Hawthorne
High household earnings and a compact inner-east setting define Hawthorne more than scale: 5,090 residents live across 1.35 sq km at 3,761.5 people per sq km. Median age is 37, while household income sits at the 97.3rd percentile nationally, helping explain the suburb's strong owner-occupier base. University attainment is 57.8%, or 27.7 percentage points above the national figure. Compared with the larger, more spread-out feel of nearby Morningside and Bulimba, Hawthorne is compact and established, with 33.7% working from home and 41.9% of dwellings containing 4 or more bedrooms. It suits households prioritising established character, professional networks and inner-city access over new-estate scale.
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
53
Homebuyers face a tenure and dwelling mix rather than a clear price benchmark, because no current median house price is available. Monthly mortgage repayments are $2,809, while rent is $430 a week; mortgage costs equal 21.4% of household income and rent equals 14.2%, so neither sits in the recorded stress range. Separate houses make up 61.9% of homes, higher than apartments at 26.3%, while 41.9% have 4 or more bedrooms and 29.3% have 3 bedrooms. That mix suits families seeking established space, but the 37.8% mortgage share indicates competition from existing owners. Compared with apartment-oriented inner-east pockets, Hawthorne provides more house-based stock, although buyers should compare renovations, flood exposure and exact school catchments address by address.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a tenure and dwelling mix rather than a clear price benchmark, because no current median house price is available. Monthly mortgage repayments are $2,809, while rent is $430 a week; mortgage costs equal 21.4% of household income and rent equals 14.2%, so neither sits in the recorded stress range. Separate houses make up 61.9% of homes, higher than apartments at 26.3%, while 41.9% have 4 or more bedrooms and 29.3% have 3 bedrooms. That mix suits families seeking established space, but the 37.8% mortgage share indicates competition from existing owners. Compared with apartment-oriented inner-east pockets, Hawthorne provides more house-based stock, although buyers should compare renovations, flood exposure and exact school catchments address by address.
For Investors
Rental investors get a substantial tenant base, with 36.8% of occupied dwellings rented and weekly rent at $430. Vacancy is 7.9%, higher than a tightly constrained rental setting would usually suggest, so tenant demand should not be assumed to translate into uninterrupted rent growth. Rents nevertheless grew 11.7%, and overseas migration is the primary growth driver, which can support leasing depth over time. Hawthorne recorded 54 development matters in 12 months, but that count is not the same as 54 new dwellings, making address-level due diligence important. The 0.93% annual trend is moderate compared with a boom market, while the suburb's 97.3 household-income percentile supports borrowing capacity. Investors should stress-test vacancy, insurance and maintenance rather than rely on headline inner-east appeal.
Development Activity
Total DAs
208
Last 12 Months
53
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+29.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hawthorne
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Lourdes Hill College (Hawthorne)
Demographics
Hawthorne has a professional family profile: median age is 37, which is 3 years below the national figure, while 57.8% of residents have university qualifications, 27.7 percentage points above national. Household size is 2.6, only 0.1 higher than national, and couples with children account for 51.8% of families, compared with 33.8% couples without children. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 2,120, 840 and 716, giving the suburb an Anglo-leaning character; 22.4% of residents were born overseas, 0.8 points above national. Residential stability is notable, with 69.2% staying at the same address and turnover at 30.8%. Compared with the larger catchment feel of Morningside, Hawthorne concentrates highly educated households into 1.35 sq km, which helps explain its dense, established social profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
61.9%
Houses
11.8%
Townhouse
26.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Hawthorne's housing is split between ownership and renting: 24.7% of dwellings are owned outright, 37.8% are mortgaged and 36.8% rented, leaving only 0.7% in other tenure. Separate houses still lead at 61.9%, but apartments account for 26.3% and semi-detached homes 11.8%, so the stock is more varied than a detached-only suburb. Larger formats are common: 41.9% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, versus 29.3% with 3 bedrooms and 24.7% with 2. The 2.6-person average household size means some larger homes may carry spare capacity, while the 21.4% mortgage-to-income ratio points to less strain than a highly leveraged market. Compared with apartment-heavier inner Brisbane locations, Hawthorne gives buyers more family-house options, but its compact 1.35 sq km footprint limits large-scale new supply.
Mortgage / mo
$2,809
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $430.
