Waterloo DC crime rate and Crime Score · New South Wales
Waterloo DC is a suburb in the Sydney council area of New South Wales (about 241,797 residents in the council). The council has a Crime Score 72 out of 100 (high), 55th of 362 councils nationally.
The score blends national percentile ranks for each published offence category with fixed severity weights; here it is driven most by assault (82nd percentile), robbery (95th percentile), sexual offences (79th percentile). Five years earlier the same basis gave 76.
In 2025-26: violent 2,409 per 100,000 (+17% vs five years earlier); property 6,505 per 100,000 (+9% vs five years earlier); break-ins 424 per 100,000 (+16% vs five years earlier); theft 3,981 per 100,000 (+23% vs five years earlier). For violent crime that is 14th of 129 New South Wales councils with data, highest first.
Unemployment in the Sydney council area is 5.6% (New South Wales 4.9%), Census, 10 August 2021. Social housing makes up 7.2% of occupied homes (5,641 public and 1,414 community-housing dwellings at the 2021 Census; New South Wales 4.2%). An estimated 3,514 people were homeless on Census night 2021, 160.5 per 10,000 residents (New South Wales 43.4), apportioned from ABS Statistical Area Level 2 counts. 52.1% of residents were born overseas (New South Wales 31%), most often in China, England, Thailand. Modelled estimates for 2026-27, not measurements: unemployment about 5.5% (confidence 85 of 100); social housing about 6.5% of homes; about 157.9 homeless people per 10,000 residents; about 53% born overseas. Confidence falls with distance from the last published figure, and the map's Estimates toggle shows every year back to 1994-95.
New South Wales publishes crime statistics by council area, not by suburb, so the figures shown for Waterloo DC are those of the Sydney council area.
| Offences | Per 100,000 | Count | 5-yr change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent | 2,409 | 5,824 | +17% |
| Property | 6,505 | 15,728 | +9% |
| Break-ins | 424 | 1,026 | +16% |
| Theft | 3,981 | 9,625 | +23% |
Sydney council area: full statistics · Interactive map of every council.
Crime in postcode 2017: every suburb and council it covers.
Questions
Is Waterloo DC safe?
New South Wales publishes crime figures by council area, not by suburb. Waterloo DC is in the Sydney council area, which recorded 2,410 violent offences per 100,000 residents in 2025-26, 2.1 times the New South Wales rate (1,150) and about 88% higher than the national rate (1,280). These are offences recorded by police per resident: they describe the area as a whole, not the risk on any particular street, and places with a busy centre record more because offences are counted where they happen.
Police news near Waterloo DC
- Three charged, two extradited after fatal stabbing - Waterloo · Waterloo, 23 Oct 2026
- Sex Crimes Squad detectives arrest man over alleged historical child sexual assault - Redfern · Redfern, 8 Oct 2026
- Woman charged following alleged stabbing - Newtown · Newtown, 5 Oct 2026 · 3 km away
- CCTV released as investigation into fatal stabbing continues - Waterloo · Waterloo, 30 Sept 2026
- Police officer killed in crash - Redfern · Redfern, 25 Sept 2026
Nearby suburbs
Alexandria · Barangaroo · Beaconsfield · Camperdown · Chippendale · Darlinghurst · Darlington · Dawes Point · Elizabeth Bay · Erskineville · Eveleigh · Forest Lodge · Glebe · Haymarket · Millers Point · Moore Park · Newtown · Potts Point · Pyrmont · Redfern · Rosebery · Rushcutters Bay · Surry Hills · Sydney · The Rocks · Ultimo · Waterloo · Woolloomooloo · Zetland
australiancrimerate.com.au/suburb/nsw/waterloo-dc/ · Australian Crime Map