Waterford West
Waterford West is still affordable, but less advantaged.
Waterford West is still relatively affordable to rent, with a median of $540 a week (RTA, 2026-Q2) — about $116 below the Greater Brisbane median; well served for the everyday — 2 schools and 5 supermarkets. The trade-offs: it is less advantaged than most of Australia (SEIFA 2021, decile 1 of 10); unemployment ran above the Brisbane norm at the 2021 Census, at 9.3%.
Mostly free-standing houses, with a median age of 35 and households on a median $1,257 a week at the 2021 Census.
Compiled from ABS regional population (SA2), the 2021 Census, SEIFA 2021, RTA median rents, Queensland Police Service reported offences, OpenStreetMap, TransLink timetables and Queensland Open Data.
What's good
- still relatively affordable to rent, with a median of $540 a week (RTA, 2026-Q2) — about $116 below the Greater Brisbane median
- well served for the everyday — 2 schools and 5 supermarkets
What to weigh up
- it is less advantaged than most of Australia (SEIFA 2021, decile 1 of 10)
- unemployment ran above the Brisbane norm at the 2021 Census, at 9.3%
Waterford West on the map
The Australian Bureau of Statistics Statistical Area 2 outline for Waterford West, QLD.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Boundary: ABS SA2 (ASGS 2021), simplified — an SA2 can differ from the gazetted suburb, and detached parts such as islands may not all be shown.
How the population has changed
Waterford West against the Queensland average, both set to 100 in the first year shown so the growth rates compare.
Waterford West population grew from 7,523 in 2016 to 8,569 in 2025, a change of 13.9% over the period, against 17.0% for the Queensland average.
Show the data table
| Year | Waterford West | Queensland average |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 7,523 | 4,845,152 |
| 2017 | 7,661 | 4,926,380 |
| 2018 | 7,645 | 5,006,623 |
| 2019 | 7,795 | 5,088,847 |
| 2020 | 7,831 | 5,165,613 |
| 2021 | 7,923 | 5,215,814 |
| 2022 | 8,044 | 5,310,905 |
| 2023 | 8,319 | 5,450,235 |
| 2024 | 8,485 | 5,571,890 |
| 2025 | 8,569 | 5,669,764 |
Where the growth is coming from
Waterford West gained 957 residents from internal migration and 134 from overseas in the year to June 2025, while 1,072 people moved away — a net addition of 19 before natural increase.
- Internal migration in+957
- Internal migration out+1,012
- Overseas migration in+134
- Natural increase+65
Components of population change over the sample year. Natural increase is shown apart from migration so the two are not read as one figure.
How it has changed
Census · five-yearlyThe 2016 Census against 2021. Older figures are mapped onto today's boundaries via the ABS Time Series Profile, so comparisons are approximate where borders moved.
| Measure | 2016 | 2021 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,243 | 7,815 | +7.9% |
| Median age | 35 | 35 | 0 yrs |
| Median household income | $1,098/wk | $1,257/wk | +14% |
| Median weekly rent | $315/wk | $320/wk | +1.6% |
| Born overseas | 32.8% | 34.8% | +2.0 pts |
Who lives here
Census · five-yearlyFrom the 2021 Census — the most recent available; 2026 Census data isn't expected until mid-2027. Each figure carries its definition, so you know what is being counted.
People
Income
Housing
Work
Household
Country of birth
Language at home
How homes are held
- Owned outright 25.0%
- Mortgaged 31.0%
- Rented 40.1%
- Other / not stated 3.9%
What it costs to rent
Residential Tenancies Authority · 2026-Q2Median weekly rent for new tenancies, from the Residential Tenancies Authority's bond lodgements. Compare year-on-year — quarter-to-quarter moves are mostly seasonal noise.
Rent over time
All dwellings in Waterford West against the Greater Brisbane median.
Median weekly rent in Waterford West went from $480 in 2024-Q1 to $540 in 2026-Q2, up 13%, against $656 for Greater Brisbane now.
Show the data table
| Year | Waterford West | Greater Brisbane |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-Q1 | $480 | $562 |
| 2024-Q2 | $500 | $590 |
| 2024-Q3 | $480 | $574 |
| 2024-Q4 | $500 | $594 |
| 2025-Q1 | $460 | $585 |
| 2025-Q2 | $500 | $624 |
| 2025-Q3 | $490 | $612 |
| 2025-Q4 | $510 | $633 |
| 2026-Q1 | $550 | $625 |
| 2026-Q2 | $540 | $656 |
By dwelling type — 2026-Q2 quarter
| Type | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House | — | — | $600n=14 | $700n=11 |
| Townhouse | — | $485n=10 | — | — |
| Unit / flat | — | $450n=10 | — | — |
n is the number of new bonds behind each median — treat a figure with a small n as indicative only.
The median weekly rent across all dwellings in Waterford West was $540 for the 2026-Q2 quarter, up 8% on a year earlier. That is $116 a week below the Greater Brisbane median. By type: a 3-bedroom house $600 and a 2-bedroom unit $450.
