Mount Hawthorn
An established inner-northern Perth suburb, Mount Hawthorn packs 8,183 residents into 2.44 square kilometres, producing a density of 3,350.3 people per square kilometre. Its median age of 37 is 3 years below the national figure, while 56.4% of adults hold university qualifications, 26.3 percentage points above the national comparison. Household income sits at the 96.7th percentile, helping explain the suburb's mortgage-belt profile and strong owner-occupier base. Compared with nearby North Perth and Leederville, Mount Hawthorn is particularly detached-house oriented, with 77.7% of dwellings separate houses.
Population
8,183
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,890/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
135
Mount Hawthorn suits buyers seeking established streets and detached housing rather than a predominantly apartment-based market. Separate houses account for 77.7% of dwellings, higher than the 4.3% apartment share and the 17.3% semi-detached share, while 45.3% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 29.8% have 4 or more. The mortgage benchmark is $2,518 per month, and mortgage costs equal 20.1% of household income, below the 26.3% share of residents renting. High household income, at the 96.7th percentile, supports borrowing capacity, but buyers still need to test individual sale prices, renovation costs and block characteristics because the housing stock is varied.
For Buyers
Mount Hawthorn suits buyers seeking established streets and detached housing rather than a predominantly apartment-based market. Separate houses account for 77.7% of dwellings, higher than the 4.3% apartment share and the 17.3% semi-detached share, while 45.3% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 29.8% have 4 or more. The mortgage benchmark is $2,518 per month, and mortgage costs equal 20.1% of household income, below the 26.3% share of residents renting. High household income, at the 96.7th percentile, supports borrowing capacity, but buyers still need to test individual sale prices, renovation costs and block characteristics because the housing stock is varied.
For Investors
Rental demand has a reasonable base, with 26.3% of households renting and weekly rent at $420. That renter share is lower than the combined 30.4% outright ownership and 42.2% mortgage ownership shares, so investor demand is balanced by a substantial owner-occupier market. The 6.9% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly constrained rental market, which may create more leasing competition between properties. Development activity is notable at 131 applications over 12 months, although approvals do not necessarily translate into new dwellings. Rent growth of 7.6% and overseas migration as the primary growth driver support demand, while the purchase price remains the key factor in assessing yield and total return.
Development Activity
Total DAs
145
Last 12 Months
135
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1400.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$525K
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mount Hawthorn
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
MOUNT HAWTHORN EDUCATION SUPPORT CENTRE
MOUNT HAWTHORN PRIMARY SCHOOL
Demographics
Mount Hawthorn has a median age of 37, which is 3 years below the national comparison, and an average household size of 2.7, or 0.2 above the national figure. University qualification levels are high at 56.4%, standing 26.3 percentage points above national levels, while the overseas-born share is 25.9%, 4.3 points above the national comparison. English ancestry is recorded for 3,034 residents, followed by Irish at 1,039, Italian at 935 and Scottish at 805. No religion is the largest reported affiliation at 4,077 people, compared with 3,336 identifying with Christianity. This combination of smaller households, higher education and professional employment helps support the suburb's relatively strong income profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
77.7%
Houses
17.3%
Townhouse
4.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Mount Hawthorn is dominated by established low-rise housing: 77.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 17.3% are semi-detached and 4.3% are apartments. Three-bedroom homes make up 45.3% of stock, followed by 4 or more bedrooms at 29.8% and 2 bedrooms at 21.3%. Tenure is weighted toward ownership, with 30.4% owned outright and 42.2% held with a mortgage, compared with 26.3% renting. The owner shares are above the rental share, reinforcing the suburb's mortgage-belt identity. Mortgage costs represent 20.1% of household income and rent represents 14.5%, both below common stress thresholds. Compared with a more apartment-led inner-city profile, the housing mix gives families and long-term owners greater influence over local demand.
