Victoria · Suburb Profile

Waterways VIC — Suburb Profile

Population, median income, rent prices, housing costs and demographics for Waterways, Victoria. ABS Census 2021.

The population of Waterways VIC is 2,422 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Waterways is $960 per week ($49,920 per year). Median rent in Waterways is $623 per week ($2,700 per month). Waterways has a median age of 41 years, older than the national median of 38. Waterways has a population density of 1429.0 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Waterways is India. The most common religion is No Religion (36% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Waterways is $2,500.

There were 88 recorded offences in Waterways in 2025-25, a rate of 36 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (41 offences).

Waterways Map

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Waterways Population

residents (Census 2021)

Waterways Median Income & Rent

💰

Median Income

$960/wk

$49,920 per year

#1515 of 14,663

🏠

Median Rent

$623/wk

$2,700 per month

#174 of 14,663

👤

Median Age

41years

3 years older than national median

🏡

Mortgage

$2,500/mo

Avg household size: 3.3 · 0.8 per bedroom

Waterways Demographics

Gender Split

Male 50.5% (1,223) Female 49.5% (1,199)

Population Density

1429.0

people per km²

2,422 people · 1.7 km²

Households

3.3

Avg household size

0.8

Persons per bedroom

$2,995

Family income/wk

Waterways 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)

Waterways Housing Tenure

🏠

Owned outright

33.9% 212 dwellings

🏦

Owned with mortgage

66.1% 414 dwellings

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

Waterways Country of Birth

Australia

72.2%

India

7.7%

China

7.4%

England

5.2%

Cambodia

4.1%

Greece

0.8%

Bangladesh

0.7%

Croatia

0.7%

Germany

0.6%

Hong Kong

0.5%

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

Waterways Religion

No Religion

36.4%

Catholic

23.8%

Buddhism

12.8%

Anglican

7.3%

Hinduism

6.0%

Eastern Orthodox

6.0%

Not stated

4.6%

Christian (other)

3.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G14 — Religion by SAL

Waterways Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent

84.2%

Year 11 or equivalent

7.8%

Year 10 or equivalent

6.5%

Year 9 or equivalent

1.5%

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

Waterways Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin

27.1%

Vietnamese

19.0%

Other

11.5%

Khmer

11.3%

Greek

9.4%

Cantonese

9.1%

Hindi

7.2%

Other Indo-Aryan

5.4%

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

Waterways Employment

💼

Employed full-time

45.4% 842 people

⏰

Employed part-time

23.5% 435 people

🔍

Unemployed

3.8% 70 people

🏠

Not in labour force

27.4% 508 people

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

Waterways Qualifications

Bachelor Degree

44.0%

Advanced Diploma/Diploma

17.9%

Postgraduate Degree

15.5%

Certificate III/IV

15.4%

Graduate Diploma/Certificate

6.4%

Certificate I/II

0.8%

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

Waterways Occupation

Professionals

35.5%

Managers

23.0%

Clerical & Administrative

13.8%

Technicians & Trade Workers

8.3%

Community & Personal Service

7.1%

Sales Workers

7.1%

Labourers

2.8%

Machinery Operators & Drivers

2.5%

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

Waterways Field of Study

Management & Commerce

30.2%

Engineering

15.9%

Health

14.4%

Society & Culture

10.5%

Information Technology

6.6%

Natural & Physical Sciences

6.5%

Education

6.3%

Architecture & Building

3.4%

Food, Hospitality & Personal Services

3.3%

Creative Arts

3.1%

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

Waterways Dwelling Types

Separate house

87.9%

Semi-detached (2+ storey)

8.5%

Semi-detached (1 storey)

3.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G36 — Dwelling Structure by SAL

Waterways Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk

1.1%

$1-$149/wk

0.5%

$150-$299/wk

0.8%

$300-$399/wk

1.2%

$400-$499/wk

2.0%

$500-$649/wk

1.1%

$650-$799/wk

2.3%

$800-$999/wk

2.2%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

4.9%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

3.8%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

5.7%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

5.8%

$2,000-$2,499/wk

9.8%

$2,500-$2,999/wk

8.1%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

9.1%

$3,500-$3,999/wk

8.8%

$4,000+/wk

32.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G33 — Household Income by SAL

