Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Waterloo
1 km²
A highly advantaged urban hub, Waterloo is among the most educated and professional areas of its kind. It is a young community where the typical resident is 33, far younger than the national figure. This youthful energy is reflected in the high number of young adults and people in de facto relationships. With a huge proportion of residents born overseas and a strong professional workforce, it is a dynamic, fast-growing part of Sydney.
Household incomes here are high, yet Waterloo's schools draw a notably less advantaged community.
A fast-growing area where schools haven't kept pace per child.
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The area is noticeably younger than the rest of Australia, with very few children under 15 and seniors over 65. It is also a place where many more people live in de facto relationships compared to the state average.
Over half of the population was born overseas, a figure far above the national average. English and Chinese are the most common ancestries, and China is the most frequent overseas birthplace.
Language diversity is high, with 39.5% of people using a language other than English at home. This is far above the New South Wales figure, and about 7.4% of residents speak little or no English.
More than half of the population report having no religion, which is far above the national figure. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 28.7%.
Waterloo is highly qualified, with 47.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far above the national figure. This is consistent with the fact that 75.4% of residents completed Year 12, which is also much higher than most areas.
Typical incomes are well above the national figure, and 21.7% of people earn $2,000 or more a week. The typical weekly personal income is $1,172, which is much higher than most similar areas.
Residents here are generally healthier than the national average, with much lower rates of long-term health conditions. Only 4.5% of people need help with daily activities, which is also lower than most areas.
Unpaid care and housework are much less common here than in other areas, with very few people caring for children unpaid. Volunteer rates are also well below the national figure.
The First Nations community here is older than the state and national averages. However, typical household and personal incomes for First Nations people are far below the state and national figures.
Small households are the norm, with a very high 40.5% of people living alone. This helps explain why the number of people per home is well below the national average.
Renters dominate the market, with 72.7% of households renting, far above the national figure. Almost all homes are flats or apartments, and typical weekly rents are well above the state average.
Working from home is very common at 52%, far above the national figure. Many residents do not own a car, and those who do commute using public transport far more often than most other areas.
The community is very mobile, with 62.5% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 30.7% of the population, which is far above the national average.
Full-time employment is high, and a large proportion of the workforce consists of professionals and managers. However, the unemployment rate is a little above the national figure.
The area is ranked as highly advantaged and has seen population growth of 12.1% since 2021, which is well above the New South Wales average.
Waterloo receives much higher annual rainfall than the New South Wales average. Minimum temperatures are also well above the state figure.
This is a walker's paradise, with every single home within a 15-minute walk of groceries, health services, parks, and public transport.