Show every quarter, with the year-on-year change
| Quarter | Median rent | Year on year | Greater Brisbane |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-Q2 | $540 | +8.0% | $656 |
| 2026-Q1 | $550 | +19.6% | $625 |
| 2025-Q4 | $510 | +2.0% | $633 |
| 2025-Q3 | $490 | +2.1% | $612 |
| 2025-Q2 | $500 | +0.0% | $624 |
| 2025-Q1 | $460 | −4.2% | $585 |
| 2024-Q4 | $500 | +11.1% | $594 |
| 2024-Q3 | $480 | +14.3% | $574 |
| 2024-Q2 | $500 | +16.3% | $590 |
| 2024-Q1 | $480 | +12.9% | $562 |
| 2023-Q4 | $450 | +12.5% | $575 |
| 2023-Q3 | $420 | +10.5% | $536 |
| 2023-Q2 | $430 | +8.9% | $526 |
| 2023-Q1 | $425 | +11.8% | $496 |
| 2022-Q4 | $400 | +14.3% | $495 |
| 2022-Q3 | $380 | +8.6% | $455 |
| 2022-Q2 | $395 | +27.4% | $454 |
| 2022-Q1 | $380 | +15.2% | $428 |
| 2021-Q4 | $350 | +12.9% | $436 |
| 2021-Q3 | $350 | +12.9% | $416 |
| 2021-Q2 | $310 | +3.3% | $408 |
| 2021-Q1 | $330 | +6.5% | $405 |
| 2020-Q4 | $310 | +1.6% | $401 |
| 2020-Q3 | $310 | +3.3% | $392 |
| 2020-Q2 | $300 | −9.1% | $383 |
| 2020-Q1 | $310 | −6.1% | $394 |
| 2019-Q4 | $305 | −1.6% | $391 |
| 2019-Q3 | $300 | −9.1% | $384 |
| 2019-Q2 | $330 | +4.8% | $383 |
| 2019-Q1 | $330 | +10.0% | $387 |
| 2018-Q4 | $310 | −4.6% | $383 |
| 2018-Q3 | $330 | +10.0% | $381 |
| 2018-Q2 | $315 | — | $383 |
| 2018-Q1 | $300 | — | $386 |
| 2017-Q4 | $325 | — | $384 |
| 2017-Q3 | $300 | — | $381 |
Rent data © the State of Queensland (Residential Tenancies Authority), used under CC BY 4.0, June 2026 release. Figures are the median for new bonds lodged in the quarter, not all tenancies. The RTA suppresses a median where too few bonds were lodged.
How well-off the area is
Census · five-yearlyThe ABS SEIFA indexes rank every area by relative advantage and disadvantage. Decile 1 is the lowest tenth of Australia; decile 10 is the highest.
- Relative disadvantage (IRSD)Lower decile means more relative disadvantageDecile 1score 876
- Advantage & disadvantage (IRSAD)Higher decile means more relative advantageDecile 1score 870
- Economic resources (IER)Income and housing capacityDecile 2score 914
- Education & occupation (IEO)Education and occupational skill levelsDecile 1score 865
Safety context
Queensland Police Service · July 2026How much crime is reported where Waterford West sits — measured for its whole police division, because that is the finest area the Queensland Police Service publishes.
Waterford West is policed by the Queensland Police Service Crestmead Division, which also covers Crestmead, Marsden and Chambers Flat - Logan Reserve. The reported-offence figures below are for the whole division, not Waterford West specifically.
Most-reported offences · Crestmead Division, last 12 months
- Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry)2,441 /100k−7% vs QLD↑ 23%
- Assault1,227 /100k+17% vs QLD↓ 19%
- Unlawful Entry916 /100k+35% vs QLD↑ 20%
- Drug Offences711 /100k−57% vs QLD↓ 1%
- Unlawful Use of Motor Vehicle538 /100k+59% vs QLD↑ 21%
- Robbery55 /100k+23% vs QLD↓ 21%
Rate per 100,000 people across the whole Crestmead Division — not Waterford West on its own; the arrow compares the last 12 months with the 12 before.
Of these categories, other theft is reported most across the whole Crestmead Division over the last 12 months, running 7% below the Queensland rate and up on the year before. None of this is specific to Waterford West — a police division usually spans several suburbs, so treat it as area context, not a street-level read.
Show the data table
| Offence category | Division | Queensland | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry) | 2,441 per 100k | 2,632 per 100k | ↑ 23% vs prior year |
| Assault | 1,227 per 100k | 1,053 per 100k | ↓ 19% vs prior year |
| Unlawful Entry | 916 per 100k | 677 per 100k | ↑ 20% vs prior year |
| Drug Offences | 711 per 100k | 1,666 per 100k | ↓ 1% vs prior year |
| Unlawful Use of Motor Vehicle | 538 per 100k | 338 per 100k | ↑ 21% vs prior year |
| Robbery | 55 per 100k | 45 per 100k | ↓ 21% vs prior year |
Crime statistics © State of Queensland (Queensland Police Service), used under CC BY 4.0, updated July 2026. Reported offences are counted for the Crestmead Division; suburb-level detail is not published as open data. Monthly counts are volatile — the 12-month figures above smooth that noise, per QPS’s own guidance.