Waterways Marital Status

💍

Married

60.5% 1,184

↔️

Separated

1.5% 29

📋

Divorced

4.4% 87

🕊️

Widowed

2.3% 45

👤

Never married

31.3% 612

Source: ABS Census 2021 G05 — Marital Status by SAL

Waterways Ancestry

Other

17.8%

English

17.5%

Chinese

16.0%

Australian

15.4%

Indian

6.6%

Scottish

5.3%

Vietnamese

5.0%

Irish

4.8%

Italian

3.7%

Greek

3.5%

German

2.5%

Sri Lankan

1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G08 — Ancestry by SAL

Waterways School & University Attendance

Primary — Government

26.5%

Secondary — Government

19.5%

Secondary — Other Non-Govt

15.4%

Secondary — Catholic

9.5%

Primary — Other Non-Govt

8.6%

Pre-school

7.4%

Primary — Catholic

7.2%

Vocational Education

6.0%

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

Waterways Need for Assistance

♿

Needs assistance

3.1% 148

✅

No need for assistance

96.9% 4,583

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

Waterways Volunteering

🤝

Volunteer

11.5% 220

—

Not a volunteer

88.5% 1,689

Source: ABS Census 2021 G23 — Voluntary Work by SAL

Waterways Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo

8.9%

$300-$449/mo

2.5%

$450-$599/mo

0.9%

$600-$799/mo

1.5%

$800-$999/mo

4.3%

$1,000-$1,399/mo

7.7%

$1,400-$1,799/mo

11.4%

$1,800-$2,399/mo

20.9%

$2,400-$2,999/mo

17.2%

$3,000-$3,999/mo

24.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G38 — Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Waterways How People Get to Work

Car (driver)

75.4%

Did not go to work

16.1%

Car (passenger)

4.9%

Train

2.1%

Truck

0.7%

Bicycle

0.5%

Bus

0.3%

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

Waterways Car Ownership

0 vehicles

0.8%

1 vehicle

15.5%

2 vehicles

48.4%

3 vehicles

25.0%

4+ vehicles

10.3%

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

Waterways Number of Bedrooms

2 bedrooms

1.3%

3 bedrooms

24.9%

4 bedrooms

55.4%

5 bedrooms

16.5%

6+ bedrooms

2.0%

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

Waterways Population Mobility

7.9%

moved in the last year

23.9%

moved in the last 5 years

4.7%

unemployment rate (Census)

72.1%

labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021 G43 — Summary by SAL

Waterways Indigenous Population

0.4%

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Indigenous residents

4,751

Non-Indigenous residents

Source: ABS Census 2021 G07 — Indigenous Status by SAL

Waterways Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health

110

Asthma

Diabetes

Heart disease

Arthritis

Cancer

Stroke

Kidney disease

Lung condition

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

Waterways Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk

13.9%

$1-$149/wk

5.8%

$150-$299/wk

5.3%

$300-$399/wk

2.8%

$400-$499/wk

2.0%

$500-$649/wk

2.9%

$650-$799/wk

6.2%

$800-$999/wk

7.1%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

10.1%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

7.8%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

7.1%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

5.2%

$2,000-$2,999/wk

11.6%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

4.2%

$3,500+/wk

8.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G17 — Personal Income by SAL

Waterways Family Structure

Couple — children under 15

45.5%

Couple — no children under 15

30.9%

Couple — no children

15.3%

One parent — no children under 15

4.7%

One parent — children under 15

3.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G29 — Family Composition by SAL

Waterways Military Service

🎖️

Current ADF — Regular

0.3% 5

🛡️

Current ADF — Reserves

0.2% 4

🏅

Previously served

1.1% 21

👤

Never served

98.4% 1,892

Source: ABS Census 2021 G22 — ADF Service by SAL

Waterways Unpaid Carers

🤲

Provided unpaid assistance

12.2% 232

—

Did not provide

87.8% 1,662

Source: ABS Census 2021 G25 — Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Waterways Children Ever Born

No children

30.3%

1 child

13.1%

2 children

37.6%

3 children

15.1%

4 children

3.0%

5+ children

0.9%

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

Waterways When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951

1951–1960

1961–1970

1971–1980

1981–1990

229

1991–2000

180

2001–2010

334

2011–2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

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

Waterways Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours

23.5%

5–14 hours

27.9%

15–29 hours

13.2%

30+ hours

7.1%

Did not do domestic work

28.3%

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

Waterways Household Size

1 person

6.5%

2 persons

24.2%

3 persons

20.6%

4 persons

32.3%

5 persons

12.4%

6+ persons

4.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G35 — Household Size by SAL

