Thinking about buying your first home in Waterloo (2017)? This page brings together 17 data cards from NSW government, the ABS, Transport for NSW, and Domain auction results to help you decide if Waterloo is the right fit. The analysis covers affordability and FHB scheme eligibility, schools and childcare, dealbreakers like flood and bushfire, and how the suburb is changing. Jump between the four sections using the sticky navigation, or scroll through the full analysis below.
Is Waterloo a good suburb to buy in 2026?
Waterloo (2017) scores a Stickybeak Grade across safety, family fit, financial picture, and lifestyle. Scroll down for the full 17-card analysis, or use the section navigation to jump to what matters most.
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17 min
51 min
40 min
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The verdict
Who it is for
Waterloo suits a single person or couple in their early thirties who wants to walk almost everywhere and does not mind renting long-term before buying. The median unit price of $928,500 is the realistic entry point here, given that separate houses make up just 1% of stock. With 156 cafes, 33 supermarkets, and a walkability score in the 90th percentile for Sydney, the day-to-day lifestyle is genuinely convenient. Air quality is clean at a median AQI of 25.
Who would not love it
Families should think carefully. There is one primary school in the postcode and no public secondary school, meaning secondary schooling requires a plan before you commit. The owner-occupier rate of 24% means most of your neighbours will be renters, which affects building culture and strata dynamics. If you need a house with a garden, 1% of dwellings are separate houses, so your options are close to zero at any price.
What to verify before you bid
- The unit median of $928,500 sits above the First Home Buyer Assistance Scheme threshold, so confirm stamp duty concessions are off the table for your specific purchase price before you budget. - With 91% of dwellings being apartments and a high renter share, obtain the strata records and check the capital works fund balance, owner-occupier ratio per building, and any active by-law disputes. - The house median of $1,682,500 rests on only 12 sales in the data window, so treat that figure as indicative rather than reliable and request comparable sales from your conveyancer.
Refreshed fortnightly; last refresh 12 May 2026. Verify any specific fact against its source card below.
SAFETY
Will I feel safe and comfortable in Waterloo?
BOCSAR · WATERLOO 2017
Recorded incidents reported to police
12-month rolling total at suburb level, indexed against Greater Sydney.
RATE PER 100K14,14612 mo to Dec 2025
VS GREATER SYDNEY+76%Above Sydney average
5-YR TREND (LGA)Trend unavailableCity of Sydney
Within LGA: City of Sydney
TOP OFFENCE CATEGORIES
THEFT59%836 reports
ASSAULT21%295 reports
AGAINST JUSTICE PROCEDURES20%278 reports
ASSAULT SPLIT (DOMESTIC VS NON-DOMESTIC)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FLAGGED45%
NON-DOMESTIC55%
Across 284 assault reports in this window.
DV-flagged assault has risen statewide as reporting has improved. Compare with caution to suburbs whose population has changed materially.
BOCSAR Recorded Criminal Incidents · Updated March 2026 · CC BY 4.0
Air quality
Air quality in Waterloo
16
GoodAQI · NSW DCCEEW
15:03 AEST
Alexandria station · 0.9 km from centroid
12-month median:AQI 25 · Good
Air quality is generally safe for outdoor activity.
Pollutants
nearest station
PM2.5i
4.0µg/m³
24-hr avg
PM10i
6.2µg/m³
24-hr avg
AQI · last 12 months · daily mean
Alexandria station · 365 daily points
Source: NSW DCCEEW Air Quality API↗ (CC BY 4.0). Historical data updated weekly; live readings cached 60 minutes.
Median weekly rent from lodged bonds. Sep 2025. Based on 882 new bond lodgements this quarter.
Rents here are at the higher end for Sydney. Higher holding costs for investors; higher savings pressure for renters.
Median weekly rent · Unit · 2 bed
$1,130per week
Sep 2025 · 882 bonds lodged
Quarterly trend · last 12 quarters
Nearby suburbs · same combination
Redfern2016
$945▼$185
1.2 km away
Alexandria2015
$900▼$230
1.5 km away
Kensington2033
$850▼$280
1.8 km away
Chippendale2008
$1,190▲$60
1.9 km away
NSW DCJ Rental Bond Board↗ · Sep 2025 · CC BY. Cells with 10 or fewer bond lodgements are suppressed; cells with 30 or fewer have the bond count suppressed but rent published. Figures are transacted rents, not asking rents.
DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE · NSW PLANNING PORTAL · 2017
What’s in the pipeline
Development applications (DAs) lodged, assessed, or approved in Waterloo over the past 12 months. Pipeline data from the NSW Planning Portal. Proposed developments may not proceed.
Active applications19
lodged or under assessment
Proposed dwellings48
0.5% of existing households
Declared value$42M
total estimated cost of works, where reported
Residential share52.0%
of active applications
24-month DA trajectory
DA volume down roughly 37% on the prior 12 months.
Zetland has a modest pipeline relative to its existing housing stock.
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Compare Waterloo with another suburb
Also in City of Sydney
Comparing suburbs in the same area can sharpen your decision. Browse suburb insights for other City of Sydney postcodes, or explore the full City of Sydney suburb index.
Waterloo is the primary suburb with postcode 2017 in New South Wales. In some cases multiple suburbs share the same postcode — Waterloo is the main locality.
Which local government area is Waterloo in?
Waterloo (2017) is located in the City of Sydney local government area in New South Wales.
What data does Stickybeak show for Waterloo?
Stickybeak shows 16 data cards for Waterloo (2017) covering affordability (median sale prices, rental yield, first home buyer eligibility), lifestyle (schools, childcare, walkability, commute times), risk factors (flood zones, bushfire prone land, air quality, traffic volume), and suburb growth signals (development pipeline, price trajectory, demographics).
Is Waterloo flood prone?
Flood risk varies street by street in Waterloo. Check the Dealbreakers section on this page for the latest NSW flood zone mapping sourced from official state government data. Always verify at the property level with a Section 10.7 certificate before purchasing.
What are the best schools near Waterloo?
The Schools card on this page lists primary and secondary schools within the catchment area for Waterloo (2017), including their NAPLAN performance data and distance from the suburb centre.
Is Waterloo (2017) eligible for the First Home Buyer scheme?
The First Home Buyer eligibility card on this page shows which NSW and federal government schemes — including the First Home Guarantee, stamp duty exemptions, and the First Home Super Saver scheme — apply to purchases in Waterloo (2017). Eligibility depends on the purchase price and your individual circumstances.
How is Waterloo changing?
The Change section on this page covers new housing supply from the development pipeline, historical price trajectory, and demographic shifts for Waterloo (2017) using data from NSW Planning, the ATO, and the ABS.
