Hawthorne
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Hawthorne reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Hawthorne's population was around 5,705 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 572 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,133 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,695 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 57 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 4,104 persons per square kilometer, placing Hawthorne in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Hawthorne's growth of 11.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (8.9%). Overseas migration contributed approximately 55.3% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections were used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections did not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applied proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population dynamics anticipated a population increase just below the median of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch, with Hawthorne expected to increase by 488 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording an overall gain of 8.4% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Hawthorne recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Hawthorne has received approximately 18 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 91 homes. As of FY26, seven approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.9 people move to the area each year for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating high demand outstripping supply. New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $837,000, reflecting a focus on the premium segment.

Commercial approvals in FY26 reached $813,000, highlighting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Hawthorne records around 66% of building activity per person and ranks at the 33rd percentile nationally, suggesting constrained buyer choice and interest in existing properties. New development consists of 67.0% detached houses and 33.0% townhouses or apartments, offering options across different price points. With approximately 499 people per dwelling approval, Hawthorne shows a developed market.

Population forecasts indicate Hawthorne will gain 478 residents by 2041, with present construction rates appearing balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Hawthorne has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

AreaSearch has identified eight projects that could potentially impact the local area's performance. These include the Skyring Terrace Road Upgrade, Norman Park Ferry Terminal Upgrade, Bulimba Barracks Urban Renewal Project, and Elystan Road Drainage Upgrade. The following list details those considered most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Hawthorne performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Hawthorne's workforce is highly educated with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 2.0% in June 2024, showing a 3.1% increase from the previous year.

As of June 2025, 3,747 residents are employed with an unemployment rate of 2.1%, below Greater Brisbane's 4.1%. Workforce participation is high at 76.8%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Key industries include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Hawthorne specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level, while manufacturing employs only 3.7% of local workers, below Greater Brisbane's 6.4%.

Employment levels increased by 3.1%, and labour force grew by 2.9% between June 2024 and June 2025, reducing unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment growth of 4.4% and labour force growth of 4.0%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Hawthorne's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

Hawthorne's income level is among the top percentile nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Hawthorne's median income among taxpayers is $76,318 and average income stands at $131,759. This compares to Greater Brisbane's figures of $55,645 and $70,520 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $86,995 (median) and $150,192 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Hawthorne, between the 96th and 97th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 38.6% of residents (2,202 people) fall into the $4,000+ bracket, contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 33.3%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 50.0% exceeding $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 86.7% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Hawthorne, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 63.1% houses and 36.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Brisbane metro had 52.7% houses and 47.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hawthorne was at 25.4%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (37.6%) or rented (37.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,800, compared to Brisbane metro's $2,500. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $430, compared to Brisbane metro's $440. Nationally, Hawthorne's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Hawthorne features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 70.6% of all households, including 37.1% couples with children, 23.3% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 29.4%, with lone person households at 23.8% and group households comprising 5.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.4.

Hawthorne demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Hawthorne's educational attainment exceeds Queensland (QLD) and Australian averages. 50% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in QLD and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are most common at 33.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.9%). Vocational pathways account for 23.9%, with advanced diplomas at 11.2% and certificates at 12.7%.

Current educational participation is high, with 33.5% enrolled in formal education: 9.9% in primary, 9.4% in secondary, and 8.5% in tertiary. Hawthorne is served by Lourdes Hill College, educating 1,069 students. The area's ICSEA score is 1115, indicating significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement. All schools offer integrated K-12 education, providing continuity throughout students' academic journey. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 18.8 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.5, suggesting Hawthorne serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Transport analysis indicates 29 active transport stops operating within Hawthorne. These comprise a mix of ferry and bus services. Nine individual routes service these stops, collectively providing 1,511 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 137 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 215 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 52 weekly trips per individual stop.

Hawthorne's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Hawthorne shows excellent health outcomes across all age groups, with very low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover stands at approximately 82%, covering 4,695 people, compared to Greater Brisbane's 73.8% and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 7.1% and asthma impacts 6.7% of residents.

A total of 77.9% report no medical ailments, compared to 74.9% in Greater Brisbane. The area has 9.0%, or 511 people aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Brisbane's 11.3%. Health outcomes among seniors align with the general population's health profile.

In terms of cultural diversity, Hawthorne records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Hawthorne's cultural diversity aligns with the broader region, with 77.4% of residents born in Australia, 89.4% being citizens, and 90.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, practised by 55.2%. Judaism, however, is slightly overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to the regional average of 0.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (28.5%), Australian (23.0%), and Irish (11.0%). Notably, Scottish ancestry is overrepresented at 9.8% in Hawthorne versus 8.7% regionally, while French and New Zealand ancestries remain consistent with regional averages at 0.8% each.

Hawthorne's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Hawthorne's median age is nearly 37 years, closely matching Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and slightly below the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Hawthorne has a higher proportion of residents aged 45-54 (16.4%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (11.6%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 13.7% to 16.6%, while the 55-64 cohort increased from 12.0% to 13.2%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 14.4% to 12.8%, and the 25-34 age group dropped from 12.7% to 11.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Hawthorne's age profile will significantly evolve. The 55-64 cohort is projected to grow by 26%, adding 195 residents to reach 948. In contrast, both the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.