New South Wales · Suburb Profile

Waterloo NSW — Suburb Profile

Population, median income, rent prices, housing costs and demographics for Waterloo, New South Wales. ABS Census 2021.

The population of Waterloo NSW is 16,379 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Waterloo is $1,172 per week ($60,944 per year). Median rent in Waterloo is $530 per week ($2,297 per month). Waterloo has a median age of 33 years, younger than the national median of 38. Waterloo has a population density of 14444.8 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Waterloo is China. The most common religion is No Religion (55% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Waterloo is $2,500.

There were 540 recorded offences in Waterloo in 2025-26, a rate of 33 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (184 offences).

Waterloo Map

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Waterloo Population

residents (Census 2021)

Waterloo Median Income & Rent

💰

Median Income

$1,172/wk

$60,944 per year

#489 of 14,663

🏠

Median Rent

$530/wk

$2,297 per month

#461 of 14,663

👤

Median Age

33years

5 years younger than national median

🏡

Mortgage

$2,500/mo

Avg household size: 1.8 · 1.1 per bedroom

Waterloo Demographics

Gender Split

Male 54.0% (8,846) Female 46.0% (7,534)

Population Density

14444.8

people per km²

16,379 people · 1.1 km²

Households

1.8

Avg household size

1.1

Persons per bedroom

$2,699

Family income/wk

Waterloo Age Distribution

0-4

5-9

10-14

15-19

20-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-69

70-74

75-79

80-84

85+

♂ Male ♀ Female

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Waterloo Housing Tenure

🏠

Owned outright

25.7% 495 dwellings

🏦

Owned with mortgage

74.3% 1,431 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Waterloo Country of Birth

Australia

62.7%

China

15.6%

England

9.8%

Brazil

2.9%

India

2.5%

Indonesia

1.9%

Hong Kong

1.5%

France

1.2%

Germany

1.0%

Iran

0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G09 — Country of Birth by SAL

Waterloo Religion

No Religion

54.9%

Catholic

18.0%

Not stated

11.2%

Buddhism

4.8%

Anglican

4.6%

Islam

2.3%

Eastern Orthodox

2.2%

Christian (other)

2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G14 — Religion by SAL

Waterloo Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent

86.4%

Year 10 or equivalent

7.0%

Year 11 or equivalent

4.5%

Year 9 or equivalent

2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G16 — Highest Year of School by SAL

Waterloo Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin

41.9%

Other

12.3%

Spanish

11.9%

Cantonese

9.6%

Russian

8.1%

SAL Tot

6.0%

Portuguese

5.8%

Italian

4.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G13 — Language Spoken at Home by SAL

Waterloo Employment

💼

Employed full-time

47.9% 6,160 people

⏰

Employed part-time

16.0% 2,057 people

🔍

Unemployed

4.7% 603 people

🏠

Not in labour force

31.4% 4,029 people

Source: ABS Census 2021 G46 — Labour Force Status by SAL

Waterloo Qualifications

Bachelor Degree

48.2%

Postgraduate Degree

22.0%

Advanced Diploma/Diploma

13.9%

Certificate III/IV

11.3%

Graduate Diploma/Certificate

3.7%

Certificate I/II

0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G49 — Non-School Qualification by SAL

Waterloo Occupation

Professionals

46.0%

Managers

18.3%

Clerical & Administrative

10.0%

Technicians & Trade Workers

8.3%

Community & Personal Service

6.0%

Sales Workers

5.7%

Labourers

3.6%

Machinery Operators & Drivers

2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G51 — Industry of Employment by Occupation

Waterloo Field of Study

Management & Commerce

32.2%

Society & Culture

14.6%

Creative Arts

11.2%

Engineering

9.2%

Health

7.8%

Information Technology

7.1%

Architecture & Building

5.3%

Natural & Physical Sciences

4.3%

Food, Hospitality & Personal Services

4.1%

Education

3.6%

Agriculture & Environment

0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G51 — Field of Study by SAL

Waterloo Dwelling Types

Semi-detached (2+ storey)

77.3%

Semi-detached (1 storey)

17.0%

Separate house

5.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G36 — Dwelling Structure by SAL

Waterloo Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk

3.9%

$1-$149/wk

0.9%

$150-$299/wk

3.1%

$300-$399/wk

4.9%

$400-$499/wk

7.3%

$500-$649/wk

2.6%

$650-$799/wk

4.0%

$800-$999/wk

3.7%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

4.1%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

4.9%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

4.8%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

4.9%

$2,000-$2,499/wk

13.7%

$2,500-$2,999/wk

6.4%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

7.8%

$3,500-$3,999/wk

5.1%

$4,000+/wk

17.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G33 — Household Income by SAL

