Waverley, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Waverley NSW is 4,216 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Waverley is $1,407 per week ($73,164 per year). Median rent in Waverley is $630 per week ($2,730 per month). Waverley has a median age of 38 years, equal to the national median. Waverley has a population density of 7,018 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Waverley is England. The most common religion is No religion (40.3% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Spanish. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Waverley is $3,731.

There were 64 recorded offences in Waverley in 2025-26, a rate of 15 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was other against property (37 offences).

Population
4,216
Census 2021
Median income
$1,407/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$630/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
38years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Waverley vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Waverley is $1,407 a week, 84% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 65th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $630 a week, $245 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 21.9% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 38, 5 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureWaverleyTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,407/wk$765/wk +84%$766/wk
Household income$2,873/wk$1,704/wk +69%$1,637/wk
Rent$630/wk$385/wk +64%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$3,731/mo$1,965/mo +90%$1,733/mo
Median age3843 −5 yrs42
Rent share of household income21.9%22.6% −0.7 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Waverley, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Waverley Population

4,216 residents at the 2021 Census.

Waverley Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,407/wk
$73,164 per year
Ranked 173 of 14,663
Median Rent
$630/wk
$2,730 per month
Ranked 162 of 14,663
Median Age
38years
Same as the national median
Mortgage
$3,731/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 1 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Waverley Rent Prices & Affordability

22% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,873/wk
Median rent $630/wk
Rent to income 21.9%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Waverley against your income

About $12,450 a month
Median rent $630/wk
Left after rent $2,243/wk
Rent share 21.9%

Waverley Schools

54
schools nearby
22
government
1138
avg ICSEA score
22,023
total students
Ascham School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,182 students
1217
ICSEA
Reddam House Independent
Combined
1203
ICSEA
Claremont College Independent
Primary · K-6 · 265 students
1201
ICSEA
Woollahra Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 667 students
1193
ICSEA
Montessori East Independent
Primary · K-6 · 80 students
1188
ICSEA
Emanuel School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 849 students
1186
ICSEA
Bronte Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 257 students
1176
ICSEA
Glenmore Road Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 263 students
1176
ICSEA
St Francis of Assisi Regional Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 151 students
1167
ICSEA
Coogee Boys' Preparatory School Independent
Primary · K-6 · 102 students
1165
ICSEA
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 196 students
1164
ICSEA
The Scots College Independent
Combined · K-12 · 2,076 students
1162
ICSEA
St Charles' Catholic Primary School Waverley Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 308 students
1161
ICSEA
Clovelly Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 513 students
1161
ICSEA
Galilee Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 88 students
1160
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 54 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Waverley, with a map

Waverley Map

Waverley, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Waverley, New South Wales: 33.9020°S, 151.2560°E

Waverley Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (54)

People in Waverley

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 45.5% (1,919) Female 54.5% (2,297)

Population Density

7,018
people per km²
4,216 people · 0.6 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
1
Persons per bedroom
$3,849
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
8.9%
New Zealand
2.9%
Ireland
2.3%
South Africa
1.7%
Italy
1.5%
United States of America
1.2%
China
1.1%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Spanish
2.4%
Italian
1.9%
French
1.8%
Russian
1.7%
Cantonese
1.1%
Mandarin
1.0%
Greek
1.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
34.6%
Australian
22.7%
Irish
15.4%
Scottish
9.3%
Italian
5.3%
Chinese
3.8%
German
3.5%
Greek
2.7%
French
2.4%
Russian
1.8%
South African
1.5%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
40.3%
Catholic
25.0%
Anglican
9.9%
Not stated
9.0%
Judaism
6.2%
Eastern Orthodox
2.5%
Buddhism
1.1%
Christian (other)
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.4%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
36.0% 1,252
Separated
2.5% 88
Divorced
9.1% 318
Widowed
6.4% 224
Never married
46.0% 1,600

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
49.6%
Couple: no children
26.4%
Couple: no children under 15
12.8%
One parent: no children under 15
5.7%
One parent: children under 15
5.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
31.6%
2 persons
30.9%
3 persons
15.7%
4 persons
16.6%
5 persons
4.2%
6+ persons
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Waverley

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,571 occupied private dwellings in Waverley at the 2021 Census, 42.5% were rented, 22.6% owned outright and 29.3% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.5% 24 dwellings
Owned outright
22.6% 355 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
29.3% 460 dwellings
Rented
42.5% 668 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
3.8% 59 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
39.9%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
34.3%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
25.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
16.4%
2 bedrooms
40.9%
3 bedrooms
23.5%
4 bedrooms
15.6%
5 bedrooms
3.1%
6+ bedrooms
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
9.4%
$300-$449/mo
1.3%
$450-$599/mo
2.6%
$600-$799/mo
2.6%
$800-$999/mo
6.9%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
4.3%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
10.3%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
16.3%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
14.2%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
32.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
15.7%
1 vehicle
52.3%
2 vehicles
26.0%
3 vehicles
4.2%
4+ vehicles
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Waverley

