Hawthorn East
Apartments now shape Hawthorn East more than detached homes: 48.8% of dwellings are apartments compared with 33.1% separate houses. Around Camberwell and Hawthorn, it stands out as a premium, denser pocket with a $2,517,500 median house price and 4,257.4 residents per sq km. The suburb also ranks high for advantage, with household income in the 87th percentile and 66.8% university attainment, which is 36.7 percentage points above the national level.
Population
14,834
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,253/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
118
Median House
$2.5M
Apr-Jun 2024
Hawthorn East suits buyers who want a blue-chip address but accept apartment-dominant stock. The median house price is $2,517,500, lower than the $3,060,000 peak by 17.7%, so buyers are entering below the recent high rather than at the top. Separate houses are only 33.1% of dwellings, while apartments are 48.8%, so family-sized homes face tighter competition. Mortgage costs take 25.6% of income, higher than the 18.4% rent burden but supported by $2,253 weekly household income.
For Buyers
Hawthorn East suits buyers who want a blue-chip address but accept apartment-dominant stock. The median house price is $2,517,500, lower than the $3,060,000 peak by 17.7%, so buyers are entering below the recent high rather than at the top. Separate houses are only 33.1% of dwellings, while apartments are 48.8%, so family-sized homes face tighter competition. Mortgage costs take 25.6% of income, higher than the 18.4% rent burden but supported by $2,253 weekly household income.
For Investors
Investors get a deep renter pool, with 40.8% of homes rented and weekly rent at $415, but the 16.4% vacancy rate is the main caution. Demand is helped by apartment stock at 48.8% and overseas migration averaging +438 people a year, higher than internal migration at -60. Development activity is moderate at 19 applications in 12 months, so supply pressure exists but is not a construction surge. Asset selection matters because rents are modest compared with the $2,517,500 house median.
Development Activity
Total DAs
122
Last 12 Months
118
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+11700.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hawthorn East iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Auburn South Primary School
Prep-6 · 549 students
Auburn Primary School
Prep-6 · 381 students
Auburn High School
7-12 · 849 students
Alia College
7-12 · 96 students
Demographics
Hawthorn East is highly educated, globally connected and still slightly younger than Australia overall. The median age is 36, which is 4.0 years below the national figure, while 66.8% hold a university qualification, 36.7 percentage points above national levels. Overseas-born residents make up 31.7%, which is 10.1 points above national, with English ancestry at 4,633 people and Chinese at 2,042. Smaller 2.3-person households fit the apartment-heavy housing mix.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
33.1%
Houses
18.0%
Townhouse
48.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is expensive but no longer at its recent peak. The median house price reached $3,060,000 in Apr-Jun 2023 and was $2,517,500 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 17.7% fall from peak while still 101.8% above the 2013 level of $1,247,500. Ownership is split between 30.2% owned outright, 28.9% mortgaged and 40.8% renting. The dwelling mix is more apartment-led than family-house-led, with 38.1% two-bedroom homes compared with 20.3% having 4 or more bedrooms.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,500
Rent / wk
$415
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,244
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
16.4%
Unoccupied
1,228
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.3%
Couples, no children
10,687
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local economy is driven by high-skill work. Professional and tech roles account for 20.5% of employed residents, followed by healthcare at 15.6%, education at 11.5%, finance at 8.9% and retail at 7.3%. Professionals number 3,644 and managers 1,569, which explains the suburb's IEO decile 10 and IRSAD decile 10 ranking. The anomaly is IER decile 6, lower than the other SEIFA scores, because a high 40.8% rental share and apartment mix dilute household resources despite strong incomes.
Unemployment
2.9%
Labour Force
11,540
Unemployed
330
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.9%
Part-time
27.9%
Participation
66.5%
Employed
8,049
Occupations
Top Industries
University
66.8%
Postgraduate
21.9%
Born Overseas
31.7%
Dwellings
6,240
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for education access, walkability and inner-east convenience, but daily travel is still car-heavy. Four local schools span ICSEA 1130 to 1165, led by Auburn South Primary at 1165, Auburn Primary at 1162 and Auburn High at 1140, with both government and independent options. Public transport commuting is 10.1%, below car driving at 75.0%, while walking and cycling sit at 10.6%. Safety is mixed: 810 offences equal 54.6 per 1,000 people, but IRSAD decile 10 points to above-average socio-economic advantage.
Drive
75.0%
Public Transport
10.1%
Walk / Cycle
10.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.04%/yr
(+183 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive, with the forecast trend at 1.04% a year, or about 183 people annually. The medium scenario rises from 17,510 in 2026 to 18,425 by 2031. Overseas migration is the primary driver, adding an average +438 people a year, while internal migration is lower at -60. The suburb has recovered from a -5.2% COVID dip, with current population 8.6% above the low. Gentrification is labelled Early signs with a score of 27, and the aging trajectory is reinforced by a +3.4 point senior share shift.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+438
Net Internal / yr
-60
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +22% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +438/yr, COVID recovered (-5% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
810
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
54.6
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hawthorn East compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hawthorn East a good suburb to live in?
Yes, Hawthorn East is a strong lifestyle suburb for buyers who value schools, income levels and inner-east access. It has 4 local schools, IRSAD decile 10 advantage and a high 66.8% university attainment rate, although car commuting remains high at 75.0%.
What is the median house price in Hawthorn East?
The median house price in Hawthorn East is $2,517,500 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 17.7% below the $3,060,000 peak recorded in Apr-Jun 2023, but still 101.8% above the 2013 median of $1,247,500.
What schools are in Hawthorn East?
Hawthorn East has 4 local schools: Auburn South Primary School with ICSEA 1165 and 549 students, Auburn Primary School with 1162 and 381, Auburn High School with 1140 and 849, and Alia College with 1130 and 96.
Is Hawthorn East safe?
Hawthorn East recorded 810 offences, equal to 54.6 per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences were the largest category with 601 incidents, compared with 100 crimes against the person, so most reported crime is property-related.
Is Hawthorn East good for property investment?
It can suit investors seeking a premium renter market, with 40.8% of homes rented and weekly rent at $415. The caution is vacancy at 16.4%, so investors need to compare building quality, position and apartment supply before relying on rental growth.
How is Hawthorn East's population changing?
Hawthorn East is forecast to grow at 1.04% a year, or about 183 people annually. The medium scenario reaches 18,425 by 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration at +438 people a year despite internal migration averaging -60.
What languages are spoken in Hawthorn East?
Hawthorn East has 31.7% of residents born overseas, which is 10.1 percentage points above the national level. Common non-English languages include Mandarin with 461 speakers, Greek with 124, Canton with 116, Hindi with 86 and Italian with 81.
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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