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 was approximately 18,357 as of August 2025. This represents an increase of 1,978 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,379. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,291 from the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 34 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 16,245 persons per square kilometer, placing Waterloo in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Waterloo's growth rate of 12.1% since the 2021 census exceeded both the state (6.4%) and metropolitan area averages. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, exceptional growth is predicted over this period, with Waterloo expected to expand by 8,047 persons to 2041, representing a total increase of 43.5% over the 17-year span.

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. Development approval data from the ABS is on a financial year basis, with 1344 dwellings approved over the past five years (between FY-21 and FY-25), and no approvals yet in FY-26. On average, 1.1 new residents have arrived per new home annually over these five years. This balance suggests stable market dynamics while new dwellings are developed at an average cost of $581,000.

In the current financial year, $3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating Waterloo's residential focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Waterloo has 179% higher construction activity per person, offering greater choice for buyers and reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. All recent development consists of attached dwellings, promoting affordable entry points and suitability for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With around 145 people per approval, Waterloo reflects a developing area with an expected resident growth of 7981 by 2041. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Looking ahead, Waterloo is expected to grow by 7,981 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 53 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones include Waterloo Metro Quarter (Waterloo Collective), Danks Street District, Botany Road Precinct Redevelopment, and Green Square Public School. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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. The unemployment rate was 8.1% as of June 2025, which is 3.9% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation is at 64.2%, slightly higher than Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Major employment industries include professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Waterloo has a particularly high concentration in professional & technical jobs, with 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 area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data on working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment in Waterloo increased by 0.1% while the labour force grew by 0.5%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6%. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with a state unemployment rate of 4.3% compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but industry-specific projections suggest Waterloo's growth may be 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 Waterloo's median income is $64,199 and average income is $78,302. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's median of $56,994 and average of $80,856. By March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $71,004 (median) and $86,602 (average), based on a 10.6% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census data shows individual earnings at the 90th percentile nationally are $1,172 weekly. Income analysis reveals that 29.8% of Waterloo residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (5,470 residents), consistent with broader trends in 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 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

In Waterloo, as per the latest Census evaluation, 0.5% of dwellings were houses while 99.4% consisted of other types such as semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In contrast, Sydney metro had 2.3% houses and 97.7% 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 in Waterloo was $2,500, lower than Sydney metro's $2,705. Median weekly rent in Waterloo was $530, slightly higher than Sydney metro's $550. Nationally, Waterloo's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents 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 national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 56.1% possess university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in NSW. 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%, 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 14.1% in tertiary, 3.3% in primary, and 2.0% in secondary education. Waterloo has two schools: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School and Yudi Gunyi School, serving a total of 119 students. The area offers one primary and one K-12 school. Local school capacity is limited with 0.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 7.7, leading many families to seek schooling in nearby areas.

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, serving a mix of light rail and bus routes. These stops are served by 16 individual routes, providing a total of 9,109 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 100 meters to the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 1,301 trips per day, equating 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, with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (10,793 people), compared to 69.7% across Greater Sydney.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 8.4 and 6.6% of residents respectively. A total of 76.2% of residents declare themselves as completely clear of medical ailments, which is slightly lower than the 77.4% across Greater Sydney. As of October 2021, Waterloo has 10.4% of its residents aged 65 and over (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 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 main religion in Waterloo, comprising 32.2% of people. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 1.6% versus 1.1%.

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 of 0.8%, 1.0%, and 1.1% respectively.

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

Waterloo's median age is 33, making it younger than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Waterloo has a higher percentage of 25-34 year-olds at 33.3%, but fewer 5-14 year-olds at 3.7%. This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 15 to 24 has grown from 11.4% to 13.3%, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 18.4% to 19.7%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group has decreased from 35.6% to 33.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Waterloo. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow by 32%, adding 1,932 residents to reach a total of 8,040.