Hawthorn
Its 61.4% university-educated share is 31.3 percentage points above the national figure, helping explain the concentration of professionals and managers. Compared with nearby Hawthorndene and Torrens Park, Hawthorn is compact and densely settled at 2,087 people per square kilometre. A household income percentile of 89.7 and 82.3% residential stability support a settled market, while 16.8% working from home suits professional households. Growth is positive because overseas migration is the main driver, but the gentrification score of 33 and mixed trajectory suggest gradual change.
Local council: Mitcham
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
39
Median House
$2.0M
First quarter 2026
Buyers need to approach Hawthorn as a premium, established market rather than an entry-level option. Separate houses account for 72.0% of homes, compared with 21.2% apartments, and the stock leans toward larger dwellings: 4-plus bedrooms represent 36.0%, higher than the 33.9% share for three-bedroom homes. Mortgage costs equal 25.3% of household income and are not flagged as stressed, but the upfront deposit remains the main hurdle. Compared with a unit-led suburb, Hawthorn suits households seeking space and established streets, provided they can absorb the premium price.
For Buyers
Buyers need to approach Hawthorn as a premium, established market rather than an entry-level option. Separate houses account for 72.0% of homes, compared with 21.2% apartments, and the stock leans toward larger dwellings: 4-plus bedrooms represent 36.0%, higher than the 33.9% share for three-bedroom homes. Mortgage costs equal 25.3% of household income and are not flagged as stressed, but the upfront deposit remains the main hurdle. Compared with a unit-led suburb, Hawthorn suits households seeking space and established streets, provided they can absorb the premium price.
For Investors
Investment conditions are mixed. Hawthorn has 23.7% renting, a weekly rent of $295 and a 9.9% vacancy rate, so tenant demand should be assessed carefully rather than assumed. The vacancy figure is lower than the renting share, while rent growth across the shift indicators is 7.6%, giving landlords some recent pricing momentum. There were 40 development applications in the past 12 months, with recent examples including tree work and a swimming pool rather than confirmed dwelling additions. Compared with the 40.0% owned-outright share, the rental base is sizeable but not dominant.
Development Activity
Total DAs
223
Last 12 Months
39
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+34.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Hawthorn has an older, highly educated profile: the median age is 43, which is 3 years above the national figure, while 61.4% of residents have university qualifications, 31.3 percentage points above national. Household size is 2.6 people, only 0.1 above the national level, and couples with children account for 50.8% of families, compared with 38.3% for couples without children. English, Scottish and Irish ancestry counts are 961, 250 and 228 respectively, while no religion is recorded for 1,060 residents versus 952 identifying with Christianity. Overseas-born residents make up 21.1%, 0.5 percentage points below the national comparison, so the suburb is more Anglo-leaning than migrant-majority. The 82.3% stay rate supports continuity, while 17.7% turnover still brings some renewal.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
72.0%
Houses
6.2%
Townhouse
21.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Hawthorn's housing is expensive, established and predominantly detached. Ownership is split between 40.0% outright owners and 35.4% mortgagors, with 23.7% renting. Separate houses make up 72.0% of dwellings, well above the 21.2% apartment share, while 36.0% have four or more bedrooms and 33.9% have three. This mix explains why Hawthorn appeals to established households seeking space, but also why affordability is tighter than in a smaller-unit market. The 25.3% mortgage-to-income ratio is not flagged as stressed, and the 12.4% rent-to-income ratio is comparatively contained.
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$295
Census 2021
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
50.8%
Couples with children
38.3%
Couples, no children
9.7%
Single parent
632
Total families
Economy & Employment
Hawthorn's economic base is professional and service oriented. Healthcare is the largest listed industry at 25.8% with 225 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 15.5% and 135, Education at 10.6% and 92, Public Administration at 8.1% and 71, and Finance at 5.7% and 50. The occupation mix reinforces that pattern, with 446 Professionals and 195 Managers ahead of 148 Clerical/Admin workers. Labour-force participation is 64.5%, unemployment is 4.4%, and employment includes 623 full-time and 466 part-time workers. Household income sits at the 89.7th percentile, higher than the national median, because knowledge-sector and management roles are prominent. This supports premium housing demand, although it also raises the financial threshold for new buyers.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
1,192
Unemployed
52
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.6%
Part-time
40.9%
Participation
64.5%
Employed
1,140
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
61.4%
Postgraduate
17.6%
Born Overseas
21.1%
Dwellings
836
Transport to Work
Daily life is convenient for households that drive. Car drivers account for 68.5% of commuting, compared with 5.6% using public transport and 4.6% walking or cycling; 16.8% work from home, which can reduce peak travel. School access is catchment-dependent, so families should check nearby government and non-government options against the exact address and enrolment zone. The recorded crime rate is 43.7 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 97 total incidents, giving buyers a reason to inspect street-level conditions and compare nearby routes at different times. Volunteering is 26.8%, and density is 2,087 people per square kilometre. Compared with a transit-led suburb, Hawthorn's practical strengths are residential stability and car access, while school logistics and road dependence deserve closer attention.
Drive
68.5%
Public Transport
5.6%
Walk / Cycle
4.6%
Work from Home
16.8%
Growth Outlook
Growth is positive but measured. The annual trend is 1.4%, higher than a flat-growth scenario, and overseas migration is the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 15.3% over 10 years, while the trajectory is labelled Mixed, suggesting established demand with uneven momentum. Gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 33, so change is more likely to arrive through incremental renovations and household turnover than rapid wholesale redevelopment. The shift indicators also record rent growth of 7.6%, real income growth of 11.4% and an improving affordability measure that moved from 42.3 in 2011 to 33.2 in 2021. These conditions support gradual uplift because income and migration are growing, but the mixed trajectory limits any case for assuming uniform acceleration.
Population trend: Mitcham council area
Hawthorn sits in the Mitcham council area. These are the council area's residents, not Hawthorn's.
Residents 2025
71,267
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.9%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.0%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
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
What schools are in Hawthorn?
Hawthorn has 0 schools within its suburb boundaries. Families should check nearby government and non-government schools by exact address, because enrolment zones can differ across adjoining suburbs. Hawthorn has a population of 2,221 and a density of 2,087 people per square kilometre, making catchment boundaries important when comparing options.
Is Hawthorn safe?
Hawthorn recorded 97 crimes, equal to 43.7 incidents per 1,000 residents. That rate should be considered alongside the suburb's compact setting and 2,087 people per square kilometre, because incident patterns can vary by street and activity. Buyers should inspect the immediate area at different times and compare routes, lighting and parking conditions before committing.
How is Hawthorn's population changing?
Hawthorn's population outlook is positive but not uniform. The annual growth trend is 1.4%, overseas migration is the primary driver and population change across the wider area is 15.3% over 10 years. The trajectory is Mixed, while gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 33. That points to gradual household turnover and renewal rather than a sudden population surge.
What development is occurring in Hawthorn?
Development activity is noticeable but appears incremental. There were 40 applications in the past 12 months, with recent examples including a regulated avocado-tree removal, a 9m by 4m swimming pool and spa, and retrospective red-gum removal. Buyers should check each address for construction, amenity and tree impacts. Compared with a major apartment pipeline, this points to property-level change rather than confirmed large-scale supply.
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), SA Department for Housing and Urban Development (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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