Employment

Employed full-time
49.6% 1,457 people
Employed part-time
18.4% 542 people
Unemployed
1.7% 49 people
Not in labour force
30.3% 891 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
47.8%
Managers
22.7%
Clerical & Administrative
9.2%
Technicians & Trade Workers
7.0%
Community & Personal Service
5.3%
Sales Workers
5.0%
Labourers
2.1%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.2%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
1.3%
$300-$399/wk
2.6%
$400-$499/wk
3.3%
$500-$649/wk
3.2%
$650-$799/wk
2.8%
$800-$999/wk
3.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
5.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
4.1%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
3.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.2%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.0%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.7%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
5.3%
$4,000+/wk
36.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.8%
$1-$149/wk
3.2%
$150-$299/wk
3.1%
$300-$399/wk
2.1%
$400-$499/wk
1.7%
$500-$649/wk
2.4%
$650-$799/wk
5.2%
$800-$999/wk
6.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.7%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
17.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.9%
$3,500+/wk
15.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
47.0%
Did not go to work
23.3%
Walked only
10.2%
Car (passenger)
4.2%
Bus
3.6%
Motorbike/Scooter
3.3%
Bicycle
2.9%
Train
2.5%
Other
1.1%
Truck
1.0%
Taxi/Rideshare
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
87.4%
Year 10 or equivalent
8.1%
Year 11 or equivalent
3.1%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.3%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
49.4%
Postgraduate Degree
21.4%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
12.9%
Certificate III/IV
10.5%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.8%
Certificate I/II
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
30.9%
Society & Culture
20.1%
Health
11.2%
Creative Arts
10.2%
Engineering
7.1%
Architecture & Building
6.1%
Education
4.8%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.8%
Information Technology
2.8%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
2.6%
Agriculture & Environment
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
22.2%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
15.5%
Pre-school
14.4%
Secondary: Catholic
12.4%
Vocational Education
10.2%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
9.8%
Primary: Catholic
8.6%
Secondary: Government
7.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
86.3%
Has need for assistance
5.1%
Need for assistance not stated
8.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
328
Asthma
125
Arthritis
97
Heart disease
96
Diabetes
60
Lung condition
56
Dementia
48
Kidney disease
45
Cancer
45
Stroke
37

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
10.5% 326
Did not provide
89.5% 2,768

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
16.0% 494
Not a volunteer
84.0% 2,598

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.3% 8
Previously served
1.3% 41
Never served
98.4% 3,054

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
49.4%
1 child
15.0%
2 children
25.7%
3 children
7.4%
4 children
2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
6
1951: 1960
43
1961: 1970
109
1971: 1980
127
1981: 1990
170
1991: 2000
177
2001: 2010
297
2011: 2015
244
2016
53
2017
60
2018
61
2019
73
2020
30
2021
7

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

19.9%
moved in the last year
50.2%
moved in the last 5 years
2.2%
unemployment rate (Census)
63.7%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
3,038
Moved from NSW
560
Moved: same area (SA2)
105
Moved from overseas
51
Moved from QLD
11
Moved from WA
7
Moved from VIC
7
Moved from SA
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
24.8%
5: 14 hours
33.2%
15: 29 hours
13.2%
30+ hours
6.6%
Did not do domestic work
22.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
91.8%
Step family: no other children
5.8%
Blended family: no other children
1.7%
Intact family: other children present
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Waverley Crime Statistics

64 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Other Against Property
37
Assault
8
Property Damage
6
Sexual Offences
4
Theft
4
Other Against Person
2
Drug Offences
2
Weapons
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Rushcutters Bay
Income: $1,480/wk Rent: $450/wk $180/wk less rent
Bungendore
Income: $1,298/wk Rent: $510/wk $120/wk less rent
Manly Vale
Income: $1,158/wk Rent: $550/wk $80/wk less rent
Wollstonecraft
Income: $1,590/wk Rent: $576/wk $54/wk less rent
Voyager Point
Income: $1,152/wk Rent: $325/wk $305/wk less rent
Potts Point
Income: $1,534/wk Rent: $490/wk $140/wk less rent
Woolloomooloo
Income: $1,368/wk Rent: $500/wk $130/wk less rent
Woolooware
Income: $1,131/wk Rent: $550/wk $80/wk less rent

Suburbs near Waverley

The closest suburb to Waverley is Bronte, 0.7 km away.

Bronte
0.7 km away · income $1,562/wk · rent $675/wk
Queens Park (NSW)
0.9 km away · income $1,515/wk · rent $682/wk
Bondi Junction
1.1 km away · income $1,307/wk · rent $660/wk
Clovelly
1.2 km away · income $1,633/wk · rent $700/wk
Bondi
1.4 km away · income $1,386/wk · rent $656/wk
Tamarama
1.4 km away · income $1,788/wk · rent $850/wk

Compare Waverley (NSW)

Frequently Asked Questions About Waverley

What is the population of Waverley NSW?

The population of Waverley NSW is 4,216 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 7,018 people per km². Waverley is ranked #1,829 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Waverley?

The median personal income in Waverley NSW is $1,407 per week, or $73,164 per year. The median household income is $2,873 per week. Family income is $3,849 per week. Waverley is ranked #173 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Waverley?

Median rent in Waverley NSW is $630 per week ($2,730 per month). Rent represents 21.9% of household income, which is considered affordable. Waverley ranks #162 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Waverley?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Waverley NSW is $3,731. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Waverley?

The median age in Waverley NSW is 38 years. This is equal to the national median age of 38 years.

Is Waverley a good suburb to live in?

Waverley is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 4,216. The median income is $1,407/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (21.9% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 14217. All dollar figures in AUD.