New South Wales · Postcode 2298
Waratah postcode and suburb data
New South Wales · Phone area code 02 · 117 km from Sydney
Suburb snapshot
Waratah at a glance vs NSW
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against NSW
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Detailed comparison table
Waratah vs the NSW average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Waratah | NSW avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $1,511 -NSW | $1,931 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $350 -NSW | $445 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $1,827 -NSW | $2,247 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 41 | 45.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 4/10 -NSW | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 4.8% ≈NSW | 5.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the NSW average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
Waratah is a coastal suburb of Sydney in New South Wales, with postcode 2298. It sits about 117 km from the Sydney CBD, within the Newcastle local government area. The suburb footprint covers roughly 1.9 square kilometres.
According to the 2021 Census, Waratah has a population of 4,927 with a median age of 41. The median weekly household income is $1,511, below the NSW average. The unemployment rate is 4.8%. The Indigenous population is 221 (4.5% of residents).
Housing in Waratah includes a median weekly rent of $350, median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,827, with 1,894 total dwellings. Housing costs in the area sit below the NSW average. Rental properties account for 48.4% of dwellings.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Waratah scores in decile 4 out of 10, which is below the national average.
There are 8 schools in the Waratah area, including St Philip's Christian College - Waratah, Callaghan College Waratah Campus, Waratah Public School and others.
Waratah is part of the Newcastle statistical area in New South Wales.
Waratah details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 2298 |
| State | New South Wales (NSW) |
| Phone Area Code | 02 |
| Population (2021) | 4,927 |
| Median Age | 41 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $1,511/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $785/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $350 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $1,827 |
| Average Household Size | 2.2 persons |
| Area | 1.9 km² |
| Population Density | 2574/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 1,894 |
| Australian Citizens | 85.0% |
| Indigenous Population | 221 (4.5%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 4/10 (below average) |
| Latitude | -32.905278 |
| Longitude | 151.725 |
| Distance from Sydney | 117 km |
| Region (SA4) | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |
| Area (SA3) | Newcastle |
| Local Government | Newcastle |
| Federal Electorate | Newcastle |
| State Electorate | Wallsend |
| Time Zone | AEST (UTC+10), Australia/Sydney (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 601 (12.2%) |
| 15–24 years | 622 (12.6%) |
| 25–44 years | 1,396 (28.3%) |
| 45–64 years | 1,064 (21.6%) |
| 65+ years | 1,245 (25.3%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Arthritis | 513 (10.4%) |
| Asthma | 467 (9.5%) |
| Diabetes | 287 (5.8%) |
| Heart Disease | 265 (5.4%) |
| Dementia | 226 (4.6%) |
| Cancer | 155 (3.1%) |
| Lung Condition | 129 (2.6%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 224 (12.1%) |
| 1 vehicle | 767 (41.6%) |
| 2 vehicles | 613 (33.2%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 240 (13.0%) |
Schools in Waratah
ACARA 2025 school profiles for schools located in Waratah. ICSEA is shown where ACARA publishes it.
Suburbs Near Waratah
Same Postcode (2298)
More Waratah Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.