Flood risk
Has this suburb flooded before, and how much of it is mapped as flood-liable?
Brisbane City Council's flood data covers the Brisbane City Council area only. Waterford West is in Logan City, so no council flood mapping is shown here. That is not the same as having no flood risk — check Logan City Council's own flood information for Waterford West.
Logan City Council’s flood information for Waterford West →Getting around, and what's nearby
OpenStreetMap · quarterlyWhat OpenStreetMap records inside the suburb boundary. Counts reflect what is tagged in OSM and can undercount a real but less-mapped area. The park count here is OpenStreetMap green space of any kind, including privately held land — it is a different measure from the council parks below.
Within the Waterford West SA2, OpenStreetMap records 8 childcare and kindergarten centres, 4 GP or clinic locations, 5 supermarkets and 21 green spaces. For families: 14 playgrounds. Eating out and socialising: 3 cafés, 10 restaurants and 1 pub or bar. Staying active: 10 sports fields. The nearest train station, Loganlea, is about 2,750 m from the suburb centre. OpenStreetMap also maps 24 bus stops here.
List every mapped place
Schools
- Waterford West State School
- Marsden State High School
Childcare & kindergartens
- Edge Early Learning
- Happy House
- Little Bunyas
- Hatchlings Early Learning Centre Waterford West
- Waterford Child Care
GPs & clinics
- Sullivan Nicolaides
- Waterford Medical Centre & Skin Cancer Clinic
- Waterford West Medical Centre
- ML Pathology
Supermarkets
- Coles
- SG Spice World
- TOL Supermarkets
- Mera-Desh
- Aldi
Green spaces
- Alford Park
- Lansdown Park
- Tygum Park
- Laughlin Park
- Maas Park
- Moffatt Park
- Bayes Park
- Riverside Park
Parks and trails
Brisbane City Council · biannuallyCouncil park and trail data on this site is published by Brisbane City Council, and covers the Brisbane City Council area only. Waterford West is in Logan City, which does not publish an equivalent open dataset, so no council parks are listed here. The green spaces counted in the amenities section above come from OpenStreetMap and are unaffected.
Park locations © Brisbane City Council 2026; tracks and trails © Brisbane City Council 2025. Used under CC BY 4.0.
Getting to the CBD
TransLink timetablesHow to reach the city centre from Waterford West on public transport — the routes you'd catch here, how long they take and how often they run.
From Waterford West, route 561 runs to the Brisbane CBD in about 64 minutes — it joins the South East Busway at Eight Mile Plains. Times are scheduled and in-vehicle only — they exclude walking, waiting and any transfer.
Routes to the city from Waterford West
- 561Brisbane City - Crestmead~64 min · peak only · via the busway at Eight Mile Plains
These are timetabled figures for a typical weekday. Plan a door-to-door trip on the TransLink journey planner →
Show the data table
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Fastest scheduled trip to the Brisbane CBD | about 64 min |
| Best route, morning peak (7–9am) | about every 39 min |
| 561 — Brisbane City - Crestmead | about 64 min, joins the busway at Eight Mile Plains |
Timetable data © State of Queensland (Department of Transport and Main Roads, TransLink Division), used under CC BY 4.0. Scheduled in-vehicle times for a representative weekday, city-bound — they exclude walking, waiting and transfer time, and real running times vary with traffic.
Schools
Every open Queensland school whose campus sits inside the SA2 boundary, with the average ICSEA across them. Open a school for its own ICSEA, student background and a link to My School.
The Waterford West SA2 contains 2 schools — 1 primary school and 1 secondary school, all government. NAPLAN results for each school are on its My School profile (ACARA). For area context, Waterford West sits in decile 1 of the ABS SEIFA index of education and occupation nationally and 52% of adults here completed Year 12 (Census 2021).
The centre of this SA2 is zoned for Waterford West State School (primary), Marsden State High School (junior secondary), Marsden State High School (senior secondary).
Parts of the SA2 also fall in the catchment of Logan Reserve State School (primary), Marsden State School (primary), Kingston State School (primary), Waterford State School (primary), Loganlea State High School (junior secondary), Loganlea State High School (senior secondary).
Catchments can divide a suburb — confirm your address on EdMap.
Show school list
- Waterford West State School · State · Prep–6
- Marsden State High School · State · 7–12
School list & catchments: Queensland Government Open Data (Department of Education), licensed CC BY 4.0. ICSEA: ACARA School Profile. NAPLAN: myschool.edu.au (ACARA).
Nearby, in Loganlea - Carbrook
Others in the same ABS district, by population growth. If this one doesn't fit, one of these might.
- HereWaterford West+1.0%
- 01Loganlea+1.3%
- 02Loganholme - Tanah Merah+1.2%
- 03Bethania - Waterford+0.7%
- 04Shailer Park+0.7%
- 05Cornubia - Carbrook+0.2%
Dots place each suburb's growth on the same scale, slowest at left.
Waterford West: common questions
Is Waterford West a good place to live?
How much does it cost to rent in Waterford West?
Is there flood data for Waterford West?
Is Waterford West a safe suburb?
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What schools are in Waterford West?
What amenities and public transport does Waterford West have?
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