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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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Sales Activity
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
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Population
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 around 18,757 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,378 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,379 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,631 from the ABS as of June 2025 and an additional 149 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 16,599 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Waterloo's growth of 14.5% since the 2021 census exceeded the state (7.1%) and Greater Sydney, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 93.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.
AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Population projections forecast a significant increase in the top quartile of national statistical areas, with Waterloo expected to increase by 7,553 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall increase of 39.6% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Waterloo among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide
Waterloo has received approximately 268 dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 1344 homes were approved, with no approvals recorded so far in FY-26. On average, each new home attracts about 1.1 new residents annually over these five years, indicating a balanced supply and demand market that supports stable conditions.
The average construction cost for new homes is $396,000. This year, Waterloo has seen $3 million worth of commercial development approvals, reflecting its residential character. Compared to Greater Sydney, Waterloo has experienced 176% more new home approvals per capita, offering greater choice to buyers. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. Nationally, the level is substantially higher, suggesting strong developer confidence in Waterloo's location. All new construction since FY-21 has been townhouses or apartments, promoting higher-density living that caters to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.
With around 145 people per dwelling approval, Waterloo exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the suburb is projected to add approximately 7427 residents by 2041. Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Waterloo
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Waterloo has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally
The performance of a region is significantly impacted by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 42 projects that could affect this area. Notable projects include Danks Street District, Waterloo Metro Quarter (Waterloo Collective), 207 Young Street Waterloo, and Waterloo Renewal Project - Waterloo South. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Green Square Town Centre
Green Square Town Centre is one of Australia's largest urban renewal projects, transforming a 278 hectare former industrial area in inner south Sydney into a high-density mixed-use precinct. When complete by 2030, it is planned to accommodate around 61,000 residents in approximately 33,000 dwellings and provide 21,000 to 22,000 jobs, just 3.5km from the Sydney CBD and 4km from Sydney Airport. The precinct holds a 6 Star Green Star Communities rating and includes the Green Square Library and Plaza, Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre, the new Green Square Public School and Community Spaces, more than 40 parks, and one of Australia's largest urban stormwater recycling schemes servicing over 4,000 apartments. Stages 1 and 2 of the town centre, delivered by Mirvac (which acquired Landcom's interest in 2020), are complete with around 800 homes across eight buildings, including The Frederick, Portman on the Park, Portman House and seven Portman Street terraces finished through 2024. The final stages 3, 4 and 5 are now being assessed as State Significant Developments under the Housing Delivery Authority pathway, with around 1,825 additional homes proposed across nine buildings (511 build-to-rent, 800 build-to-sell apartments and 514 student accommodation units) at a combined development cost of about 1.23 billion dollars. Stage 3 (Sites 7, 17 and 18 at 960A Bourke Street, SSD-83899206) and Stages 4 and 5 (Sites 8 and 19 at 411 Botany Road, SSD-84322496) were on public exhibition in early 2026, with a mid-2026 construction start slated for the next stage. Public domain works include three new streets (Woolpack, Hinchcliffe and Barker Streets) and the Ngamuru Avenue connector.
Waterloo Renewal Project - Waterloo South
Waterloo South is the first stage of the Waterloo Renewal Project, a major mixed-tenure urban renewal program on Gadigal Land. The Concept State Significant Development Application and concurrent rezoning for Waterloo Estate South are on public exhibition from 6 May 2026 to 2 June 2026. The proposal is for around 3,300 homes, including 50% social and affordable housing, with more than 1,000 social homes, more than 600 affordable homes and about 1,500 private homes, plus upgraded parks, community facilities, shops, services and transport links. The Waterloo Partnership, led by Stockland with Link Wentworth Housing, City West Housing and Birribee Housing, is working with Homes NSW to deliver Waterloo South over an estimated 10 to 15 years.
Waterloo Metro Quarter (Waterloo Collective)
The Waterloo Metro Quarter, marketed by the developer as Waterloo Collective, is a 900 million dollar mixed-use over-station development being delivered by a Mirvac and John Holland joint venture in partnership with the NSW Government. The precinct sits above and beside the new Sydney Metro Waterloo Station, which opened in August 2024 on the City and Southwest line. The site is bounded by Cope Street, Botany Road, Raglan Street and Wellington Street, and is divided into Southern, Central and Northern precincts. The Southern Precinct has been completed, comprising a 9-storey social housing building of 70 apartments operated by Homes NSW, with first tenants moving in from October 2025, a 25-storey IGLU-operated student accommodation building of around 474 student beds, the Cope Street Plaza and ground-plane retail and community space. The Central and Northern Precincts are being progressed under a revised concept, with the original commercial office tower replaced by additional housing in response to weak office demand. The Northern Precinct proposes two residential towers of 29 and 25 storeys delivering around 314 apartments including 40 affordable housing units, podium commercial space and ground floor retail. The Central Precinct proposes a 26-storey co-living building accommodating around 500 residents, plus retail, a childcare centre and community facilities. The revised State Significant Development Applications were on public exhibition until 15 January 2026 and remain under assessment by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.
