Hawthorn
Hawthorn's standout feature is density with wealth: 22,322 people live in just 5.88 sq km, or 3,798 people per sq km, while household income sits in the 81.7 percentile. Compared with nearby Kew and Richmond, the local signal to watch is the combination of premium houses and apartment living, with 59.2% apartments against 24.3% separate houses. The $2.6m house median keeps the suburb above most buyer budgets, yet 46.8% renting and a 15.5% vacancy rate make it less owner-occupier-only than the price tag suggests. Education is a major marker, with 66.3% university qualified, 36.2 percentage points above the national level.
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
305
Median House
$2.6M
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers face a premium entry point, with the median house price at $2.6m in Apr-Jun 2024. That sits alongside a price series showing the latest $2.12m reading is 26.9% lower than the 2021 peak, so timing matters more than the blue-chip label. Buyers wanting land compete for only 24.3% separate houses, while 59.2% apartments and 16.1% semi-detached homes give smaller-format options. Mortgage costs are more manageable than the headline price implies for existing borrowers, at 24.3% of income, below common stress settings. The 39.8% share of 2-bedroom homes suits couples and downsizers more than large families.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a premium entry point, with the median house price at $2.6m in Apr-Jun 2024. That sits alongside a price series showing the latest $2.12m reading is 26.9% lower than the 2021 peak, so timing matters more than the blue-chip label. Buyers wanting land compete for only 24.3% separate houses, while 59.2% apartments and 16.1% semi-detached homes give smaller-format options. Mortgage costs are more manageable than the headline price implies for existing borrowers, at 24.3% of income, below common stress settings. The 39.8% share of 2-bedroom homes suits couples and downsizers more than large families.
For Investors
Hawthorn has strong tenant depth, with 46.8% of homes rented and 59.2% apartments, but the 15.5% vacancy rate is the key risk because it is high for a premium inner-east market. Weekly rent is $400, so investors need to focus on product fit rather than assuming scarcity will do all the work. The 54 development applications in 12 months point to ongoing renewal and competition, especially in heritage and infill settings. Demand is supported by 29.4% born overseas residents, 66.3% university qualification and employment in professional industries, but higher vacancy means pricing and presentation matter.
Development Activity
Total DAs
321
Last 12 Months
305
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+4983.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hawthorn iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Scotch College
Prep-12 · 1957 students
Erasmus Primary School
Prep-6 · 92 students
Hawthorn West Primary School
Prep-6 · 454 students
Bialik College
Prep-12 · 987 students
Glenferrie Primary School
Prep-6 · 244 students
Demographics
Hawthorn skews younger, educated and relatively international. The median age is 34, which is 6.0 years below the national comparison, and the 2.1 average household size is 0.4 below national, consistent with apartments and smaller households. University attainment is 66.3%, sitting 36.2 percentage points above the national level. Overseas-born residents make up 29.4%, 7.8 points above national, with English ancestry at 7,647 people, Irish at 3,204 and Chinese at 2,050. Mandarin is the largest listed non-English language at 398 speakers, followed by Greek at 155 and Cantonese at 146.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
24.3%
Houses
16.1%
Townhouse
59.2%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing market is split between scarce family houses and a much larger apartment base. The quoted house median is $2.6m, while the 13-quarter price series shows $2.12m in 2024, 26.9% lower than the 2021 peak of $2.9m but 34.6% above the 2013 trough of $1.575m. That 2.5% CAGR over 12 years is modest compared with the suburb's premium reputation. Ownership is mixed: 27.5% owned outright, 25.6% mortgaged and 46.8% rented. Bedroom structure reinforces the smaller-home profile, with 22.1% having 0-1 bedrooms and 39.8% having 2 bedrooms.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,259
Rent / wk
$400
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
35.2%
Couples, no children
14,294
Total families
Economy & Employment
Hawthorn's economy is professional and knowledge-sector led. Professional/Tech accounts for 19.5% of workers, Healthcare 16.5%, Education 11.6%, Finance 8.4% and Retail 7.0%. Occupations match that pattern, with 5,627 professionals and 2,257 managers, well above lower-skilled local profiles. Labour force participation is 66.5% and unemployment is 5.0%. SEIFA is strong but uneven: education and occupation sit in decile 10, IRSD and IRSAD are also decile 10, while economic resources are decile 4. That anomaly makes sense because 46.8% renting and many smaller apartments sit beside very high qualifications and incomes.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.5%
Part-time
28.5%
Participation
66.5%
Employed
12,370
Occupations
Top Industries
University
66.3%
Postgraduate
21.9%
Born Overseas
29.4%
Dwellings
9,698
Transport to Work
Hawthorn rates highly for education and amenity, with 7 local schools across Independent, Government and Catholic sectors and an ICSEA range from 1093 to 1188. Scotch College leads at 1188 with 1,957 enrolments, Erasmus Primary follows at 1187, and Hawthorn West Primary gives a strong Government option at 1165. Transport behaviour is mixed: 10.1% use public transport, 15.4% walk or cycle and 70.6% drive. Safety needs a street-level view, with 1,378 recorded offences and a rate of 61.7 per 1,000 people, led by 1,051 property and deception offences. IRSAD decile 10 supports the overall amenity profile.
Drive
70.6%
Public Transport
10.1%
Walk / Cycle
15.4%
Work from Home
N/A
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
Is Hawthorn a good suburb to live in?
Yes for buyers and renters who value schools, density and inner-east access. Hawthorn has 7 local schools, IRSAD decile 10 status and 15.4% of commuters walking or cycling, but the $2.6m house median makes entry expensive compared with lower-priced areas.
What is the median house price in Hawthorn?
The median house price is $2.6m for Apr-Jun 2024. The longer price series shows a latest 2024 figure of $2.12m, which is 26.9% below the 2021 peak of $2.9m and 34.6% above the 2013 level.
What schools are in Hawthorn?
Hawthorn has 7 local schools across Independent, Government and Catholic sectors. Leading ICSEA results include Scotch College at 1188, Erasmus Primary School at 1187 and Hawthorn West Primary School at 1165.
Is Hawthorn safe?
Hawthorn recorded 1,378 offences, equal to 61.7 per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences dominate with 1,051 incidents, so safety is more about theft and property risk than a single suburb-wide lifestyle concern.
Is Hawthorn good for property investment?
It can be, but stock selection matters. Renting is high at 46.8% and apartments make up 59.2% of dwellings, yet the 15.5% vacancy rate is higher than investors usually want, so yield assumptions need careful checking.
How is Hawthorn's population changing?
Hawthorn is already dense, with 22,322 residents in 5.88 sq km and 3,798 people per sq km. Change is likely to come through infill and turnover, supported by 54 planning applications in the past 12 months.
What development is happening in Hawthorn?
There were 54 development applications in 12 months, including heritage-overlay works, dwelling alterations and tree-related permits. That activity points to steady renewal rather than large greenfield expansion.
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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