Waterloo Marital Status

💍

Married

22.4% 3,386

↔️

Separated

2.4% 359

📋

Divorced

8.1% 1,230

🕊️

Widowed

2.6% 397

👤

Never married

64.4% 9,733

Source: ABS Census 2021 G05 — Marital Status by SAL

Waterloo Ancestry

English

20.7%

Other

19.0%

Chinese

18.3%

Australian

13.0%

Irish

9.1%

Scottish

5.1%

Italian

3.6%

German

2.6%

Aboriginal Australianralian

2.5%

Indian

2.4%

Russian

2.0%

Vietnamese

1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G08 — Ancestry by SAL

Waterloo School & University Attendance

Vocational Education

43.2%

Primary — Government

20.1%

Pre-school

12.1%

Secondary — Government

11.2%

Primary — Catholic

5.2%

Secondary — Catholic

3.7%

Primary — Other Non-Govt

2.3%

Secondary — Other Non-Govt

2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G15 — Type of Educational Institution by SAL

Waterloo Need for Assistance

♿

Needs assistance

4.9% 1,475

✅

No need for assistance

95.1% 28,408

Source: ABS Census 2021 G18 — Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Waterloo Volunteering

🤝

Volunteer

10.5% 1,434

—

Not a volunteer

89.5% 12,243

Source: ABS Census 2021 G23 — Voluntary Work by SAL

Waterloo Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo

4.9%

$300-$449/mo

0.5%

$450-$599/mo

0.8%

$600-$799/mo

1.3%

$800-$999/mo

1.7%

$1,000-$1,399/mo

8.8%

$1,400-$1,799/mo

8.6%

$1,800-$2,399/mo

26.6%

$2,400-$2,999/mo

22.3%

$3,000-$3,999/mo

24.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G38 — Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Waterloo How People Get to Work

Car (driver)

35.5%

Did not go to work

23.7%

Walked only

12.5%

Bus

9.7%

Bicycle

5.0%

Train

4.7%

Car (passenger)

3.4%

Motorbike/Scooter

2.8%

Other

1.5%

Taxi/Rideshare

0.7%

Truck

0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G62 — Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Waterloo Car Ownership

0 vehicles

38.2%

1 vehicle

49.7%

2 vehicles

10.4%

3 vehicles

1.2%

4+ vehicles

0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G34 — Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Waterloo Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom

29.1%

2 bedrooms

55.2%

3 bedrooms

14.1%

4 bedrooms

1.3%

5 bedrooms

0.1%

6+ bedrooms

0.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G41 — Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Waterloo Population Mobility

33.4%

moved in the last year

69.1%

moved in the last 5 years

6.2%

unemployment rate (Census)

64.2%

labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021 G43 — Summary by SAL

Waterloo Indigenous Population

3.0%

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

908

Indigenous residents

29,192

Non-Indigenous residents

Source: ABS Census 2021 G07 — Indigenous Status by SAL

Waterloo Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health

1,418

Asthma

591

Arthritis

361

Diabetes

293

Heart disease

232

Lung condition

202

Cancer

162

Kidney disease

120

Stroke

109

Dementia

Source: ABS Census 2021 G19 — Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Waterloo Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk

9.1%

$1-$149/wk

1.7%

$150-$299/wk

4.6%

$300-$399/wk

3.9%

$400-$499/wk

3.7%

$500-$649/wk

2.5%

$650-$799/wk

5.7%

$800-$999/wk

6.8%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

9.8%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

9.1%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

9.1%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

7.4%

$2,000-$2,999/wk

16.6%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

4.0%

$3,500+/wk

6.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G17 — Personal Income by SAL

Waterloo Family Structure

Couple — no children

57.4%

Couple — children under 15

26.2%

One parent — no children under 15

6.4%

One parent — children under 15

5.9%

Couple — no children under 15

4.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G29 — Family Composition by SAL

Waterloo Military Service

🎖️

Current ADF — Regular

0.9% 127

🛡️

Current ADF — Reserves

0.1% 10

🏅

Previously served

1.0% 136

👤

Never served

98.0% 13,450

Source: ABS Census 2021 G22 — ADF Service by SAL

Waterloo Unpaid Carers

🤲

Provided unpaid assistance

5.9% 803

—

Did not provide

94.1% 12,835

Source: ABS Census 2021 G25 — Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Waterloo Children Ever Born

No children

69.2%

1 child

13.9%

2 children

11.3%

3 children

3.5%

4 children

1.4%

5+ children

0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G28 — Children Ever Born by SAL

Waterloo When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951

1951–1960

1961–1970

175

1971–1980

318

1981–1990

667

1991–2000

1,036

2001–2010

1,492

2011–2015

1,682

2016

574

2017

683

2018

739

2019

931

2020

305

2021

Source: ABS Census 2021 G10 — Year of Arrival by SAL

Waterloo Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours

23.8%

5–14 hours

29.9%

15–29 hours

7.7%

30+ hours

4.0%

Did not do domestic work

34.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G24 — Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Waterloo Household Size

1 person

40.5%

2 persons

41.9%

3 persons

11.7%

4 persons

4.5%

5 persons

1.1%

6+ persons

0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G35 — Household Size by SAL

Waterloo Where Residents Moved From

Same address

9,802

Moved from NSW

3,302

Moved — same area (SA2)

831

Moved from overseas

312

Moved from VIC

145

Moved from QLD

130

Moved from WA

Moved from SA

Moved from ACT

Moved from TAS

Moved from NT

Source: ABS Census 2021 G44 — Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Waterloo Family Blending

