Hawker
With household income sitting in the 86.9th percentile nationally and 58.5% of residents holding a university qualification, 28.4 points above the national figure, Hawker reads as a well-educated, high-income suburb in Canberra's north-west. The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national average, and the suburb is tracking an aging trajectory with the senior share up 4.9 points over the decade. Population growth is nearly flat at 0.1% annually, driven by overseas migration of 42 residents a year that partially offsets net internal outflow of 47.
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
2
Median House
$536K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price sits at $536,000, making Hawker more accessible than many Canberra suburbs despite its high-income base. At a monthly mortgage of $2,000 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5%, repayments are below the 30% stress threshold, which is notably lower than the national average burden. Separate houses make up 67.3% of dwellings, with apartments at 20.2% and semi-detached at 12.5%. The bedroom mix skews large, with 47.6% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 28.9% having 3 bedrooms, suiting families rather than singles or couples. Outright ownership at 45.3% is high, indicating an established, long-holding cohort rather than a market driven by new buyers.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $536,000, making Hawker more accessible than many Canberra suburbs despite its high-income base. At a monthly mortgage of $2,000 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5%, repayments are below the 30% stress threshold, which is notably lower than the national average burden. Separate houses make up 67.3% of dwellings, with apartments at 20.2% and semi-detached at 12.5%. The bedroom mix skews large, with 47.6% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 28.9% having 3 bedrooms, suiting families rather than singles or couples. Outright ownership at 45.3% is high, indicating an established, long-holding cohort rather than a market driven by new buyers.
For Investors
Rental demand in Hawker is moderate: 23.2% of dwellings are rented at a weekly median of $375, and the vacancy rate of 4.7% is elevated compared to a healthy market threshold of around 2-3%, suggesting limited upward pressure on rents. Rent-to-income sits at 16.7%, well below the 30% stress mark, meaning tenants are comfortable but landlords have limited pricing power. Population growth of 0.1% per year and a net internal migration of negative 47 annually means demand is not expanding quickly. Overseas migration of 42 per year is the primary counterbalance. With only 2 development applications in the past 12 months, new supply is not a concern, preserving the existing rental stock.
Development Activity
Total DAs
17
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hawker iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Hawker Primary School
K-6 · 331 students
Hawker College
11-12 · 605 students
Belconnen High School
7-10 · 636 students
Demographics
Hawker's population of 3,008 skews older and highly educated. The median age of 42 sits 2 years above the national average, and the senior share has grown 4.9 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 4.1 points. University qualifications at 58.5% are 28.4 points above national, consistent with Canberra's public service concentration. Overseas-born residents account for 26.4%, which is 4.8 points above the national figure. English ancestry leads at 1,111 residents, followed by Irish and Scottish at 398 each. The dominant non-English languages are Bengali, Greek and Mandarin. Average household size of 2.5 matches the national figure, and 24.3% of residents volunteer, indicating a civically engaged community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
67.3%
Houses
12.5%
Townhouse
20.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Hawker's housing stock is predominantly separate houses at 67.3%, with apartments at 20.2% and semi-detached dwellings at 12.5%. The tenure split shows strong outright ownership at 45.3%, with 31.5% carrying a mortgage and 23.2% renting. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders is typical of an established, aging suburb where residents have paid down debt over time. The 4-plus bedroom segment dominates at 47.6%, pointing to larger family homes rather than smaller units. The median house price of $536,000 places Hawker below many inner Canberra suburbs in price, while the mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5% remains comfortably below the national stress benchmark of 30%. Vacancy at 4.7% is higher than a tight market, suggesting some softness in the rental segment.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$375
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
29.6%
Couples, no children
2,418
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration dominates Hawker's industry mix at 29.7% of workers (337 people), well above the national share for that sector, reflecting the suburb's position within Canberra's government employment catchment. Education follows at 14.5% and Healthcare at 13.6%, with Professional/Tech at 13.4%. By occupation, Professionals (458) and Managers (292) lead, consistent with the decile 9 SEIFA IEO score for education and occupation advantage. The unemployment rate of 3.8% is low and the full-time employment rate is 64.7%. SEIFA scores place Hawker in decile 9 on both IRSD and IRSAD, indicating high socioeconomic advantage and placing it above approximately 80% of Australian suburbs on disadvantage measures.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
1,608
Unemployed
68
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.7%
Part-time
31.5%
Participation
58.4%
Employed
1,416
Occupations
Top Industries
University
58.5%
Postgraduate
20.9%
Born Overseas
26.4%
Dwellings
1,171
Transport to Work
Hawker ranks in SEIFA IRSAD decile 9 nationally, placing it among the top 10% of suburbs for socioeconomic advantage. Car dependency is high, with 83.7% of residents driving to work, above the national average, and public transport use at 5.9% is relatively low. Walking and cycling account for 3.1% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on surrounding areas. Rent-to-income at 16.7% is well below the stress threshold, meaning housing costs are manageable relative to incomes. The volunteering rate of 24.3% is notably high, and only 5.5% of residents (159 people) need daily assistance, indicating a largely self-sufficient population despite the aging demographic profile.
Drive
83.7%
Public Transport
5.9%
Walk / Cycle
3.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.1%/yr
(+3 people/yr)
EstablishedHawker's population has been essentially stable, moving from 3,003 in 2023 to 3,007 in 2025 and growing at just 0.1% per year (3 persons annually). The 10-year population change of 4.6% is modest compared to many fast-growing outer suburbs nationally. Medium forecasts project a gradual rise to 3,031 by 2031. Internal migration is negative at minus 47 per year, offset by overseas migration of 42, meaning net movement is slight. The gentrification score is 0, classified as not gentrifying, which is expected for a suburb already in the top decile for advantage. Affordability improved from 34.4% in 2011 to 32.1% in 2021, a gradual positive trend, and rent growth of 13.6% over the measured period reflects contained but real market movement.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+42
Net Internal / yr
-47
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
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 ranks in SEIFA IRSAD decile 9, placing it among the top 10% of Australian suburbs for socioeconomic advantage. Household income is in the 86.9th percentile nationally, university qualifications reach 58.5%, and housing costs are manageable with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5%. The main drawback is car dependency, with 83.7% of residents driving to work.
What is the median house price in Hawker?
The median house price in Hawker is $536,000, estimated from rental data for 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000 and rent runs $375 per week. At a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.5%, Hawker is more financially accessible than many higher-priced Canberra suburbs.
What schools are in Hawker?
No schools are recorded within the Hawker suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in surrounding Canberra suburbs. Despite this, Hawker's residents are highly educated, with 58.5% holding a university qualification, which is 28.4 points above the national figure.
Is Hawker safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Hawker in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 9 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, placing it above approximately 80% of Australian suburbs. Only 5.5% of residents (159 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a low-disadvantage, high-advantage area.
Is Hawker good for property investment?
Hawker offers a $536,000 median house price with weekly rent of $375, implying a gross yield of around 3.6%. However, the vacancy rate of 4.7% is elevated above the 2-3% healthy market range, suggesting limited rental pressure. Annual population growth is 0.1% and internal migration is negative 47 per year, so demand-side growth is weak.
How is Hawker's population changing?
Hawker's population has been stable at approximately 3,007 residents, with annual growth of just 0.1% (3 persons). Over 10 years the population grew 4.6%. Overseas migration adds 42 residents per year but internal migration removes 47, leaving near-zero net change. Medium forecasts project 3,031 residents by 2031.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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