15+, 56.1% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. This high level of educational attainment positions Waterloo favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common 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+, 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. This includes tertiary education (14.1%), primary education (3.3%), and secondary education (2.0%).

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 lightrail and bus services. There are 16 different routes operating in total.

They provide a combined weekly passenger trip count of 9,109. Residents have excellent accessibility to these stops, with an average distance of 100 meters to the nearest one. Daily service frequency across all routes is 1,301 trips. This equates 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. 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 (10,795 people), compared 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. 76.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.4% across Greater Sydney. As of the latest data (September 20XX), 10.4% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,907 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges requiring more attention than the broader population.

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 has a culturally diverse population, 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% of its population. Judaism is overrepresented in Waterloo at 1.6%, compared to 1.1% across Greater Sydney.

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 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 concentration is significantly higher than the national figure of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the 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 cohort has decreased from 35.6% to 33.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Waterloo. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 32%, adding 1,931 residents to reach a total of 8,040.