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 estimated population as of Nov 2025 is around 5,647, reflecting a 10.9% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 5,090 people. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 5,634 residents and 57 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 4,183 persons per square kilometer, placing Hawthorne in the top 10% nationally. Growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.7%). Overseas migration contributed approximately 56% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in Jun 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 released in 2023 are adopted. Future population trends suggest an increase just below the median for Australian statistical areas to 2041, with Hawthorne expected to expand by 477 persons, reflecting an 8.3% total increase over 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

Between FY2017 and FY2021, Hawthorne had approximately 18 dwelling approvals annually, totalling around 93 homes. In FY26 to date, there have been 9 approvals. Each year, an average of 3.8 people moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25. This significant demand outpaces supply, which typically increases competition among buyers and puts upward pressure on prices.

The average construction value of new dwellings is $1,399,000, indicating a focus on premium properties. In FY26, there have been $813,000 in commercial development approvals, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Hawthorne records around 68% of building activity per person and ranks at the 37th percentile nationally for areas assessed, suggesting limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings. This activity is lower than the national average, indicating market maturity and possible development constraints.

The new building activity consists of approximately 71.0% detached dwellings and 29.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining Hawthorne's traditional suburban character focused on family homes. With around 446 people per dwelling approval, Hawthorne shows a developed market. Future projections estimate an addition of 468 residents by 2041 based on current development patterns, suggesting that new housing supply should readily meet demand and potentially facilitate population growth beyond current projections.

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

Area infrastructure significantly impacts local performance. AreaSearch identified ten projects potentially affecting the area. Major initiatives include Bulimba Barracks Urban Renewal Project, VOIR, LA VUE, and Skyring Terrace Road Upgrade. Relevant projects are listed below.

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

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

Hawthorne's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% as of September 2025, lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.0%.

Workforce participation stood at 76.7%, surpassing Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Leading industries for Hawthorne residents were professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Professional & technical services had a share of 1.7 times the regional level. Manufacturing was under-represented with only 3.6% of Hawthorne's workforce compared to Greater Brisbane's 6.4%.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 0.3% while labour force rose by 0.7%, leading to a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. 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 rate. As of 25-Nov-25, Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Hawthorne's industry mix suggests local employment could grow 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 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 above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Hawthorne, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 61.9% houses and 38.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Brisbane metro's 52.7% houses and 47.3% other dwellings. The level of home ownership in Hawthorne was 24.8%, with the rest being mortgaged (37.9%) or rented (37.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,809, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $2,500. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $430, compared to Brisbane metro's $440. Nationally, Hawthorne's 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 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%, consisting of 23.8% lone person households and 5.2% group households. 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 broader standards. Among residents aged 15+, 50.9% possess university qualifications, compared to Queensland's 25.7% and Australia's 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 34.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.9%) and graduate diplomas (5.0%). Vocational pathways account for 23.8%, with advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 12.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 33.3% 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's public transport system operates 29 active stops, serving both ferry and bus services. These stops are connected by 10 routes, facilitating a total of 1,534 weekly passenger trips. Residential accessibility to transport is rated excellent, with an average distance of 142 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency across all routes averages 219 trips per day, resulting in about 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 show exceptional results across all age groups, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is notably high at approximately 80% (4,515 people), compared to Greater Brisbane's 73.8%. Nationally, this figure stands at 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, affecting 7.4 and 6.7% of residents respectively. A total of 77.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 74.9% across Greater Brisbane. Hawthorne has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (9.0%, or 508 people), compared to Greater Brisbane's 11.3%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Hawthorne are strong and largely align with the overall 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 its broader region, as seen in its population born in Australia (77.6%), citizens (89.4%), and English-only speakers at home (90.8%). Christianity is the dominant religion in Hawthorne (55.1%), slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's 47.7%. The top three ancestry groups are English (28.3%), Australian (23.1%), and Irish (11.2%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry is higher in Hawthorne at 9.6% compared to the region's 8.7%, while French and Spanish ancestries remain similar at 0.7% and 0.6% respectively.

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 (16.4%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (11.8%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 13.5% to 16.5%, while the 55 to 64 cohort has risen from 11.8% to 13.1%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 14.6% to 12.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Hawthorne's age profile will significantly change. The 55 to 64 cohort is projected to grow by 26%, adding 192 residents to reach 932. Conversely, both the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.