Waverton
On just 0.7 square kilometres, Waverton holds 2,981 residents at a density of 4,243 per km2, and its household income sits in the 96.7th percentile nationally. The suburb scores decile 10 on IRSD, IEO and IRSAD, placing it in the top advantage tier nationally on three of four SEIFA indexes. That premium profile contrasts with an 11.7% vacancy rate, explained by a stock that is 49.8% apartments and a 48% renter share. University qualifications reach 70.3%, which is 40.2 percentage points above the national figure, making Waverton one of the most highly educated communities in Australia.
Population
2,981
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,890/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
26
Median House
$1.7M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price sits at $1,660,000, and prices rose 10.2% from $1,592,500 in 2024 to $1,755,000 in 2025. For buyers seeking a separate house, supply is scarce: only 17.7% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 49.8% apartments and 32.5% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 47.1% and three-bedroom at 32.3%, so four-plus bedroom family homes are rare at just 10.6%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,053, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.4%, below the conventional 30% stress threshold despite the high entry price, because household incomes at the 96.7th percentile nationally are substantial.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $1,660,000, and prices rose 10.2% from $1,592,500 in 2024 to $1,755,000 in 2025. For buyers seeking a separate house, supply is scarce: only 17.7% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 49.8% apartments and 32.5% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 47.1% and three-bedroom at 32.3%, so four-plus bedroom family homes are rare at just 10.6%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,053, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.4%, below the conventional 30% stress threshold despite the high entry price, because household incomes at the 96.7th percentile nationally are substantial.
For Investors
A 48% renter share and $600 weekly rent give landlords a large tenant base, though the 11.7% vacancy rate signals meaningful competition among apartment listings. Against the $1,660,000 median, $600 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 1.9%, low by national standards. Demand fundamentals are structurally positive: net overseas migration adds 447 residents a year to the broader SA2, more than offsetting net internal outflow of 367. Development activity reached 25 applications in the past 12 months, mostly dwelling alterations rather than new supply. Rent growth over the period reached 21.1%, outpacing income growth of 9.8%, which narrows affordability for new tenants but supports rental income over time.
Development Activity
Total DAs
136
Last 12 Months
26
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+30.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Waverton iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
North Sydney Public School
K-6 · 756 students
Demographics
The median age is 39, one year below the national figure, and the demographic trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 3.8 points while the working-age share fell 5.0 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 38.5%, which is 16.9 percentage points above national. Ancestry is led by English (1,005), Irish (381) and Scottish (335), with Chinese (420) as the third-largest group. University qualifications at 70.3% run 40.2 points above the national figure. Household size averages 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, consistent with a couples-dominant profile: 41.2% of families are couples without children. Mandarin (53 speakers) and Cantonese (43) are the leading non-English languages.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
17.7%
Houses
32.5%
Townhouse
49.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits markedly toward renting: 48% of households rent, 33.7% own outright and only 18.3% carry a mortgage. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders suggests a long-established ownership base rather than recent buyers, while the high renter share reflects the apartment-heavy stock. Apartments account for 49.8% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 32.5% and separate houses just 17.7%. Two-bedroom units dominate at 47.1%, followed by three-bedroom at 32.3%. The median house price moved from $1,592,500 in 2024 to $1,755,000 in 2025, a 10.2% annual gain. Mortgage-to-income at 24.4% and rent-to-income at 20.8% both sit below the conventional stress thresholds, because the suburb's household incomes are in the 96.7th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,053
Rent / wk
$600
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$1,528
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.7%
Unoccupied
177
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.2%
Couples, no children
2,091
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce concentrates in high-income knowledge industries: Professional/Tech leads at 23.9% (354 workers), Finance follows at 13.8% (205) and Healthcare at 13.3% (198), with Education at 9.0% and Public Admin at 7.3%. By occupation, Professionals (845) and Managers (359) dominate, consistent with the decile 10 IEO score. Unemployment is low at 3.6% and the full-time employment rate reaches 77.0%, above typical suburban rates. The IER decile sits at 5, lower than the decile 10 scored on IEO and IRSAD, because the 48% renter share depresses aggregate household wealth measures relative to education and occupation attainment. Real income grew 9.8% over the decade, with personal weekly income averaging $1,528.