$890
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $890 · units $700
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
51.8%
Couples with children
33.8%
Couples, no children
12.9%
Single parent
1,354
Total families
Economy & Employment
Hawthorne's economic profile is affluent and knowledge-heavy. Household income of $3,029 a week ranks at the 97.3rd percentile, while labour-force participation is 76.6% and unemployment is 3.3%, supporting spending power and resilience. Professional/Tech is the largest listed industry at 17.2% with 392 workers, followed by Healthcare at 15.9% and 364, Education at 10.6% and 242, Finance at 8.2% and 187, and Construction at 7.2% and 164. Occupations reinforce that pattern: 1,081 professionals and 646 managers exceed clerical/admin at 403 and sales at 230. SEIFA places IEO in decile 10, IER in decile 9, IRSD in decile 10 and IRSAD in decile 10, all above most Australian areas. The one-step-lower IER result is still high, but suggests economic resources are slightly less uniformly concentrated than education, occupation and broad advantage measures.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
3,129
Unemployed
103
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.6%
Part-time
27.8%
Participation
76.6%
Employed
3,026
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.8%
Postgraduate
15.0%
Born Overseas
22.4%
Dwellings
1,893
Transport to Work
Daily life benefits from inner-east access, but travel is still car-led: 55.7% drive to work, compared with 3.4% using public transport and 3.4% walking or cycling. Work-from-home is high at 33.7%, which can reduce commute frequency for professional households. Families have access to 1 listed local school, Lourdes Hill College, a Catholic non-State school; enrolment rules and exact catchments should be checked before buying. Socioeconomic conditions are exceptionally strong, with IRSAD and IRSD both in decile 10, IEO in decile 10 and IER in decile 9, while only 2.2% report needing assistance. Volunteering is 20.8%. Compared with lower-decile areas, these indicators suggest stronger household resources, although they do not replace checking street-level noise, flood exposure, traffic and current police information.
Drive
55.7%
Public Transport
3.4%
Walk / Cycle
3.4%
Work from Home
33.7%
Population Forecast
+0.93%/yr
(+53 people/yr)
EstablishedHawthorne is an established market with a measured 0.93% annual growth trend rather than a rapid expansion cycle. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while population change across the wider area is 7.5% over 10 years; that combination points to gradual demand supported by new arrivals rather than a greenfield surge. Neighbourhood-change signals are mixed: the gentrification score is 14 with a stage of Not gentrifying, while the shift measure gives 30 and Early signs. Rents grew 11.7%, affordability improved from 39.5% in 2011 to 31.8% in 2021, and real incomes rose 12.9%, which can help existing owners but does not make entry cheap. The suburb recovered from a 2.6% COVID dip, with 9.1% recovery, so momentum is steadier than a boom-and-bust pattern.
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 can suit buyers wanting a compact, established inner-east setting, strong incomes and family-sized homes. It has 5,090 residents, 57.8% university attainment and a household-income percentile of 97.3. The trade-offs are a 7.9% vacancy rate, car-led commuting and no current median price benchmark, so inspect the exact property and street carefully.
What is the median house price in Hawthorne?
A current median house price is not stated. Hawthorne's housing mix is 61.9% separate houses, 26.3% apartments and 11.8% semi-detached homes. Buyers should compare recent sales for the same dwelling type, bedroom count and condition rather than apply one suburb-wide figure.
What schools are in Hawthorne?
One local school is identified: Lourdes Hill College, a Catholic non-State school in Hawthorne. That count is 1, so families should also check nearby options, enrolment zones, transport and year-level availability against the exact address. School proximity alone should not be treated as a quality or performance judgement.
Is Hawthorne safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not stated, so safety should be checked using recent Queensland Police information and an inspection at different times. Hawthorne's IRSAD decile is 10 and only 2.2% report needing assistance, but those are socioeconomic indicators rather than crime measures. Also check lighting, traffic and flood exposure around the specific street.
Is Hawthorne good for property investment?
Hawthorne may suit a long-term investor who can manage an established inner-east asset, but the case is not automatic. Weekly rent is $430, vacancy is 7.9%, renting is 36.8%, and 54 development matters were recorded over 12 months. Rents grew 11.7%, while the annual growth trend is 0.93%, so model vacancy, insurance, maintenance and interest costs rather than relying on rent growth alone.
How is Hawthorne's population changing?
Hawthorne has 5,090 residents today. Growth is forecast at 0.93% annually, with overseas migration the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 7.5% over 10 years. The trajectory is Mixed, and the gentrification stage is Not gentrifying with a score of 14, so change looks gradual rather than a rapid demographic turnover.
What development is happening in Hawthorne?
Development activity is relatively busy for a 1.35 sq km established suburb, with 54 matters recorded in 12 months. Examples include house extensions, dwelling work and a referral response, but one sample lists only 1 dwelling, so 54 matters should not be read as 54 new homes. Check approvals, construction timing, flood constraints and likely street impacts before buying.
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 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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