Hawthorn (SA)

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Hawthorn is around 2,256 people. This figure represents an increase of 35 individuals since the Census in 2021, which reported a population of 2,221 people. The current population estimate was derived from AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and their analysis of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, indicating a resident population of 2,255. This results in a density ratio of 2,128 persons per square kilometer for Hawthorn, which is higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 1.6% since the Census places it within 2.8 percentage points of the SA3 area (4.4%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods for Hawthorn.

AreaSearch uses 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, they adopt the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, released in 2023 based on 2021 data, with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. According to these projections, Hawthorn is expected to increase by 75 persons to reach a total population of around 2,331 by the year 2041, reflecting an overall growth rate of approximately 4.6% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Hawthorn according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Hawthorn has recorded around 5 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 25 homes. So far in FY-26, 2 approvals have been recorded. An average of 1.6 new residents per year per dwelling constructed was observed between FY-21 and FY-25.

Supply and demand appear well-balanced, creating stable market conditions. New homes are being built at an average value of $736,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Additionally, $6.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year. Relative to Greater Adelaide, Hawthorn has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and places among the 55th percentile of areas assessed nationally.

However, development activity has picked up in recent periods. This is below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New construction has been completely comprised of detached houses, sustaining Hawthorn's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. Developers are building more traditional houses than suggested by current mix (72.0% at Census), indicating continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. With around 284 people per dwelling approval, Hawthorn shows characteristics of a low density area. Looking ahead, Hawthorn is expected to grow by 103 residents through to 2041 according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Hawthorn has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely affecting this region. Key projects are Belair Road Retaining Walls Maintenance, Carmelite Retirement Living, SA Health - Building a Bigger Health System in the South (Daw Park Urgent Care Hub & other upgrades), and Unley Cultural Hub. The following details those 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.

Employment conditions in Hawthorn rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Hawthorn's workforce is highly educated with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 1.3% in the past year, showing an employment growth of 2.5%.

As of June 2025, 1,288 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.7% lower than Greater Adelaide's 4.0%. Workforce participation was 64.6%, slightly higher than Greater Adelaide's 61.7%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Notably, employment in professional & technical services is 1.8 times the regional average.

However, construction employment is limited at 5.7% compared to the regional average of 8.7%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.5% while labour force grew by 2.6%, maintaining a stable unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Adelaide saw employment grow by 2.1% with a marginal increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Hawthorn's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.6% over five years and 15.4% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Hawthorn is exceptionally high nationally. The median income is $62,805 while the average income stands at $99,276. This contrasts with Greater Adelaide's figures of a median income of $52,592 and an average income of $64,886. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $70,863 (median) and $112,013 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Hawthorn, between the 81st and 86th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows 29.0% of the population (654 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 31.8%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 40.9% exceeding $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 88.1% of income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Hawthorn is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Hawthorn's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 72.0% houses and 28.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Adelaide metro had 78.8% houses and 21.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hawthorn was 40.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.4% and rented ones at 23.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Hawthorn was $2,600, higher than Adelaide metro's $1,992. The median weekly rent in Hawthorn was $295, lower than Adelaide metro's $335. Nationally, Hawthorn's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,600 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 74.9% of all households, including 38.5% couples with children, 28.2% couples without children, and 7.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 25.1%, with lone person households at 23.0% and group households comprising 2.3%. The median household size is 2.6 people, aligning with the Greater Adelaide average.

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

Hawthorn has a notably high level of educational attainment. 51.4% of its residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to the broader state average of 25.7%. This percentage is also higher than the SA4 region's 28.1%. The area's educational advantage is evident in its distribution of qualifications: Bachelor degrees are most common at 33.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%).

Vocational pathways account for 20% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9% and certificates at 11%. Educational participation is high in Hawthorn, with 31.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10% in primary education, 8.8% in tertiary education, and 7.8% pursuing secondary education. However, educational facilities appear to be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas for their educational needs.

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

Hawthorn has 19 active public transport stops. These include train and bus services. There are 30 different routes operating in total.

Weekly, these routes provide 1,977 passenger trips. Residents' average distance to the nearest stop is 181 meters. Daily service frequency across all routes averages 282 trips. This equals approximately 104 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Hawthorn is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Hawthorn demonstrates above-average health outcomes with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (1,491 people), compared to 58.5% across Greater Adelaide and the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.5 and 7.2% of residents respectively, while 70.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.3% across Greater Adelaide.

The area has 22.4% of residents aged 65 and over (505 people), which is higher than the 21.2% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Hawthorn's population showed cultural diversity with 21.1% born overseas and 15.0% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 44.9%. Judaism had a higher representation in Hawthorn at 0.3%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 0.1%.

The top three parental ancestry groups were English (30.1%), Australian (23.4%), and Other (8.5%). Notable differences existed for Welsh (0.9% vs regional 0.6%), Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.3%), and German (5.8% vs 5.9%) groups.

Hawthorn hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Hawthorn is 43 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Hawthorn has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (13.4%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (10.2%). According to the 2021 Census, the age group of 15-24 years has increased from 13.1% to 14.7%, while the age group of 75-84 years has risen from 6.0% to 7.5%. Conversely, the age group of 35-44 years has decreased from 11.5% to 10.5%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Hawthorn's age structure. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 34%, reaching 226 people from 169. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 64% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 65-74 and 0-4 age groups are projected to decrease in numbers.