Waterways Where Residents Moved From

Same address

2,184

Moved from VIC

Moved — same area (SA2)

Moved from overseas

Moved from NSW

Moved from QLD

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

Waterways Family Blending

Intact family — no other children

92.8%

Step family — no other children

5.2%

Blended family — no other children

1.1%

Intact family — other children present

0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G31 — Family Blending by SAL

Waterways Crime Statistics

Reported offences in 2025-25 — 88 total

Theft

Break & Enter

Assault

Justice Procedures

Property Damage

Fraud

Drug Offences

Offence trend by year:

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria — crimestatistics.vic.gov.au

Waterways Schools

schools nearby

government

1102

avg ICSEA score

8,254

total students

Haileybury College Independent

Combined · Prep-12 · 4,880 students

1191

ICSEA

St Louis de Montfort's School Catholic

Primary · Prep-6 · 594 students

1107

ICSEA

Edithvale Primary School Government

Primary · Prep-6 · 525 students

1100

ICSEA

Aspendale Gardens Primary School Government

Primary · Prep-6 · 592 students

1095

ICSEA

St Mark's School Catholic

Primary · Prep-6 · 421 students

1083

ICSEA

Lighthouse Christian College Independent

Combined · Prep-12 · 827 students

1082

ICSEA

Chelsea Heights Primary School Government

Primary · Prep-6 · 415 students

1059

ICSEA

Haileybury College - Keysborough Girls Independent

Combined

Haileybury College - Pangea Independent

Combined

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

View all schools in Waterways with map →

Waterways Rent Prices & Affordability

21%

of income

Affordable

Household Income $3,013/wk

Median Rent $623/wk

Rent-to-Income 20.7%

Rent is under 25% of household income — generally considered affordable.

If you earn X in Waterways

Your weekly income

≈ $13,056/month

Median rent $623/wk

Left after rent $2,390/wk

Rent share 20.7%

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Elliminyt

Income: $804/wk Rent: $290/wk Save: $333/wk

Haven

Income: $912/wk Rent: $303/wk Save: $320/wk

Nar Nar Goon

Income: $776/wk Rent: $305/wk Save: $318/wk

Nyora (Vic.)

Income: $771/wk Rent: $315/wk Save: $308/wk

Lockwood South

Income: $816/wk Rent: $320/wk Save: $303/wk

Silvan

Income: $805/wk Rent: $350/wk Save: $273/wk

Lancefield

Income: $771/wk Rent: $360/wk Save: $263/wk

Gembrook

Income: $815/wk Rent: $360/wk Save: $263/wk

Waterways vs State & National Average

Nearby Suburbs in VIC

Ross Creek (Vic.)

Pop: 1,221 Income: $823/wk Rent: $310/wk

Timboon

Pop: 1,250 Income: $687/wk Rent: $260/wk

Mount Dandenong

Pop: 1,271 Income: $858/wk Rent: $415/wk

Haddon

Pop: 1,276 Income: $790/wk Rent: $400/wk

Kalorama

Pop: 1,277 Income: $958/wk Rent: $416/wk

Blind Bight

Pop: 1,290 Income: $807/wk Rent: $360/wk

Compare Waterways

Waterways vs Ross Creek (Vic.) →Waterways vs Timboon →Waterways vs Mount Dandenong →Waterways vs Haddon →

Frequently Asked Questions About Waterways

What is the population of Waterways VIC?

The population of Waterways VIC is 2,422 according to the ABS Census 2021.The suburb has a population density of 1429.0 people per km².Waterways is ranked #2,763 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Waterways?

The median personal income in Waterways VIC is $960 per week, or $49,920 per year.The median household income is $3,013 per week.Family income is $2,995 per week.Waterways is ranked #1,515 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Waterways?

Median rent in Waterways VIC is $623 per week ($2,700 per month).Rent represents 20.7% of household income, which is considered affordable.Waterways ranks #174 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Waterways?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Waterways VIC 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 Waterways?

The median age in Waterways VIC is 41 years.This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Waterways a good suburb to live in?

Waterways is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 2,422.The median income is $960/wk, which is above the VIC average of $779/wk.Rent affordability is rated as affordable (20.7% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Looking for schools, childcare centres, and playgrounds in this area? See kid.com.au for family facilities data.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 22720. All dollar figures in AUD.