Hawker
Households in Hawker sit at the 86.9th household-income percentile, while the suburb's 3,008 residents have a median age of 42, about 2.0 years above the national figure. The established neighbourhood is more affluent and older than many Canberra alternatives, with 58.5% university educated and 45.0% owning outright. Growth is subdued at 0.1% a year and the trajectory is Aging, so Hawker differs from nearby Weetangera and Belconnen through stability rather than rapid change. Its 1.96 square kilometres supports 1,537.7 people per square kilometre, creating a compact, largely detached-house setting.
Local council: Unincorporated ACT
Population
3,008
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,251/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Buyer decisions in Hawker are shaped by established housing rather than a quoted median sale price. The monthly mortgage benchmark is $2,000, while weekly rent is $375, and mortgage costs equal 20.5% of household income; the mortgage stress flag is false. Separate houses make up 67.3% of stock, a higher share than the 20.2% apartment share and 12.5% semi-detached share. Larger homes are common: 47.6% have 4 or more bedrooms, compared with 28.9% with 3 bedrooms and 19.8% with 2. With 45.0% owned outright and 31.3% mortgaged, Hawker suits buyers seeking established owner-occupier tenure, though nearby Weetangera provides a useful comparison when checking available listings.
For Buyers
Buyer decisions in Hawker are shaped by established housing rather than a quoted median sale price. The monthly mortgage benchmark is $2,000, while weekly rent is $375, and mortgage costs equal 20.5% of household income; the mortgage stress flag is false. Separate houses make up 67.3% of stock, a higher share than the 20.2% apartment share and 12.5% semi-detached share. Larger homes are common: 47.6% have 4 or more bedrooms, compared with 28.9% with 3 bedrooms and 19.8% with 2. With 45.0% owned outright and 31.3% mortgaged, Hawker suits buyers seeking established owner-occupier tenure, though nearby Weetangera provides a useful comparison when checking available listings.
For Investors
Rental investors face a 23.1% renting share, $375 weekly rent and a 4.7% vacancy rate. The renting share is lower than the 45.0% outright ownership share, so tenant demand should be tested against property type, lease quality and local competition rather than assumed from Hawker's affluent income profile. Development activity is limited to 1 recorded application in 12 months, reducing immediate new-supply risk but also limiting the pipeline of fresh rental stock. The annual growth trend is 0.1%, while overseas migration is the primary driver across the wider forecast area. Hawker's 31.3% mortgage tenure points to a settled market compared with a more turnover-driven investment location, making yield and asset selection central to the case.
Development Activity
Total DAs
17
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hawker
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Hawker College
Belconnen High School
Hawker Primary School
Demographics
Hawker's 3,008 residents form an older, highly educated profile: the median age is 42, 2.0 years above the national figure, and 58.5% hold university qualifications, 28.4 percentage points higher than nationally. English ancestry is reported by 1,111 people, followed by Other at 484, while no religion accounts for 1,419 and Christianity for 1,112. Overseas-born residents make up 26.4%, 4.8 points above the national share, with Bengali, Greek and Mandarin among the recorded languages at 23, 22 and 21 people. Household size is 2.5, equal to the national comparison, and 77.9% stayed at the same address, suggesting more continuity than a high-turnover suburb. Compared with nearby Belconnen, Hawker reads as older and more settled.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
67.3%
Houses
12.5%
Townhouse
20.2%
Apartment
Tenure
With no current median sale price quoted, Hawker's tenure mix is the clearest housing signal. Outright ownership is 45.0%, mortgage ownership 31.3% and renting 23.1%, so owner-occupier tenure is higher than renting and helps explain the suburb's established feel. Separate houses account for 67.3% of dwellings, compared with 20.2% apartments and 12.5% semi-detached homes. The bedroom profile leans large, with 47.6% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms, versus 28.9% with 3 bedrooms and 19.8% with 2. Weekly rent is $375 and the mortgage benchmark is $2,000 per month; rent equals 16.7% of household income and mortgage costs 20.5%, with neither flagged as stressed. Hawker is more house-oriented than apartment-heavy Belconnen.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$375
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,169
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.7%
Unoccupied
58
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.6%
Couples with children
41.8%
Couples, no children
13.3%
Single parent
852
