Hawthorne

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 is estimated at around 5,643 as of May 2026, reflecting an increase of 553 people since the 2021 Census. The 2021 Census reported a population of 5,090 in the suburb. This growth, equivalent to 10.9%, is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 5,641 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2025 and validation of 57 new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio of approximately 4,180 persons per square kilometer places Hawthorne among the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. This high density makes land in the area a highly-sought resource. Hawthorne's growth rate of 10.9% since the 2021 Census exceeds the national average of 9.3%.

Overseas migration contributed approximately 56.00000000000001% 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 using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data or years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are used. However, these state projections lack age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Future population trends indicate a slight increase below the Australian median, with an expected expansion of 415 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections. This reflects an overall increase of approximately 7.3% over the 16-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

Hawthorne has seen approximately 18 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 93 homes. In FY26 so far, 10 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.6 people move to the area per year for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating significant demand outpacing supply. New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $1,399,000, reflecting a focus on premium properties.

Commercial development approvals in FY26 totalled $813,000. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Hawthorne records about 69% of building activity per person and ranks among the 37th percentile nationally. New building activity comprises 71.0% detached dwellings and 29.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's suburban character with a focus on family homes. With around 446 people per dwelling approval, Hawthorne shows a developed market.

Future projections estimate an addition of 413 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should 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 likely influencing this region. Notable ones are Bulimba Barracks Urban Renewal Project, VOIR, LA VUE, and Skyring Terrace Road Upgrade. Below is a detailed list of 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 performance in Hawthorne ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Hawthorne has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate is 2.3%, with estimated employment growth of 0.8% in the past year, according to AreaSearch data aggregation. As of December 2025, 3644 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8% below Greater Brisbane's 4.1%.

Workforce participation is high at 80.0%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. Home workership is significant at 30.5%, considering Covid-19 impacts. Leading industries include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Hawthorne specializes in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level but has fewer manufacturing jobs than Greater Brisbane (3.6% vs 6.4%).

Limited local employment opportunities are suggested by Census data comparisons. Between December 2024 and 2025, employment increased by 0.8%, labour force by 1.3%, raising unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane had employment growth of 3.2% and a 0.1 percentage point unemployment rate drop. 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% in five years and 14.5% in 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 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 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $86,164 (median) and $148,335 (average) as of March 2026. 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 39.0% of locals (2,200 people) fall into 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 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

Hawthorne's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 61.9% houses and 38.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hawthorne was at 24.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.9% and rented ones at 37.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,809, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Hawthorne was $430, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Hawthorne's 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 account for 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 make up the remaining 29.0%, with lone person households at 23.8% and group households comprising 5.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, matching 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 notably exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 50.9% possess university qualifications compared to Queensland's 25.7% and Australia's 30.4%. This significant educational advantage positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 34.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.9%) and graduate diplomas (5.0%).

Vocational pathways account for 23.8% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas comprising 11.3% and certificates 12.5%. Educational participation is notably high in Hawthorne, 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 operational public transport stops offering a mix of ferry and bus services. These stops are served by 10 different routes, collectively facilitating 1,534 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 142 meters from the nearest stop. As predominantly residential, most commutes are outward-bound. Car remains the primary mode at 77%, with bus at 5%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 30.5% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 219 trips daily 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's health outcomes data shows exceptional results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 80% of Hawthorne's total population (4,512 people) has private health cover, compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 7.4% and 6.7% of residents respectively. 77.6% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Hawthorne has 9.5% of residents aged 65 and over (536 people), lower than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are 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 is roughly aligned with the wider region's average in terms of cultural diversity, with 77.6% born in Australia, 89.4% being citizens, and 90.8% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Hawthorne is Christianity, comprising 55.1% of its population, compared to 47.8% across Greater Brisbane. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (28.3%), Australian (23.1%), and Irish (11.2%).

Notably, Scottish representation is higher in Hawthorne at 9.6%, compared to 7.4% regionally; French representation is also higher at 0.7%, compared to 0.5%; Spanish representation is slightly higher at 0.6%, compared to 0.4%.

Hawthorne's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Hawthorne's median age is nearly 37 years, close to Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Hawthorne has a higher percentage of residents aged 45-54 (16.0%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.3%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the age group 15-24 increased from 13.5% to 16.2%, while the 55-64 cohort rose from 11.8% to 13.6%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group decreased from 14.6% to 12.6%, and the 45-54 group fell from 17.3% to 16.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Hawthorne's age profile. The 45-54 cohort is projected to grow by 16%, adding 144 residents to reach 1,047. Meanwhile, both the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.