Hawthorn
At a $2,050,000 median house price on just 1.06 square kilometres, Hawthorn SA ranks among Adelaide's most expensive small suburbs. Household income sits at the 89.7th percentile nationally, and 61.4% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 31.3 percentage points above the national figure. Despite this premium profile, 82.3% of residents stayed in place over the measured period, reflecting a settled, established owner-occupier base rather than high-churn rental demand. The suburb also carries a notably low 23.9% renter share, well below the national average.
Population
2,221
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,370/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
38
Median House
$2.0M
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price of $2,050,000 as of 1Q 2026 is supported by a predominantly detached housing stock, with 72% of dwellings being separate houses. Price growth was moderate at 2.6% from $1,997,500 in 1Q 2025, suggesting stability rather than speculative pressure. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 36% of stock and three-bedroom homes 33.9%, which fits the couples-with-children households that make up a significant share of families here. Mortgage-to-income sits at 25.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are in the 89.7th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 40.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 35.7%, consistent with long-held wealth concentrated in an affluent inner-ring suburb.
For Buyers
The median house price of $2,050,000 as of 1Q 2026 is supported by a predominantly detached housing stock, with 72% of dwellings being separate houses. Price growth was moderate at 2.6% from $1,997,500 in 1Q 2025, suggesting stability rather than speculative pressure. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 36% of stock and three-bedroom homes 33.9%, which fits the couples-with-children households that make up a significant share of families here. Mortgage-to-income sits at 25.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are in the 89.7th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 40.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 35.7%, consistent with long-held wealth concentrated in an affluent inner-ring suburb.
For Investors
The investment fundamentals for Hawthorn SA are mixed. Weekly rent of $295 against a $2,050,000 median implies a gross yield below 0.8%, which is very low even by premium Adelaide standards. The 9.9% vacancy rate is elevated and points to limited rental demand relative to supply in this predominantly owner-occupier market, where only 23.9% of residents rent. On the positive side, 33 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, including second-storey additions and pool installations, signalling active reinvestment by existing owners. Price growth of 2.6% over one year is modest, so investors should weigh capital preservation against yield expectations.
Development Activity
Total DAs
216
Last 12 Months
38
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+22.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, reflecting an established, older resident base. University qualifications at 61.4% run 31.3 percentage points above the national figure, one of the highest education concentrations in South Australia. Ancestry leans heavily Anglo-Celtic: English (961), Scottish (250), Irish (228) and German (185) dominate. Overseas-born residents account for 21.1% of the population, broadly in line with the national average. Average household size is 2.6, slightly above the national figure, consistent with the couples-with-children profile: 788 families are couples with children compared with 483 couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
72.0%
Houses
6.2%
Townhouse
21.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Hawthorn's housing stock is detached-dominant: 72% separate houses, 21.2% apartments and 6.2% semi-detached. Tenure is skewed toward ownership, with 40.4% owning outright and 35.7% carrying a mortgage, leaving only 23.9% as renters, which is lower than the national renter share. Four-plus bedroom homes are the single largest bedroom category at 36%, followed by three-bedroom at 33.9% and two-bedroom at 23.2%. Median house price moved from $1,997,500 in 1Q 2025 to $2,050,000 in 1Q 2026, a 2.6% gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, and with mortgage-to-income at 25.3%, buyers at median income levels remain below the 30% stress threshold, a notable difference compared with many other premium suburbs.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wk
$295
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,027
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.9%
Unoccupied
91
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
12.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.8%
Couples, no children
1,870
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 25.8% of the local workforce (225 workers), followed by Professional/Tech at 15.5% (135) and Education at 10.6% (92). Public Admin and Finance account for another 13.8% combined. By occupation, Professionals (446) and Managers (195) together represent the bulk of employed residents, which is consistent with household incomes in the 89.7th percentile nationally. The unemployment rate is 4.6% and the full-time employment rate is 57.2%, with 466 residents working part-time. Participation sits at 61.8%, leaving 611 residents not in the labour force, partly explained by the older median age of 43 and the high outright-ownership rate that reduces financial pressure to work.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.2%
Part-time
38.2%
Participation
61.8%
Employed
1,089
Occupations
Top Industries
University
61.4%
Postgraduate
17.6%
Born Overseas
21.1%
Dwellings
836
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 82.4%, with public transport used by only 6.8% of residents and walking or cycling by 5.6%, figures that reflect the suburb's quiet residential character rather than proximity to major transit. The crime rate is 43.7 incidents per 1,000 residents based on 97 total recorded incidents, which provides a baseline for safety comparison with other suburbs. Volunteering is strong at 26.8%, above the national average, reflecting community engagement in a settled owner-occupier suburb. Only 3.4% of residents (74 people) require daily assistance. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical consideration given that 788 households here are couples with children.
Drive
82.4%
Public Transport
6.8%
Walk / Cycle
5.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
97
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
43.7
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hawthorn compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hawthorn a good suburb to live in?
Hawthorn SA has household income at the 89.7th percentile nationally and 61.4% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 31.3 percentage points above the national figure. The low renter share of 23.9% and 82.3% residential stability rate reflect a settled, affluent community. The main trade-off is a $2,050,000 median house price and limited public transport at 6.8% usage.
What is the median house price in Hawthorn?
The median house price is $2,050,000 as of 1Q 2026, up 2.6% from $1,997,500 in 1Q 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 25.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $295, giving a gross yield well below 1% against the median purchase price.
What schools are in Hawthorn?
No schools are recorded within the Hawthorn SA suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local resident population is highly educated, with 61.4% holding university qualifications, which is 31.3 percentage points above the national figure, and 788 households are couples with children.
Is Hawthorn safe?
Hawthorn SA recorded 97 total crime incidents, giving a crime rate of 43.7 per 1,000 residents. The suburb's high income level (89.7th percentile nationally) and 40.4% outright ownership rate are typically associated with lower-disadvantage, lower-crime environments. Only 3.4% of residents (74 people) require daily assistance.
Is Hawthorn good for property investment?
The investment case is primarily capital-growth focused. Weekly rent of $295 against a $2,050,000 median implies a gross yield below 0.8%, and the 9.9% vacancy rate signals limited rental demand in a market where 76.1% of residents own their homes. Price growth was 2.6% over the past year. The stable, low-turnover ownership base supports long-term price floors.
How is Hawthorn's population changing?
Hawthorn has a population of 2,221 across 1.06 square kilometres, giving a density of 2,087 residents per square kilometre. The turnover rate is just 17.7%, with 82.3% of residents staying in place, indicating very low population churn. The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, suggesting a gradually aging resident base.
How much development is happening in Hawthorn?
There were 33 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including second-storey additions, new two-storey detached dwellings with pools, and regulated tree removals. Most activity is performance-assessed renovation and improvement of existing homes rather than new dwelling creation, consistent with an established premium suburb maintaining and upgrading its housing stock.
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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