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration dominates Hawker's employment base at 29.7%, or 337 workers, followed by education at 14.5% and 165, healthcare at 13.6% and 155, professional and technical services at 13.4% and 152, and construction at 5.3% and 60. This mix links the suburb to Canberra's government and knowledge economy, while 458 professionals and 292 managers reinforce its high-skill profile. The unemployment rate is 3.6% across a labour force of 1,547, with 916 full-time and 500 part-time workers. Household income sits at the 86.9th percentile, above the national midpoint, and SEIFA places education and occupation advantage in decile 9, higher than most areas. Hawker's economic base is therefore more public-sector and professional than trade-led.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
1,547
Unemployed
56
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.4%
Part-time
33.5%
Participation
61.4%
Employed
1,491
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
58.5%
Postgraduate
20.9%
Born Overseas
26.4%
Dwellings
1,171
Transport to Work
Daily life is practical for car-oriented households: 71.3% drive to work, compared with 5.0% using public transport, while 14.9% work from home and 2.6% walk or cycle. Hawker has 3 nearby government schools spanning primary, high school and college, giving families access across key stages; enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. The suburb's SEIFA IRSAD decile is 9 and the IRSD decile is also 9, placing advantage above the national midpoint. Median age is 42 and 45.0% own their homes outright, which supports a settled daily rhythm, while the 4.7% vacancy rate gives renters some choice. Check recent local safety reports and visit at different times, since street conditions matter. Compared with denser Belconnen, Hawker provides a more detached, local-neighbourhood setting.
Drive
71.3%
Public Transport
5.0%
Walk / Cycle
2.6%
Work from Home
14.9%
Growth Outlook
Hawker's growth outlook is restrained: the annual trend is 0.1%, while population change across the wider area is 4.6% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the local trajectory is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 4.9 percentage points and the working share down 4.1 points. Affordability improved from 34.4 in 2011 to 32.1 in 2021, even as real income growth was negative 0.8%. Gentrification scores 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, so the outlook is lower-change than an active renewal market. The 13.6% rent growth rate still matters for landlords, but it does not overturn the slow-growth profile. Compared with nearby Belconnen, Hawker is more stable than transformational.
Population trend: Unincorporated ACT council area
Hawker sits in the Unincorporated ACT council area. These are the council area's residents, not Hawker's.
Residents 2025
484,630
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.3%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hawker compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hawker a good suburb to live in?
Hawker suits residents who value established housing, higher incomes and a quieter, older profile. The median age is 42, 45.0% own outright and 71.3% drive to work. Public transport use is 5.0%, so households without a car should test routes and services before choosing an address.
What is the median house price in Hawker?
A current median house price is not quoted for Hawker. Useful reference points are $375 weekly rent, a $2,000 monthly mortgage benchmark and a tenure mix of 45.0% outright owners, 31.3% mortgaged owners and 23.1% renters. Compare individual listings with recent sales in Weetangera and Belconnen.
What schools are in Hawker?
Hawker has 3 nearby government schools covering primary, high school and college: Hawker Primary School, Belconnen High School and Hawker College. School access depends on the address and enrolment zone, so families should confirm eligibility, transport and year-level availability before signing a lease or contract.
Is Hawker safe?
Visit the exact street at different times, check recent local safety reports and ask about lighting, traffic and evening activity. Hawker has 3,008 residents across 1.96 square kilometres, but those suburb-wide characteristics cannot replace a property-level check before renting or buying.
Is Hawker good for property investment?
Hawker can suit a long-term investor seeking an established, owner-occupied market, but the numbers call for selectivity. Weekly rent is $375, vacancy is 4.7%, renting is 23.1% and only 1 development application was recorded in 12 months. Annual growth is 0.1%, so returns depend more on property quality and tenant retention than rapid capital growth.
How is Hawker's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 4.6% over 10 years, with annual growth of 0.1%. Hawker's trajectory is Aging, the senior share has risen 4.9 percentage points and overseas migration is the primary driver. The gentrification score is 0, so change is expected to be gradual rather than redevelopment-led.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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