Waterloo (NSW)
NSWWaterloo (NSW) is a growing suburb in NSW with 16,379 residents.
- SAL code
- 14201
- SA2
- 117031647
- Population
- 16,379
- LGA
- Sydney
Waterloo (NSW), NSW had 16,379 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 10.5% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 33. Households are most often couples without children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,500 a month. Around 24.0% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 72.7%. Most dwellings are flats or apartments, making up 91.3% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 22 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Waterloo (NSW), NSW at a glance
Waterloo is a high-density inner-south Sydney suburb ~3 km from the CBD in the City of Sydney, sitting between Surry Hills, Redfern and Alexandria. The streetscape is a working mix of Victorian terraces, post-war public housing towers and a wave of new apartment stock built around Green Square and the new Waterloo Metro. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline context.
For homebuyers
Waterloo lives like an inner-city village stitched into a construction zone. The Danks Street strip, Wellington Street and the Green Square town centre carry most of the cafes, grocers and small bars; East Village shopping centre handles the weekly shop. Transport is the headline — Green Square station (T8 Airport & South line) sits on the suburb's southwest edge and the new Waterloo Metro on the M1 line opened in August 2024, putting Martin Place ~6 minutes away and Sydneham/Bankstown to the south. Sydney Park (over the Alexandria boundary) and Waterloo Oval anchor the green space; Alexandria Park Community School is the closest public catchment and Cleveland Street Intensive English High is around the corner in Surry Hills. Stock is overwhelmingly apartments — high-rise around Green Square, mid-rise infill along Botany Road and Joynton Avenue, with pockets of Victorian terraces near Wellington Street. In short: a transit-rich, apartment-dominated inner-city suburb in the middle of a 30-year renewal — convenient and energetic if you can live with cranes and density.
For investors
Waterloo is a yield-stronger units / yield-weaker houses split typical of high-density inner Sydney. Median unit ~$939,000 against ~$975/wk rent gives a ~5.56% gross yield; median house ~$1,785,000 against ~$1,100/wk rent yields ~3.52% (Your Investment Property May 2026, via htag). 12-month house growth -0.83%, units +1.35% — flat to slightly positive against the wider Sydney HVI. Houses are scarce; units dominate transaction volume. Median gross yield across the suburb sits ~2.6-2.7% (propertyvalue.com.au May 2026) reflecting the heavy unit weighting in totals.
Strengths
- Two heavy-rail/metro stations inside the suburb — Green Square (T8) and Waterloo Metro (M1, opened Aug 2024) — push commute proxies among the best in Sydney.
- Unit yields ~5.5% (May 2026) are unusually strong for a 3-km-from-CBD postcode.
- Deep tenant pool: ~75% of dwellings rented (ABS 2021), median age 33, students + young professionals dominate.
- Waterloo South renewal will deliver ~3,000 new homes (50% social/affordable, 50% private) over 10-15 years — long-run amenity uplift around Cope/Raglan/Wellington streets.
Trade-offs
- House capital growth -0.83% (12 mo to May 2026, htag) — high entry price, modest near-term growth signal.
- Heavy and ongoing apartment supply pipeline: Waterloo Metro Quarter OSD towers completing 2025+ and Waterloo South (3,000 dwellings) in active build-out — supply pressure on unit rents and resale.
- Mixed-tenure character (large remaining public-housing footprint pre-renewal) means tenant due diligence and unit-by-unit street/block selection matter more than in pure private-stock suburbs.
- Strata-heavy stock — body-corp fees, defect risk and per-block sinking-fund quality can swing net yield meaningfully.
What's coming
Waterloo Metro Quarter's over-station development (two high-rise + two mid-rise towers above the new Metro station, mixing commercial, residential, affordable and student accommodation) is completing progressively from 2025. The City of Sydney-rezoned Waterloo Estate (South) will deliver ~3,000 dwellings over 10-15 years through the Stockland / Link Wentworth / City West Housing / Birribee consortium, with tenant relocation already underway. Green Square town centre continues its build-out under the City of Sydney's precinct plan.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: an apartment-led inner-city suburb with two stations and a 30-year renewal on the doorstep. For investors: a unit-yield play with a deep tenant pool, weighed against a heavy supply pipeline and flat-to-soft house growth.
Population
?16,379
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+10.5%
3yr: +9.1% · 10yr: +27.9%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,028/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
33
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?3/10
SA2 · more disadvantaged
Unemployment
?8.5%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
1
in suburb
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?8
7 long day, 3 OSHC
Parks & green space
?22
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?35
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?146
Sydney · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on NSW rental bond lodgements, aggregated at postcode level. All SALs sharing this postcode show the same median.
Median House Sale Price
Source: state Valuer-General (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Population over time — Waterloo (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Waterloo (NSW) suburb alone is ~16,379 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 5,384 to 18,631 over 24 years, averaging 5.3% per year.
Schools
1 in suburbSector
1 public
Type
—
Total enrolment
29
Avg per school
29
Government school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Alexandria Park CS56.5%
- Kensington PS 0.6%
- Bourke St PS 0.1%
Secondary
Alexandria Park CS99.3%
- Inner Sydney HS 0.4%
- Randwick HS 0.3%
Source: NSW Department of Education — School Intake Zones. Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 20.3%Almost entirely apartments (91.3%), rental-heavy (72.7% renting), built for families (55% are 2 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
NSW 33%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
This suburb falls outside every bushfire polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Flood risk
This suburb falls outside every flood polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Planning zones
5 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| MU1 | ZoneBusiness | 58.7% | 0.67 km² |
| R1 | ZoneResidential | 14.8% | 0.17 km² |
| E1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 8.1% | 0.09 km² |
| SP2 | ZoneSpecial use | 6.7% | 0.08 km² |
| RE1 | ZoneRecreation | 6.1% | 0.07 km² |
Source: NSW DPHI EPI Land Zoning (ZONE_NSW/2026-04-29/1eccf1a530fa1be5) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.