Waterloo
NSW 2017 · Sydney
16,379 (2021) → 18,366 est. (2025) · High Growth
Part of the Sydney local government area (est. 247,372 residents)
Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.
Waterloo is a high growth suburb in Sydney, NSW 2017, about 3km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $1.71M is more expensive than the NSW average. The suburb has 2 schools, a transport score of 88/100, and is a short drive from the coast. Waterloo has an overall score of 93/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 9/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
Top countries of birth: China (11.48%), England (5.61%), New Zealand (2.59%), Ireland (2.34%), Brazil (1.76%)
Top languages: Mandarin (11.99%), Spanish (3.22%), Cantonese (3%), Russian (2.74%), Portuguese (1.57%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Property
Median price history
Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q4 2025
Residential Safety
Nightlife hub. This suburb has a high concentration of licensed venues. Crime figures include incidents involving visitors to the nightlife area, not just residents.
Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:
Includes street and public-place assaults — supplementary context, not part of the safety score.
Residential incidents over time
Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.
Area crime context
This suburb has a high concentration of licensed venues. These totals include incidents involving visitors to the nightlife area, not just residents.
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
Limited school choices
Below average for school access — fewer schools nearby, and families may need to travel for preferred options.
Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1103 (above the national average of 1000).
In suburb
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · CatholicICSEA 937
- Yudi Gunyi SchoolCombined · GovernmentICSEA 834
Nearby (within 10km)
- Redfern Jarjum CollegePrimary · Independent · 0.9kmICSEA 688
- Alexandria Park Community SchoolCombined · Government · 1.1kmICSEA 1039
- Key CollegeSecondary · Independent · 1.2kmICSEA 892
- Inner Sydney High SchoolSecondary · Government · 1.2kmICSEA 1102
- Bourke Street Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.3kmICSEA 1128
- Central Sydney Intensive English High SchoolSecondary · Government · 1.3kmICSEA 1044
- Sydney Boys High SchoolSecondary · Government · 1.4kmICSEA 1182
- Sydney Girls High SchoolSecondary · Government · 1.4kmICSEA 1190
- Sydney Distance Education Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.6kmICSEA 1079
- Darlington Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.8kmICSEA 1040
- St Mary's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 1.8kmICSEA 1133
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart CollegeSecondary · Catholic · 1.8kmICSEA 1067
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
Fitness
Plenty of options
Well above average — a good spread of gyms and sports facilities within easy reach.
Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Outdoors
Outdoor paradise
Top 20% nationally — abundant parks and green space, plus trails, bike paths and places to enjoy the outdoors.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Culture
Cultural hotspot
Top 20% nationally — theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and landmarks all within reach. A genuinely vibrant cultural scene.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Culture Score is a national percentile weighting theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and arts centres most heavily.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Entertainment Scene
Quiet area
Pretty light on licensed venues. Good for peace and quiet; less so for spontaneous nights out.
Nightlife hub. High licensed-venue density drives a significant evening economy here — incidents near the venues are recorded by location, so crime figures include visitors, not just residents.
View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →
Source: Liquor & Gaming NSW
Childcare
Childcare desert
Very limited childcare services in and around this suburb — families may face significant travel for childcare.
View childcare centres on the map →
Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register
Population & Growth
High GrowthSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Sydney
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Frequently asked questions about Waterloo
Is Waterloo safe?
Waterloo has a residential safety score of 9/100, 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 14,146 per 100,000 across all categories.
What are property prices in Waterloo?
In Waterloo, the median house price is $1.71M and the median unit price is $953K. Median weekly house rent is $1,050.
How far is Waterloo from Sydney CBD?
Waterloo is about 3.0 km from Sydney CBD, an estimated 21 minutes by public transport.
What schools are in Waterloo?
Waterloo has 2 schools, with an average ICSEA of 886 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in Waterloo?
Waterloo has a transport score of 88/100 and 31 bus stops.