Unemployment
4.1%
Labour Force
12,861
Unemployed
531
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
77.0%
Part-time
19.4%
Participation
64.1%
Employed
1,613
Occupations
Top Industries
University
70.3%
Postgraduate
24.4%
Born Overseas
38.5%
Dwellings
1,329
Transport to Work
Active transport use is high for an inner harbour location: 18.6% of residents walk or cycle to work and 23.6% use public transit, while 53.6% drive, well below national car-dependence levels. The suburb scores decile 10 on IRSAD, placing it in the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 10 on IRSD, meaning very low deprivation. Only 3.0% of residents need daily assistance. Volunteering reaches 20.4%, above the typical suburban average. No schools are recorded within the 0.7 km2 boundary, so families rely on neighbouring suburbs, a common trade-off in high-density inner-city settings. Rent-to-income at 20.8% keeps renters comfortable by national standards, which is a meaningful livability measure given that 48% of households are tenants.
Drive
53.6%
Public Transport
23.6%
Walk / Cycle
18.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.42%/yr
(+80 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth runs at 0.42%, adding about 80 people a year, and the 10-year change of 7.8% classifies this as a slow-growth, established suburb. The SA2 population recovered from a COVID low of 18,037, a 4.7% dip, to 19,092 by 2025, which is 156 above the pre-COVID figure of 18,936. Medium forecasts project the SA2 reaching 19,472 by 2031. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver at plus 447 net per year, more than offsetting internal outflow of minus 367. The gentrification score of 20 indicates early signs, driven by the international inflow and strong overseas demand rather than price-led displacement, since the suburb is already at the top advantage tier nationally.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+447
Net Internal / yr
-367
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal outflow -367/yr, Strong overseas inflow +447/yr, COVID recovered (-5% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Waverton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Waverton a good suburb to live in?
Waverton ranks decile 10 on IRSAD, IEO and IRSD, the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 96.7th percentile. University qualifications reach 70.3%, which is 40.2 points above national. The suburb's main trade-offs are a $1,660,000 median house price and an 11.7% apartment vacancy rate.
What is the median house price in Waverton?
The median house price is $1,660,000. Prices rose 10.2% from $1,592,500 in 2024 to $1,755,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $600 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $3,053, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.4%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Waverton?
No schools are recorded inside the 0.7 km2 Waverton boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated: 70.3% hold university qualifications, which is 40.2 points above the national figure, one of the highest rates nationally.
Is Waverton safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Waverton in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the top tier, and only 3.0% of its 2,981 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage, low-crime profile.
Is Waverton good for property investment?
Rent of $600 a week against a $1,660,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.9%, low by national standards, and the 11.7% vacancy rate signals apartment competition. The investment case is strongest for capital growth: prices rose 10.2% in a single year, and overseas migration of 447 net arrivals a year supports long-term demand.
How is Waverton's population changing?
Annual growth runs at 0.42%, adding about 80 people a year, with the SA2 population at 19,092 in 2025. Overseas migration of plus 447 net per year is the primary driver, offsetting internal outflow of minus 367. Medium forecasts project the SA2 reaching 19,472 by 2031.
What languages are spoken in Waverton?
About 38.5% of residents were born overseas, which is 16.9 percentage points above the national figure. English dominates, with Mandarin (53 speakers), Cantonese (43), French (26) and Hindi (14) the most common non-English languages, reflecting international professional migration to the area.
How much development is happening in Waverton?
There were 25 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and additions to existing dwellings rather than new supply. This low volume is consistent with an established, high-density suburb of 0.7 km2 growing at just 0.42% per year.
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.
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