Moving to Waterloo NSW 2017
What the official numbers say about living in Waterloo — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $530 a week, against a median household income of $2,028 a week.
Who you'll be living with
Waterloo grew 54% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (10,657 → 16,379 people).
Largest overseas birthplaces: China, England, New Zealand; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Spanish, Cantonese.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Waterloo sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (21% of workers), while 62% work from home.
Nearest train station: Green Square, 900 m south-west.
Nearest metro station: Waterloo, 750 m west.
Nearest light rail stop: Surry Hills, 1.3 km north.
Nearest bus interchange: Juniors Kingsford, 3.4 km south-east.
Nearest ferry wharf: Darling Harbour Wharf 9, 3.5 km north.
Nearest airport: Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport, 5.8 km south-west.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 3 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 119 schools · 1,122 cafes & restaurants · 63 supermarkets · 197 parks — see them all on the Waterloo profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School 200 m · Yudi Gunyi School 650 m · Montessori Preschool of Sydney 800 m · Alexandria Park Community School 1.1 km · Inner Sydney High School 1.2 km · Bourke Street Public School 1.2 km · Sydney Girls High School 1.3 km · Sydney Boys High School 1.3 km
Groceries: QE Foodstore Waterloo 300 m · Waterloo Asian Supermarket 350 m · Miracle Supermarket 350 m · Hanho Asian Grocery 400 m · Aldi 450 m · Shangke Asian Supermarket 450 m · Ustore 450 m · Coles 550 m
Parks and reserves: Kensington Reserve 50 m · Henry James Deacon Reserve 100 m · Tobruk Reserve 200 m · Waterloo Park 300 m · The Rope Walk 300 m · Short Street Reserve 350 m · Crystal Park 450 m · Gadigal Avenue Reserve 500 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Waterloo, most often seen first: Rainbow Lorikeet · Australian White Ibis · Noisy Miner · Rock Dove · Dusky Moorhen · Australian Magpie.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Waterloo, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo here | 16,379 | — | 10/10 | 13% |
| Redfern | 13,072 | — | 10/10 | 13% |
| Zetland | 12,622 | — | 10/10 | 8% |
| Beaconsfield | 1,172 | — | 10/10 | 8% |
| Alexandria | 9,649 | — | 10/10 | 9% |
| Surry Hills | 15,828 | — | 10/10 | 10% |
| Chippendale | 7,803 | — | 10/10 | 7% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Sydney — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Sydney — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2017 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Waterloo profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $530 a week.
The population grew 54% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 10,657 people to 16,379. It sits about 3 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line, and Green Square station is roughly 0.9 km away. Local government is Sydney council, and the federal seat is Sydney.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Waterloo vs Redfern · Waterloo vs Zetland.
Nearby guides: Redfern · Zetland · Beaconsfield · Alexandria · Surry Hills · Chippendale.
Keep an eye on Waterloo
One email when this data meaningfully changes — new census figures, prices, rankings. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.