Mortgage / mo
$2,518
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$420
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,262
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
221
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
14.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
54.9%
Couples with children
31.5%
Couples, no children
11.8%
Single parent
2,238
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mount Hawthorn has a highly skilled employment base, led by healthcare at 16.8% of jobs, professional and technical services at 15.8%, education at 12.1%, mining at 9.1% and public administration at 8.2%. Professionals number 1,871 and managers 819, substantially higher than trades at 388, which aligns with the suburb's 56.4% university qualification rate and household income at the 96.7th percentile. Labour-force participation is 75.7%, unemployment is 3.0% and 60.2% of workers are employed full time. SEIFA education and occupation deciles are 10, while economic resources sit lower at decile 8; this difference suggests strong skills and job access, but not every household has the same level of financial capacity.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
4,785
Unemployed
143
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.2%
Part-time
35.1%
Participation
75.7%
Employed
4,642
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.4%
Postgraduate
14.4%
Born Overseas
25.9%
Dwellings
2,973
Transport to Work
Mount Hawthorn provides an established urban setting with 3,350.3 residents per square kilometre, a government primary school and a government education support centre. Families should check enrolment zones and program availability against the exact address. Daily travel remains car-led, with 66.0% driving as the main mode, higher than the 10.3% using public transport and the 6.0% walking or cycling. Working from home accounts for 12.8%, which can increase the value of practical floorplans and quiet rooms. Social conditions are strong overall, with IRSAD, IRSD and IEO all at decile 10, while IER is at decile 8. Volunteering is 23.2% and need for assistance is 3.5%, adding useful context for community services and accessibility planning.
Drive
66.0%
Public Transport
10.3%
Walk / Cycle
6.0%
Work from Home
12.8%
Population Forecast
+1.4%/yr
(+187 people/yr)
EstablishedMount Hawthorn is classified as an established area, with forecast growth running at 1.4% annually and overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 15.3% over 10 years, higher than a flat-growth baseline, while the forecast trajectory is Mixed rather than uniformly upward. Gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 33, indicating gradual change rather than a completed transformation. Rent growth is 7.6%, while the affordability measure improved from 42.3 in 2011 to 33.2 in 2021 and real income growth reached 11.4%. These trends suggest continuing demand, but the affordability improvement and mixed trajectory point to a market where growth may be uneven across housing types.
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%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mount Hawthorn compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Hawthorn a good suburb to live in?
Mount Hawthorn suits residents seeking an established inner-northern setting, detached homes and strong access to local services. It has 8,183 residents, a density of 3,350.3 people per square kilometre, 2 government schools and an IRSAD decile of 10. Car use is high at 66.0%, so travel preferences should be considered.
What is the median house price in Mount Hawthorn?
To establish the current median, compare recent sales for similar homes and obtain an address-specific valuation. Mount Hawthorn contains 77.7% separate houses, 17.3% semi-detached dwellings and 4.3% apartments, so the mix of 3-bedroom and 4-plus-bedroom sales can materially affect the headline result.
What schools are in Mount Hawthorn?
Mount Hawthorn Primary School is a government primary school, and Mount Hawthorn Education Support Centre is a government education support centre. Families should check enrolment zones, transport and program availability for the exact address because catchments can cross suburb boundaries. The suburb has 2 listed local schools.
Is Mount Hawthorn safe?
Check current WA Police incident mapping and inspect the specific streets at different times before making a safety decision. Mount Hawthorn has 8,183 residents and a density of 3,350.3 people per square kilometre, so conditions can vary between busy retail areas, main roads and quieter residential streets.
Is Mount Hawthorn good for property investment?
Mount Hawthorn can suit investors who value an established owner-occupier market and inner-suburban demand. Weekly rent is $420, the renter share is 26.3%, vacancy is 6.9% and rent growth is 7.6%. A total of 131 development applications in 12 months also indicates active project activity, so purchase price and property type remain important.
How is Mount Hawthorn's population changing?
Mount Hawthorn has 8,183 residents today. Population change across the wider area is 15.3% over 10 years, with the forecast trend at 1.4% annually and overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, while the gentrification score is 33 and classified as Early signs.
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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