Waitara
NSW 2077 · Hornsby
7,837 (2021) → 8,266 est. (2025) · Moderate Growth
Part of the Hornsby local government area (est. 144,237 residents)
Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.
Waitara is a moderate growth suburb in Hornsby, NSW 2077, about 20km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $2.43M is more expensive than the NSW average. The suburb has 2 schools, a transport score of 94/100, and is about 16km inland. Waitara has an overall score of 96/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 97/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
Housing tenure
- Owned
- Mortgage
- Rented
Commute to work
- Car
- Public transport
- Walk/cycle
- Work from home
Top countries of birth: India (16.17%), China (14.66%), South Korea (3.56%), Philippines (3.47%), Iran (3.42%)
Top languages: Mandarin (15.53%), Hindi (6.97%), Cantonese (6.16%), Korean (4.26%), Persian ED (3.76%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Property
Median price history
Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q4 2025
Residential Safety
Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:
Residential incidents over time
Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.
Area crime context
An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.
Source: BOCSAR · Updated 2025
Schools
Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1125 (above the national average of 1000).
In suburb
- Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · CatholicICSEA 1150
- Barker College Junior SchoolPrimary · Independent
Nearby (within 10km)
- Waitara Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 0.5kmICSEA 1153
- Hornsby Girls High SchoolSecondary · Government · 0.6kmICSEA 1202
- St Leo's Catholic CollegeSecondary · Catholic · 0.7kmICSEA 1110
- Barker CollegeSecondary · Independent · 0.7kmICSEA 1170
- Broken Bay Cross Campus Course CentreSecondary · Catholic · 0.7km
- Clarke Road SchoolCombined · Government · 1kmICSEA 1046
- Abbotsleigh Junior SchoolPrimary · Independent · 1km
- Hornsby South Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.1kmICSEA 1103
- Knox Grammar School - Wahroonga Preparatory CampusPrimary · Independent · 1.1km
- AbbotsleighCombined · Independent · 1.3kmICSEA 1215
- Normanhurst Boys High SchoolSecondary · Government · 1.4kmICSEA 1193
- Loreto NormanhurstCombined · Independent · 1.4kmICSEA 1156
Source: ACARA 2023
Transport
Source: TfNSW GTFS
Liveability
Amenities within 2–3km
Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.
Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap
Population & Growth
Moderate GrowthSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Hornsby
Compare Waitara with another suburb
Compare two suburbs
Frequently asked questions about Waitara
Is Waitara safe?
Waitara has a residential safety score of 97/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 2,654 per 100,000 across all categories.
What are property prices in Waitara?
In Waitara, the median house price is $2.43M and the median unit price is $746K. Median weekly house rent is $830.
How far is Waitara from Sydney CBD?
Waitara is about 20.5 km from Sydney CBD, an estimated 49 minutes by public transport.
What schools are in Waitara?
Waitara has 2 schools, with an average ICSEA of 1150 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in Waitara?
Waitara has a transport score of 94/100, including 1 train station and 9 bus stops.