Redfern Place
A landmark inner-city urban renewal precinct on a 1.1 hectare site opposite Redfern Oval, set to deliver around 355 new homes across four buildings (ranging from approximately 4 to 16 storeys). The mix is heavily weighted to social, affordable and disability support housing, including 100 social housing units, around 80 affordable units for key workers, 40 affordable homes for very low to moderate income households, 11 specialist disability accommodation homes, and approximately 100 private market sale apartments. The precinct also includes a new 3,500 square metre community facility incorporating a replacement PCYC, a new head office for community housing provider Bridge Housing, ground floor retail and commercial spaces, a central garden courtyard, rooftop terraces and a combined basement. Bridge Housing leads the development in partnership with Capella Capital and Homes NSW, with Hickory as builder. The design has been informed by a Designing with Country process led by Yerrabingin, with Hayball as precinct executive architect, Silvester Fuller designing the market and key worker building, Architecture AND designing the community facility, and Aspect Studios leading landscape and rooftop design. The development application (SSD-512749373) was lodged in late 2024 and is being assessed by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, with planning consent anticipated and construction targeted to commence in 2026 for completion in early 2028.
Danks Street District
A mixed-use development by DASCO, comprising 373 apartments across six buildings up to eight storeys, with ground-floor retail, basement parking, and communal facilities. Designed by Bates Smart and MHNDU, the project transforms a former industrial site into a vibrant urban precinct adjacent to the Danks Street creative hub.
Acacia Apartments
A 257-apartment affordable housing development by City West Housing at 330-332 Botany Road, Alexandria (opposite Green Square Station). All units dedicated to affordable rental housing in perpetuity. Stage 2 DA approved December 2024, now under construction.
Green Square Public School
A new public primary school and community facilities delivered by School Infrastructure NSW in partnership with the City of Sydney on the former Royal South Sydney Hospital site. The project provides 24 classrooms for 600 students, a library and canteen, staff areas, a covered outdoor learning area, multipurpose spaces, and out of school hours care. The school features modern learning spaces, a sports court, and two dedicated community spaces with separate access from Zetland Avenue available for after-hours hire. The school opened in early 2025 at a temporary Rainbow Street campus while construction at the Joynton Avenue site was completed, with the permanent campus officially opening in October 2025. Designed by BVN and built by Hutchinson Builders.
207 Young Street Waterloo
Mixed-use build-to-rent precinct on the corner of Danks and Young Street delivering about 400 rental apartments and ~2,500 sqm of retail. Part of the Danks Street precinct revival, close to Green Square Station and the future Waterloo Metro.
Employment
Employment drivers in Waterloo are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia
Waterloo has a highly educated workforce. In the technology sector, it stands out in terms of representation. As of December 2025, its unemployment rate is 8.5%.
By this date, 10,573 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 4.3% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. According to Census responses, 58.5% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors include professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance.
Waterloo specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance has lower representation at 9.6%, compared to the regional average of 14.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population count versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, Waterloo's labour force decreased by 0.3% while employment declined by 1.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that over five years, employment should increase by 7.2% in Waterloo, and over ten years, it should grow by 14.3%. These projections are based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific growth rates against Waterloo's employment mix.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch
The Waterloo SA2 had one of Australia's highest incomes according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $66,369 and the average income stood at $80,851. For Greater Sydney, these figures were $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimates for March 2026 would be approximately $73,218 (median) and $89,195 (average). From the 2021 Census, individual earnings were at the 89th percentile nationally ($1,172 weekly). The earnings profile showed that 29.8% of individuals earned between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (5,589 individuals), similar to the surrounding region's 30.9%. Notably, 30.7% earned over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consumed 24.9% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 54th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking was in the 8th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Waterloo features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region
Waterloo's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 0.5% houses and 99.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Waterloo stood at 6.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.4% and rented ones at 75.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, exceeding Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Waterloo was $530, higher than Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Waterloo's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Waterloo features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size
Family households constitute 46.6% of all households, including 9.4% couples with children, 30.5% couples without children, and 5.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for 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 2.7.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Educational outcomes in Waterloo fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment
Waterloo's educational attainment exceeds national averages significantly. 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 the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 36.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%).
Vocational pathways account for 21.3% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 10.8%. Educational participation is notably high in Waterloo, with 29.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.1% in tertiary education, 3.3% in primary education, and 2.0% pursuing secondary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Waterloo has 39 active public transport stops, serving a mix of lightrail and bus services. These are covered by 16 different routes, offering 11,492 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically living within 100 meters of the nearest stop. The area is primarily residential, with most commuters traveling outward. Car remains the dominant transport mode at 44%, followed by bus at 16% and walking at 14%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.3 per dwelling, below the regional average.
According to the 2021 Census, 58.5% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 1,641 trips per day, equating to approximately 294 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Health outcomes in Waterloo are marginally below the national average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts
Waterloo's health indicators show below-average outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.
Mental health issues and asthma are the most common conditions, affecting 8.4% and 6.6% of residents respectively. Approximately 76.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The under-65 population has better than average health outcomes. Waterloo has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 10.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 15.5%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
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 high level of cultural diversity, with 43.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 59.3% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Waterloo, making up 32.2% of the population. Judaism is overrepresented in Waterloo compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 1.6% versus 0.8%.
The top three ancestry groups are English (18.2%), Other (16.7%), and Chinese (16.1%), with Chinese being substantially higher than the regional average of 8.4%. Notably, Russian (1.7%) Spanish (1.3%), and French (0.9%) ethnicities are also overrepresented compared to regional averages.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
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. Compared to Greater Sydney, Waterloo has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (33.2%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (3.8%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national figure of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the proportion of Waterloo's population aged 15-24 has increased from 11.4% to 13.7%, while the proportion of those aged 35-44 has risen from 18.4% to 20.0%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has decreased from 35.6% to 33.2%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic shifts in Waterloo, with the strongest projected growth occurring among the 25-34 age group, which is expected to grow by 31%, adding 1,939 residents to reach a total of 8,167.