Intact family — no other children

90.6%

Step family — no other children

7.1%

Blended family — no other children

1.3%

Intact family — other children present

0.5%

Other couple — children only

0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G31 — Family Blending by SAL

Waterloo Crime Statistics

Reported offences in 2025-26 — 540 total

Theft

184

Other Against Property

119

Assault

Drug Offences

Property Damage

Other Against Person

Sexual Offences

Weapons

Traffic

Robbery

Offence trend by year:

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR — bocsar.nsw.gov.au

Waterloo Schools

schools nearby

government

1086

avg ICSEA score

25,284

total students

Sydney Grammar School Independent

Secondary · K-12 · 1,925 students

1274

ICSEA

Ascham School Independent

Combined · K-12 · 1,182 students

1217

ICSEA

SCEGGS Darlinghurst Independent

Combined · K-12 · 936 students

1209

ICSEA

Sydney Girls High School Government

Secondary · 7-12 · 929 students

1193

ICSEA

St Andrew's Cathedral School Independent

Combined · K-12 · 1,436 students

1189

ICSEA

Sydney Boys High School Government

Secondary · 7-12 · 1,205 students

1189

ICSEA

Glenmore Road Public School Government

Primary · K-6 · 263 students

1176

ICSEA

International Grammar School Independent

Combined · K-12 · 1,224 students

1170

ICSEA

St Francis of Assisi Regional Catholic Primary School Catholic

Primary · K-6 · 151 students

1167

ICSEA

Forest Lodge Public School Government

Primary · K-6 · 307 students

1161

ICSEA

Darlinghurst Public School Government

Primary · K-6 · 210 students

1156

ICSEA

Paddington Public School Government

Primary · K-6 · 147 students

1155

ICSEA

Erskineville Public School Government

Primary · K-6 · 334 students

1155

ICSEA

Westbourne College Sydney Independent

Secondary · 10-12 · 65 students

1153

ICSEA

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School Catholic

Primary · K-6 · 412 students

1145

ICSEA

Showing 15 of 63 schools

Source: ACARA — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2025. ICSEA = Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

View all schools in Waterloo with map →

Waterloo Rent Prices & Affordability

26%

of income

Moderate

Household Income $2,028/wk

Median Rent $530/wk

Rent-to-Income 26.1%

Rent is between 25–35% of household income — moderate housing costs.

If you earn X in Waterloo

Your weekly income

≈ $8,788/month

Median rent $530/wk

Left after rent $1,498/wk

Rent share 26.1%

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Westmead

Income: $974/wk Rent: $410/wk Save: $120/wk

Claremont Meadows

Income: $979/wk Rent: $430/wk Save: $100/wk

Appin (NSW)

Income: $971/wk Rent: $450/wk Save: $80/wk

Bungarribee

Income: $1,077/wk Rent: $453/wk Save: $77/wk

Cameron Park

Income: $987/wk Rent: $510/wk Save: $20/wk

Queanbeyan East

Income: $1,079/wk Rent: $310/wk Save: $220/wk

The Hill

Income: $1,147/wk Rent: $390/wk Save: $140/wk

Eglinton (NSW)

Income: $941/wk Rent: $415/wk Save: $115/wk

Waterloo vs State & National Average

Nearby Suburbs in NSW

Petersham

Pop: 8,200 Income: $1,223/wk Rent: $450/wk

Gymea

Pop: 8,219 Income: $1,020/wk Rent: $500/wk

Warners Bay

Pop: 8,237 Income: $766/wk Rent: $420/wk

Narrabeen

Pop: 8,255 Income: $1,025/wk Rent: $565/wk

Katoomba

Pop: 8,268 Income: $649/wk Rent: $350/wk

Fairfield Heights

Pop: 8,269 Income: $431/wk Rent: $450/wk

Compare Waterloo (NSW)

Waterloo (NSW) vs Petersham →Waterloo (NSW) vs Gymea →Waterloo (NSW) vs Warners Bay →Waterloo (NSW) vs Narrabeen →

Frequently Asked Questions About Waterloo

What is the population of Waterloo NSW?

The population of Waterloo NSW is 16,379 according to the ABS Census 2021.The suburb has a population density of 14444.8 people per km².Waterloo is ranked #233 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Waterloo?

The median personal income in Waterloo NSW is $1,172 per week, or $60,944 per year.The median household income is $2,028 per week.Family income is $2,699 per week.Waterloo is ranked #489 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Waterloo?

Median rent in Waterloo NSW is $530 per week ($2,297 per month).Rent represents 26.1% of household income, which is considered moderate.Waterloo ranks #461 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Waterloo?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Waterloo NSW is $2,500. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Waterloo?

The median age in Waterloo NSW is 33 years.This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Waterloo a good suburb to live in?

Waterloo is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 16,379.The median income is $1,172/wk, which is above the NSW average of $781/wk.Rent affordability is rated as moderate (26.1% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 14201. All dollar figures in AUD.