Hawthorne
A household income in the 97.3rd percentile nationally sits behind a $640,000 median house price in Hawthorne, a gap that defines this Brisbane riverside pocket. The suburb scores decile 10 on three of four SEIFA indexes (IRSAD, IRSD and IEO) and decile 9 on economic resources, placing it in the top advantage tier. University qualifications reach 57.8%, which is 27.7 points above the national figure, and the median age of 37 runs 3.0 years below national. Unusually for an inner-Brisbane suburb just 1.35 km2 in size, 61.9% of dwellings are separate houses, so the stock stays detached and family-oriented despite a density of 3,761 residents per km2.
Population
5,090
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,029/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
44
Median House
$640K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $640,000 median is modest relative to local incomes, because household income sits in the 97.3rd percentile while monthly mortgage repayments average $2,809, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 21.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Stock favours families: 61.9% of dwellings are separate houses against 26.3% apartments, and 4-plus bedroom homes make up 41.9% of the housing, with 3-bedroom at 29.3%. That detached-house weighting is rare for a suburb of 3,761 residents per km2 and keeps the area attractive to owner-occupiers rather than investors. Mortgage holders at 38.1% outnumber outright owners at 24.8%, a sign that buyers are still actively entering the market rather than the stock being held debt-free by long-term residents.
For Buyers
The $640,000 median is modest relative to local incomes, because household income sits in the 97.3rd percentile while monthly mortgage repayments average $2,809, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 21.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Stock favours families: 61.9% of dwellings are separate houses against 26.3% apartments, and 4-plus bedroom homes make up 41.9% of the housing, with 3-bedroom at 29.3%. That detached-house weighting is rare for a suburb of 3,761 residents per km2 and keeps the area attractive to owner-occupiers rather than investors. Mortgage holders at 38.1% outnumber outright owners at 24.8%, a sign that buyers are still actively entering the market rather than the stock being held debt-free by long-term residents.
For Investors
A 37.1% renter share and weekly rent of $430 give landlords a solid tenant pool, but the yield case is thin: against the $640,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 3.5%, modest for the price point. The 7.9% vacancy rate is higher than a tight inner-city market would show, pointing to softer demand in the 26.3% apartment segment. Demand support leans on overseas migration, which adds about 98 residents a year while internal migration removes 16, leaving net growth slim. Development activity is moderate at 42 applications in 12 months, and rent grew 11.7% over the period. With annual population growth of 0.93%, the investment case rests more on capital growth and the suburb's decile 10 advantage than on yield or rapid tenant demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
188
Last 12 Months
44
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hawthorne iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Lourdes Hill College
5-12 · 1225 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below national, and the profile leans family-oriented: average household size is 2.6, slightly above the national figure, and couples with children (1,954 families) outnumber couples without children (904). University qualifications at 57.8% run 27.7 points above national, among the higher rates you will find in Brisbane. Overseas-born residents reach 22.4%, only 0.8 points above national, so the suburb is less internationally mixed than its income would suggest. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,120), Irish (840) and Scottish (716), and the most common non-English languages are Italian (17), Portuguese (15) and Mandarin (14). The senior share rose 2.1 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 2.2 points, a mild aging drift.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
61.9%
Houses
11.8%
Townhouse
26.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits into thirds with a buyer tilt: 38.1% carry a mortgage, 37.1% rent and 24.8% own outright. Mortgage holders outnumbering outright owners points to an active purchasing market rather than long-held, debt-free wealth. The stock is 61.9% separate houses, 26.3% apartments and 11.8% semi-detached, an unusually detached profile for a suburb at 3,761 residents per km2. Larger homes dominate: 4-plus bedroom dwellings are 41.9% of stock and 3-bedroom 29.3%, while 2-bedroom is 24.7%. The $640,000 median is affordable against local incomes, with mortgage-to-income at 21.4% and rent-to-income at 14.2%, both comfortably below the 30% stress line. That affordability gap reflects how high household income (97.3rd percentile) is relative to a price point well under Brisbane's premium riverside markets.
Mortgage / mo
$2,809
Rent / wk
$430
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,369
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.9%
Unoccupied
163
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
14.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.3%
Couples, no children
4,058
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in knowledge sectors: Professional/Tech leads at 17.2% (392 workers), Healthcare follows at 15.9% (364) and Education at 10.6% (242), with Finance at 8.2% and Construction at 7.2%. By occupation, Professionals (1,081) and Managers (646) dominate, which aligns with the decile 10 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 3.6% and the full-time employment rate is 69.6%, with participation at 70.3%. Real incomes grew 12.9% over the decade. One anomaly: the IER economic resources score sits at decile 9 against decile 10 on the other three SEIFA indexes, because the 37.1% renter base depresses aggregate household wealth measures even where education and occupation rank in the top tier.
Unemployment
2.4%
Labour Force
3,775
Unemployed
91
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.6%
Part-time
26.8%
Participation
70.3%
Employed
2,766
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.8%
Postgraduate
15.0%
Born Overseas
22.4%
Dwellings
1,893
Transport to Work
The suburb is heavily car-dependent for an inner-Brisbane location: 84.1% drive, while only 5.1% use public transport and 5.1% walk or cycle, above the car reliance of more transit-rich pockets. It earns decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 10 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, meaning very few residents face deprivation. Only 2.2% (111 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the younger median age of 37, and volunteering runs at 20.8%. Housing costs stay manageable, with rent-to-income at 14.2% and mortgage-to-income at 21.4%, both below the 30% stress threshold. No schools are recorded inside the 1.35 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs.
Drive
84.1%
Public Transport
5.1%
Walk / Cycle
5.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.93%/yr
(+53 people/yr)
EstablishedHawthorne is an established, slow-growth suburb: annual population growth registers 0.93% (about 53 persons) and the 10-year change is 7.5%. The current population of 5,681 has fully recovered from a COVID dip of 2.6%, sitting 9.1% above the low of 5,207 and above the pre-COVID 5,345. Medium forecasts lift the population to around 5,965 by 2031, a gradual climb. Overseas migration of 98 a year is the primary driver, partly offset by net internal outflow of 16. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying with a score of 14, which fits a suburb already at decile 10 advantage with little room to climb, though affordability improved from 39.5% in 2011 to 31.8% in 2021 as incomes outpaced housing costs.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+98
Net Internal / yr
-16
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +12% since 2011, COVID recovered (-3% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hawthorne compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hawthorne a good suburb to live in?
Hawthorne ranks in decile 10 on IRSAD, IRSD and IEO, the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 97.3rd percentile. University qualifications reach 57.8%, which is 27.7 points above national, and 61.9% of dwellings are detached houses, making it family-oriented and affluent.
What is the median house price in Hawthorne?
The median house price is $640,000, modest against local incomes in the 97.3rd percentile. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,809, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.4%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $430.
What schools are in Hawthorne?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.35 km2 Hawthorne boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 57.8%, which is 27.7 points above the national figure.
Is Hawthorne safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Hawthorne in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier, and only 2.2% of its residents (111 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Hawthorne good for property investment?
Rent of $430 a week against a $640,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.5%, modest for the price point, and the 7.9% vacancy rate is higher than a tight market would show. Overseas migration of 98 a year supports demand, but 0.93% annual growth means returns lean on capital growth.
How is Hawthorne's population changing?
Population growth is 0.93% annually with a 7.5% rise over 10 years, classifying it as established and slow-growth. The current 5,681 residents have recovered fully from a 2.6% COVID dip, and medium forecasts lift the figure to around 5,965 by 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration.
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.
Explore Hawthorne on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map