Hawker

Hawker is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Hawker's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 2987 people. This figure represents a decrease of 21 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 3008. The decline was inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 2987 in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1524 persons per square kilometer, exceeding national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 84.5% of recent population gains in Hawker.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, using 2022 as the base year. Future demographic shifts indicate an overall population decline by 231 persons in Hawker by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 85 and over group, projected to increase by 25 individuals.

The level of residential development activity in Hawker is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Hawker has recorded approximately three residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling 17 homes. In FY26 so far, one approval has been recorded. On average, 0.7 new residents have arrived per new home constructed each year between FY21 and FY25. This pace matches or exceeds demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially exceeding population growth expectations.

The average construction value of new properties is $247,000. In the current financial year, $919,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating Hawker's residential nature. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Hawker has significantly less development activity, 80.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. Hawker's development activity is also below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

All new construction in Hawker over this period has been comprised of detached houses, preserving its suburban character and attracting space-seeking buyers. This emphasis on detached housing (67.0% at Census) indicates robust demand for family homes. With around 1985 people per dwelling approval, Hawker reflects a highly mature market. Given stable or declining population forecasts, Hawker may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Hawker has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 18thth percentile nationally

No infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch that could impact the area. Key projects include Belconnen Town Centre East Precinct (Republic Phase 2 & Future), New Northside Hospital, Ginninderry Estate - Stages 4-7 (Strathnairn & future Macnamara), and Parkwood Urban Release.

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The employment landscape in Hawker shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Hawker's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.5% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 0.8% over the past year. This figure aligns with the Australian Capital Territory's unemployment rate of 3.6%.

However, workforce participation in Hawker lags behind the ACT at 63.9% compared to 72.5%. According to Census responses, 14.4% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries for employment among residents are public administration & safety, education & training, and health care & social assistance. Hawker has a particular specialization in education & training with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level, while public administration & safety shows lower representation at 26.2% compared to the regional average of 30.4%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the ratio of Census working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 0.8% while labour force grew by 0.9%, leading to a rise in unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Australian Capital Territory recorded employment growth of 1.4%, labour force growth of 1.2%, and a decrease in unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Hawker's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The Hawker SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $69,210 and an average of $85,137 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is among the highest in Australia, contrasting with Australian Capital Territory's median income of $72,206 and average income of $85,981. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $75,619 (median) and $93,021 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Hawker, between the 81st and 89th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 32.6% of the community (973 individuals), consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 34.3% in the same category. Economic strength emerges through 35.4% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 89.7% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Hawker displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Hawker, as per the latest Census, consisted of 67.3% houses and 32.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to the Australian Capital Territory's figures of 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hawker stood at 45.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.4% and rented ones at 23.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, lower than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. The median weekly rent in Hawker was $375, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $450. Nationally, Hawker's median monthly mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 against the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were comparable at $375.

Hawker has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 70.2% of all households, including 30.9% couples with children, 28.8% couples without children, and 9.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 29.8%, with lone person households at 26.2% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which matches the Australian Capital Territory average.

Hawker shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Hawker significantly surpasses broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 52.1% of residents aged 15 years and over hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 43.8% in the comparable SA3 area. This high level of educational attainment positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 29.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.4%) and graduate diplomas (6.3%).

Vocational pathways account for 20.8% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and over, with advanced diplomas making up 9.6% and certificates 11.2%. Educational participation is notably high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.6% in secondary education, 8.4% in primary education, and 7.3% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Hawker has 22 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 65 different routes that together facilitate 3,210 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's home to the nearest transport stop is 157 meters. Most residents commute outwards daily due to Hawker being primarily residential. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 88%, with only 7% using buses. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling in Hawker.

According to the 2021 Census, 14.4% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 458 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 145 weekly trips per individual stop.

Hawker's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data shows Hawker residents have relatively positive outcomes. AreaSearch's analysis found mortality rates and health conditions are largely in line with national benchmarks.

Common health conditions are seen across both young and old age cohorts at a fairly standard level. Private health cover is exceptionally high, with approximately 62% of the total population (1,839 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.1 and 8.4% of residents respectively. 65.8% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.2% across Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. Hawker has 21.2% of residents aged 65 and over (633 people), which is higher than the 14.1% in Australian Capital Territory. National rankings for this age group are largely in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Hawker was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Hawker's population exhibited higher cultural diversity compared to most local markets, with 26.4% born overseas and 18.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Hawker, accounting for 39.2% of its population. Hinduism, however, showed an overrepresentation at 3.7%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's average of 4.8%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (25.9%), Australian (23.4%), and Other (11.3%). Notable divergences included Welsh (1.0% vs regional 0.6%), Hungarian (0.5% vs regional 0.3%), and Scottish (9.3% vs regional 7.3%).

Hawker's median age exceeds the national pattern

Hawker has a median age of 42, which is considerably higher than the Australian Capital Territory figure of 35, and significantly higher than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory average, Hawker has an over-representation of the 75-84 cohort (9.1% locally) and an under-representation of the 25-34 year-olds (12.4%). Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 12.4% to 14.2% of Hawker's population. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort has declined from 11.2% to 9.2%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, Hawker's age profile will evolve significantly. The 85+ age cohort is projected to expand notably, increasing by 23 people (28%) from 85 to 109. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 82% of total population growth, reflecting Hawker's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 65-74 and 0-4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.