Waverley
At 7,018 residents per square kilometre packed into just 0.6 sq km, Waverley is one of Sydney's most compressed suburbs, yet household income sits at the 96.5th percentile nationally. That tension between physical density and economic affluence defines the area. University qualifications reach 57.3%, which is 27.2 percentage points above the national figure, and apartments make up 54.9% of the dwelling stock. The median house price of $1,830,000 reflects a premium inner-east market that attracts high-income renters and long-term owner-occupiers in roughly equal measure.
Population
4,216
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,873/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
43
Median House
$1.8M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,830,000 median house price places Waverley firmly in premium Sydney territory. Price history shows a correction from $1,980,000 in 2024 to $1,655,000 in 2025, a fall of 16.4%, giving buyers more room than existed at the recent peak. The dwelling mix favours apartments at 54.9%, with semi-detached homes at 26.4% and separate houses at just 17.5%, so detached-house buyers compete for genuinely scarce stock. Two-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 40.0%, with 3-bedroom at 23.0% and 4-plus at 18.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,731, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.0% relative to median household income, right at the conventional stress threshold. Outright owners account for 23.9% of households compared to 31.0% on mortgages, suggesting a buyer pool that is more leveraged than the Woollahra profile next door.
For Buyers
The $1,830,000 median house price places Waverley firmly in premium Sydney territory. Price history shows a correction from $1,980,000 in 2024 to $1,655,000 in 2025, a fall of 16.4%, giving buyers more room than existed at the recent peak. The dwelling mix favours apartments at 54.9%, with semi-detached homes at 26.4% and separate houses at just 17.5%, so detached-house buyers compete for genuinely scarce stock. Two-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 40.0%, with 3-bedroom at 23.0% and 4-plus at 18.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,731, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.0% relative to median household income, right at the conventional stress threshold. Outright owners account for 23.9% of households compared to 31.0% on mortgages, suggesting a buyer pool that is more leveraged than the Woollahra profile next door.
For Investors
Renters comprise 45.0% of households, above the typical inner-Sydney proportion, supporting a deep and consistent tenant base. Weekly rent averages $630, and the vacancy rate of 9.7% is elevated, pointing to soft demand in the apartment segment that makes up 54.9% of the stock. Against the $1,830,000 median, $630 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 1.8%, low but marginally better than comparable eastern suburbs. Development activity remains active at 42 applications in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and modifications rather than net new supply. The price correction of 16.4% from the 2024 peak creates a lower entry point, though any yield case rests on rent growth rather than current returns. No overseas migration forecast data is available for this suburb in the current dataset.
Development Activity
Total DAs
262
Last 12 Months
43
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-8.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Waverley iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Clovelly Public School
K-6 · 513 students
St Charles' Catholic Primary School Waverley
K-6 · 308 students
St Catherine's School
K-12 · 1122 students
Waverley Public School
K-6 · 263 students
Waverley College
5-12 · 1525 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2.0 years below the national figure, distinguishing Waverley from the older eastern suburbs immediately adjacent. University qualifications at 57.3% run 27.2 percentage points above the national average, among the highest rates in NSW. Overseas-born residents reach 38.5%, which is 16.9 points above the national figure, reflecting the suburb's draw for international professionals. Ancestry is led by English (1,457), Irish (649) and Scottish (392), with a notable European layer including Italian (43 speakers), French (36) and Russian (24). Average household size is 2.3, which is 0.2 below national, consistent with the high proportion of couples without children at 26.1% of families. Judaism (263 residents) is the second-largest religion behind Christianity (1,740), a pattern also seen in the neighbouring Woollahra municipality.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
17.5%
Houses
26.4%
Townhouse
54.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split across three groups: 23.9% own outright, 31.0% carry a mortgage and 45.0% rent, making renters the single largest cohort. The high renter share, above the state average, reflects a stock that is 54.9% apartments and 26.4% semi-detached terraces, with only 17.5% separate houses. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 40.0%, followed by 3-bedroom at 23.0% and 4-plus at 18.9%, with studio and 1-bedroom units at 18.2%. The median house price moved from $1,980,000 in 2024 to $1,655,000 in 2025, a 16.4% decline over one year. The mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 30.0%, at the stress threshold, while rent-to-income at 21.9% remains below the 30% stress level, meaning renters fare better than owner-occupiers on serviceability in this market.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,731
