Waterloo crime rate and Crime Score · New South Wales

NSW Police (figures published by BOCSAR) recorded 2,403 offences in Waterloo in 2025-26, including 373 violent offences and 127 break-ins. That is about 14,671 per 100,000 of its 16,379 residents (2021 Census). The rates and Crime Score below are for the whole Sydney council area.

Waterloo 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 suburb-level counts: 2,403 offences were recorded in Waterloo in 2025-26. The rates and Crime Score above are for the whole Sydney council area.

OffencesPer 100,000Count5-yr change
Violent2,4095,824+17%
Property6,50515,728+9%
Break-ins4241,026+16%
Theft3,9819,625+23%

Of 595 Sydney suburbs with at least 2,000 residents, Waterloo has the 36th highest recorded crime rate: about 13,700 offences a year per 100,000 residents (2023-24 to 2025-26 average), against a median of 3,900. Sydney suburb rankings.

Sydney council area: full statistics · Interactive map of every council.

Crime in postcode 2017: every suburb and council it covers.

Questions

Is Waterloo safe?

Waterloo recorded about 13,700 offences a year per 100,000 residents over 2023-24 to 2025-26, 3.5 times the median of 3,900 for Sydney suburbs: the 36th highest rate of 595. In 2025-26 police recorded 373 violent offences (2,280 per 100,000 residents) and 127 break-ins there. 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.

What is the crime rate in Waterloo?

In 2025-26 police recorded 2,403 offences in Waterloo, about 14,700 per 100,000 of its 16,379 residents (2021 Census), including 373 violent offences and 127 break-ins.

Police news near Waterloo

Nearby suburbs

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australiancrimerate.com.au/suburb/nsw/waterloo/ · Australian Crime Map