Hawthorne

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

As per AreaSearch's analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, the estimated population of the suburb of Hawthorne was around 5,647 as of February 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 557 people (10.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,090 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 5,634 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 56 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 4,183 persons per square kilometer, placing Hawthorne in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 10.9% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%), indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 56% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data are applied where utilised. Examining future population trends, a population increase just below the median of Australian statistical areas is expected for Hawthorne, with an anticipated expansion by 483 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 8.3% over the 17-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Hawthorne has experienced around 18 dwellings receiving development approval annually over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 93 homes between FY-20 and FY-25. So far in FY-26, 9 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.8 people moved to the area for each dwelling built during this period.

This indicates demand significantly outpacing supply, which typically puts upward pressure on prices and increases competition among buyers. New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $1,399,000, demonstrating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Additionally, $813,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Hawthorne records about 68% of the building activity per person and places among the 37th percentile of areas assessed nationally, indicating more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings.

This activity is also lower than the national average, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity shows 71.0% detached dwellings and 29.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. With around 446 people per dwelling approval, Hawthorne shows a developed market. Future projections show Hawthorne adding 470 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Hawthorne has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects that could affect this region. Notable ones are Bulimba Barracks Urban Renewal Project, VOIR, LA VUE, and Skyring Terrace Road Upgrade. The following details the most relevant projects:.

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 performance in Hawthorne ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Hawthorne has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% as of September 2025, lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.0%. Workforce participation was high at 79.9%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.7%.

A significant portion, 30.5%, of residents worked from home according to Census responses, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment industries include professional & technical services, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Hawthorne specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level. However, manufacturing is under-represented at 3.6%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 6.4%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 0.3% while labour force grew by 0.7%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment growth of 3.8% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a 0.5 percentage point drop in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Hawthorne's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Hawthorne is exceptionally high nationally. The median assessed income is $77,374 while the average income stands at $133,203. This contrasts with Greater Brisbane's figures of a median income of $58,236 and an average income of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $85,042 (median) and $146,403 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Hawthorne, between the 96th and 97th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that the predominant cohort spans 39.0% of locals (2,202 people) in the $4000+ category, differing from patterns across the broader area where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 33.3%. The substantial proportion of high earners (50.6% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Hawthorne. Housing accounts for 13.4% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 97th percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Hawthorne displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Hawthorne, as per the latest Census evaluation, 61.9% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 38.1% being semi-detached homes, apartments, or other types of dwellings. In contrast, Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hawthorne stood at 24.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.9% and rented ones at 37.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,809, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure in Hawthorne was $430, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Hawthorne's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,809 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Hawthorne features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 71.0% of all households, including 37.0% couples with children, 23.5% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.0%, with lone person households at 23.8% and group households making up 5.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, aligning with the Greater Brisbane average.

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 is notably high, with 50.9% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.9% and graduate diplomas at 5.0%. Vocational pathways account for 23.8% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 12.5%. Educational participation is high, with 33.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.0% in primary education, 9.4% in secondary education, and 8.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Hawthorne has 29 active public transport stops offering a mix of ferry and bus services. These stops are served by 10 routes providing a total of 1,534 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 142 meters from the nearest stop. As a residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Car remains dominant at 77%, while bus usage stands at 5%. Average vehicle ownership is 1.4 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 30.5% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 219 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 52 weekly trips per stop.

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

Hawthorne's health outcomes data shows exceptional results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 80% of the total population (4,515 people), compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions were mental health issues affecting 7.4% of residents and asthma impacting 6.7%. Notably, 77.6% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. Hawthorne has 9.5% of residents aged 65 and over (536 people), lower than the 15.2% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, ranking higher than the general population nationally.

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 population was found to be approximately in line with the broader regional average regarding cultural diversity, with 77.6% of its residents born in Australia, 89.4% being citizens, and 90.8% speaking English exclusively at home. Christianity emerged as the predominant religion in Hawthorne, accounting for 55.1% of the population, compared to 47.8% across Greater Brisbane. The top three ancestry groups in Hawthorne were English (28.3%), Australian (23.1%), and Irish (11.2%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry was disproportionately represented at 9.6%, higher than the regional average of 7.4%. Additionally, French ancestry stood at 0.7% compared to the regional 0.5%, while Spanish ancestry was recorded at 0.6%, slightly above the regional average of 0.4%.

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 approaching Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Hawthorne has a higher proportion of residents aged 45-54 (16.1%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (11.2%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 15-24 grew from 13.5% to 16.7%, while the 55-64 age group increased from 11.8% to 13.8%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group declined from 14.6% to 12.7%, and the 25-34 age group decreased from 12.8% to 11.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant shifts in Hawthorne's age profile. The 45-54 cohort is projected to grow by 18%, adding 161 residents to reach 1,071. In contrast, both the 0-4 and 25-34 age groups are projected to decrease in number.