Hawthorn
An apartment-led inner suburb, Hawthorn accommodates 22,322 residents at a density of 3,798 people per square kilometre. Its median age of 34 is younger than the national figure, while 66.3% of residents hold a university qualification, 36.2 percentage points above the national comparison. Housing is concentrated in apartments, which account for 59.2% of dwellings, and renting reaches 45.9%. Household income sits at the 81.7th percentile nationally, helping support premium prices. Compared with nearby Kew and Camberwell, Hawthorn has a more compact, rental-oriented profile because smaller households and apartment living are much more prominent.
Population
22,322
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,145/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
426
Median House
$3.1M
October to December 2025
Hawthorn suits buyers prioritising location, apartment choice and access to established services, but its entry price is demanding. Apartments represent 59.2% of dwellings, while 39.8% of homes have 2 bedrooms, so buyers have more compact options than in predominantly detached-house markets. Mortgage repayments are listed at $2,259 per month, with mortgage costs at 24.3% of household income and rent costs at 18.6%. The apartment-heavy supply helps create choice, although the premium land value keeps overall affordability below many middle-ring alternatives.
For Buyers
Hawthorn suits buyers prioritising location, apartment choice and access to established services, but its entry price is demanding. Apartments represent 59.2% of dwellings, while 39.8% of homes have 2 bedrooms, so buyers have more compact options than in predominantly detached-house markets. Mortgage repayments are listed at $2,259 per month, with mortgage costs at 24.3% of household income and rent costs at 18.6%. The apartment-heavy supply helps create choice, although the premium land value keeps overall affordability below many middle-ring alternatives.
For Investors
Hawthorn has a large renter base, with 45.9% of occupied dwellings rented and weekly rent listed at $400. Rent growth of 7.6% supports income prospects, but the 15.5% vacancy rate is high compared with a tightly held market and can give tenants more choice between properties. The suburb recorded 406 development applications over 12 months, which indicates an active pipeline and potential competition from new or upgraded housing. Overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, supporting tenant demand because new arrivals often seek well-connected rental accommodation. Investors should weigh that demand against premium entry prices, apartment concentration and the risk that elevated vacancy limits short-term rental growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
445
Last 12 Months
426
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+5985.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hawthorn
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Bialik College
Scotch College
Erasmus Primary School
Glenferrie Primary School
Hawthorn West Primary School
Demographics
Hawthorn has a highly educated, relatively young population. The median age is 34, which is 6 years below the national comparison, and 66.3% of residents have a university qualification, 36.2 percentage points above the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 29.4%, or 7.8 percentage points above the national comparison, with English, Irish, Scottish and Chinese ancestry among the largest reported groups at 7,647, 3,204, 2,793 and 2,050 people. Average household size is 2.1 people, 0.4 below the national figure, because couples without children make up 48.0% of families. No religion is the largest reported affiliation at 10,834 people, followed by Christianity at 8,035.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
24.3%
Houses
16.1%
Townhouse
59.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Hawthorn's housing market has delivered substantial long-term growth but has eased from its recent high. Tenure is split between 27.0% owned outright, 25.2% with a mortgage and 45.9% rented. The dwelling mix is apartment-dominant at 59.2%, compared with 24.3% separate houses and 16.1% semi-detached homes. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 39.8%, above 0-1 bedroom homes at 22.1%, 3-bedroom homes at 21.1% and 4-plus bedroom homes at 17.0%.
Mortgage / mo
$2,259
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $400.
$550
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $950 · units $600
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$1,207
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.5%
Unoccupied
1,777
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.9%
Couples with children
48.0%
Couples, no children
10.0%
Single parent
5,260
Total families
Economy & Employment
Hawthorn's employment base is led by Professional/Tech at 19.5% or 2,053 workers, followed by Healthcare at 16.5% or 1,739, Education at 11.6% or 1,221, Finance at 8.4% or 887 and Retail at 7.0% or 734. Professionals number 5,627 and managers 2,257, helping explain the household income percentile of 81.7. Labour-force participation is 70.6%, unemployment is 4.7% and full-time employment is 62.4%. SEIFA results are strong but uneven: IEO, IRSD and IRSAD each sit in decile 10, while IER is in decile 4. The IER result is below the other three because a high-income, highly educated workforce coexists with 45.9% renting and an average household size of 2.1.
Unemployment
4.7%
Labour Force
13,825
Unemployed
645
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.4%
Part-time
31.4%
Participation
70.6%
Employed
13,180
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
66.3%
Postgraduate
21.9%
Born Overseas
29.4%
Dwellings
9,698
Transport to Work
Hawthorn provides a broad local school mix, with 8 schools spanning government, Catholic and independent sectors, including primary, secondary, combined primary-secondary and special education options. Exact enrolment zones should be checked against the address because boundaries can cross suburb lines. Transport patterns reflect both central access and substantial home working: 51.6% work from home, 32.3% drive as a car driver, 7.3% use public transport and 7.0% walk or cycle. Recorded crime totals 1,378 offences at 61.7 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences accounting for 1,051, higher than crimes against the person at 161. Socioeconomic advantage is strong, with both IRSD and IRSAD in the top decile, which is above the midpoint of the national scale.
Drive
32.3%
Public Transport
7.3%
Walk / Cycle
7.0%
Work from Home
51.6%
Population Forecast
+1.4%/yr
(+187 people/yr)
EstablishedHawthorn's forecast points to moderate expansion rather than a rapid population surge. The annual trend is 1.4%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, while the wider area records 15.3% population change over 10 years. Gentrification is at the early signs stage with a score of 33, and the broader shift trajectory is Mixed. Rental growth of 7.6% supports ongoing demand, but affordability moved from 42.3 in 2011 to 33.2 in 2021, leaving the later measure below the earlier one. Growth is likely to remain linked to international arrivals and apartment demand because Hawthorn combines established services, a 59.2% apartment share and a highly educated population.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+216
Net Internal / yr
-5
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +23% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +216/yr, Accelerating: 3% → 19%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,378
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
61.7
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 compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Hawthorn?
Hawthorn has 8 listed schools across government, Catholic and independent sectors. Options include primary, secondary, combined primary-secondary and special education settings. The mix includes 3 government schools, 1 Catholic school and 4 independent schools, so families should confirm the exact enrolment zone and admissions requirements for each address.
Is Hawthorn safe?
Safety varies by street and time, so local checks remain worthwhile. Hawthorn recorded 1,378 offences at a rate of 61.7 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 1,051 incidents, compared with 161 crimes against the person. Review recent street-level information before choosing a home.
How is Hawthorn's population changing?
Hawthorn has 22,322 residents today, while population change across the wider area is forecast at 15.3% over 10 years. The annual growth trend is 1.4%, primarily driven by overseas migration. The trajectory is Mixed, and gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 33.
What development is occurring in Hawthorn?
Development activity is substantial, with 406 applications recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include widening an existing vehicle crossover and alterations or additions to dwellings in Heritage Overlays, with examples dated 12 August 2026 and 17 August 2026. Buyers should check planning permits and heritage controls for each property.
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), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), 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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