Rent / wk
$630
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,407
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.7%
Unoccupied
168
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.1%
Couples, no children
2,857
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce concentrates in knowledge-economy sectors: Professional and Technical services leads at 20.6% (370 workers), Healthcare follows at 13.6% (244), and Finance at 12.0% (215), with Education at 9.6% and Construction at 6.8%. By occupation, Professionals (936) and Managers (469) account for the bulk of employment, consistent with household income at the 96.5th percentile nationally. Unemployment is low at 2.3% and the full-time employment rate reaches 73.1%, above national norms. Participation at 58.7% reflects a mix of working-age professionals and a portion of residents not in the labour force (888). SEIFA decile data is not available for this suburb in the current dataset, but the income percentile and occupational composition point to advantage consistent with decile 9 or above.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
73.1%
Part-time
24.6%
Participation
58.7%
Employed
1,997
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.3%
Postgraduate
17.2%
Born Overseas
38.5%
Dwellings
1,562
Transport to Work
Active transport use is notable: 18.6% of residents walk or cycle to work, well above national norms, and 8.6% use public transport, while 66.8% drive. The walkability figure reflects the suburb's compact 0.6 sq km footprint at a density of 7,018 residents per km2, where most services are reachable on foot. Crime data is not available for Waverley in this dataset. Housing stress for renters remains below the 30% threshold at 21.9% rent-to-income, and mortgage stress is at 30.0%, right at the boundary. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families depend on institutions in adjoining areas, a trade-off common to high-density inner-Sydney pockets. Volunteering runs at 16.0% and only 5.6% of residents need daily assistance, broadly in line with the suburb's younger-than-national median age of 38.
Drive
66.8%
Public Transport
8.6%
Walk / Cycle
18.6%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Waverley compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Waverley a good suburb to live in?
Waverley offers a high-income, high-education environment: household income sits at the 96.5th percentile nationally and 57.3% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 27.2 percentage points above the national average. The suburb is dense at 7,018 people per km2 with strong walkability (18.6% walk or cycle to work). The main trade-offs are a $1,830,000 median house price and a 9.7% apartment vacancy rate.
What is the median house price in Waverley?
The median house price is $1,830,000. Prices fell 16.4% from $1,980,000 in 2024 to $1,655,000 in 2025, offering buyers a lower entry than the recent peak. Weekly rent averages $630 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $3,731, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.0%.
What schools are in Waverley?
No schools are recorded inside the 0.6 sq km Waverley boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with 57.3% holding university qualifications, which is 27.2 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Waverley safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Waverley in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, household income sits at the 96.5th percentile nationally and unemployment is low at 2.3%, both consistent with a low-disadvantage profile. Only 5.6% of the 4,216 residents need daily assistance.
Is Waverley good for property investment?
The renter share of 45.0% is above the state average, supporting tenant demand. Weekly rent of $630 against a $1,830,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.8%. However, the 9.7% vacancy rate signals oversupply in the apartment segment, which is 54.9% of dwellings. The 16.4% price correction from 2024 creates a lower entry point, but returns depend on rent growth rather than current yield.
How is Waverley's population changing?
Waverley has a population of 4,216 in a 0.6 sq km area. Resident mobility shows 29.7% changed address in the five years to the last census while 70.3% stayed. No forward population forecast is available in the current dataset. The price decline of 16.4% from 2024 to 2025 and a 9.7% vacancy rate suggest current softness in demand.
What languages are spoken in Waverley?
About 38.5% of residents were born overseas, which is 16.9 percentage points above the national figure. English is dominant, with Italian (43 speakers), French (36), Russian (24), Cantonese (15) and Greek (15) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a professional international cohort.
How much development is happening in Waverley?
There were 42 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Recent samples include school infrastructure demolition and reconstruction, commercial modifications, and alterations to semi-detached dwellings. Activity is moderate relative to the suburb's compact 0.6 sq km area, with most applications modifying existing buildings rather than creating new supply.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
Explore Waverley on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map