Mount Hawthorn

Population growth drivers in Mount Hawthorn are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Analysis of ABS population updates for the wider region, alongside new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, indicates the population of the suburb of Mount Hawthorn is estimated to be approximately 8,686 as of May 2026. This represents a growth of 503 people (6.1%) from the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 8,183 people. This shift is calculated from the resident population of 8,680, estimated by AreaSearch after examining the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2025) and incorporating an additional 21 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level translates to a density ratio of 3,559 persons per square kilometer, placing the suburb of Mount Hawthorn in the upper quartile of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth in the area was mostly driven by overseas migration, which accounted for approximately 75.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, published in 2024 using 2022 as the baseline. For SA2 areas lacking this data, and to project growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch applies the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (published in 2023, utilizing 2022 data). Assessing future population projections, above median population growth is anticipated compared to other statistical areas analyzed by AreaSearch, with the suburb of Mount Hawthorn expected to expand by 1,171 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, representing a total increase of 13.4% over the 16 years.

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

According to AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval figures, allocated from statistical area data, the suburb of Mount Hawthorn has recorded an average of approximately 13 new dwelling approvals per year, summing to an estimated 66 homes over the past 5 financial years. Thus far in FY-26, 3 approvals have been logged. With an average of 4.4 new residents annually for each home constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply is lagging behind demand significantly, which typically indicates increased buyer competition, putting upward pressure on pricing, while new dwellings are constructed at an average value of $880,000, indicating that developers are targeting the premium segment with high-end projects. Furthermore, $32.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, showing strong commercial development momentum.

Compared to Greater Perth, the suburb of Mount Hawthorn displays significantly less development activity (79.0% below the regional average per person). This restricted new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes. This is also below the national average, reflecting the maturity of the suburb of Mount Hawthorn and pointing to potential planning constraints. New construction activity consists of 85.0% detached houses and 15.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the suburban character of the area with a focus on family homes suitable for buyers looking for space. The area has approximately 1,444 people per dwelling approval, showing an established market.

Looking forward, the suburb of Mount Hawthorn is projected to add 1,165 residents through to 2041 (starting from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current construction volumes persist, housing supply could fall behind population growth, which is likely to increase buyer competition and support price appreciation.

Mount Hawthorn has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 47thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects and planning initiatives. In total 18 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Mt Hawthorn Community Centre Upgrade, Scarborough Beach Road Streetscape Upgrade, Mt Hawthorn Town Centre Precinct Enhancement, and City of Vincent Arts Plan 2023-2028 - Mt Hawthorn Public Art, with the below list detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

The labour market in Mount Hawthorn demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

The suburb of Mount Hawthorn has a highly educated workforce, with professional services highly represented, an unemployment rate of 4.4%, and relatively stable employment over the past year, according to AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of March 2026, 5,050 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.2% higher than the Greater Perth rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation is significantly above the benchmark (77.7% compared to Greater Perth's 70.2%). Census responses indicate that a low 12.2% of residents worked from home, though the impacts of Covid-19 lockdowns should be taken into account.

Resident employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The suburb of Mount Hawthorn exhibits a specific employment specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional average. Conversely, manufacturing is under-represented, accounting for only 3.1% of the workforce in the suburb of Mount Hawthorn compared to 5.5% in Greater Perth. Although local jobs exist within the suburb of Mount Hawthorn, it appears a large portion of residents travel elsewhere for work, based on the ratio of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data aggregated from wider statistical areas, the 12-month period experienced a 1.1% increase in the labour force alongside a 0.1% decrease in employment, leading to a rise in the unemployment rate of 1.1 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Perth, where employment increased by 2.0%, the labour force expanded by 2.5%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia dated May-25 can provide additional context regarding future demand within the suburb of Mount Hawthorn. These projections, spanning five and ten-year intervals, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to the employment mix in the suburb of Mount Hawthorn suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years (note that this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not incorporate localized population projections).

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

The suburb of Mount Hawthorn shows a median taxpayer income of $69,482 and an average of $97,549 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is exceptionally high nationally, contrasting with Greater Perth's median income of $60,748 and average income of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $77,076 (median) and $108,211 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Mount Hawthorn, between the 93rd and 95th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows the largest segment comprises 33.2% earning $4000+ weekly (2,883 residents), diverging from the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 32.0%. The substantial proportion of high earners (48.5% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout the area. After housing costs, residents retain 87.5% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within the suburb of Mount Hawthorn, evaluated at the most recent Census, consisted of 77.7% houses and 22.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, and alternative dwellings), compared to the Perth metro average of 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Concurrently, the level of home ownership in the suburb of Mount Hawthorn matched that of the Perth metro area at 30.7%, with the remaining dwellings being mortgaged (42.8%) or rented (26.5%). The median monthly mortgage payment in the area was significantly higher than the Perth metro average at $2,518, while the median weekly rent was recorded at $420, compared to Perth metro's $1,907 and $350. Nationally, mortgage repayments in the suburb of Mount Hawthorn are substantially higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are considerably above the national figure of $375.

Mount Hawthorn has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 74.7% of all households, comprising 41.3% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 25.3%, with lone person households at 22.1% and group households comprising 3.2% of the total. The median household size of 2.7 people is larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in the suburb of Mount Hawthorn significantly exceeds wider benchmarks, with 50.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 27.9% in WA and 30.1% in Greater Perth. This major educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 33.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.3%) and graduate diplomas (5.9%). Vocational pathways account for 23.2% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (13.0%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.4% in primary education, 8.7% in secondary education, and 6.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 48 active transport stops operating within the suburb of Mount Hawthorn, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 8 individual routes, collectively providing 1,739 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 154 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward - car remains the dominant mode at 75%, with 10% by bus and 7% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. A relatively low 12.2% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 248 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 36 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Mount Hawthorn, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups , and the rate of private health cover found to be exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (5,725 people). This compares to 59.0% across Greater Perth. The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.6 and 6.9% of residents, respectively, while 76.4% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 12.0% of residents aged 65 and over (1,042 people), which is lower than the 16.1% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Mount Hawthorn was found to be above average in terms of cultural diversity, with 14.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 25.9% born overseas. The main religion in Mount Hawthorn was found to be Christianity, which makes up 42.8% of people in Mount Hawthorn. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Judaism, which comprises 0.8% of the population, compared to 0.3% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Mount Hawthorn are English, comprising 25.7% of the population, Australian, comprising 23.0% of the population, and Irish, comprising 8.8% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Welsh is notably overrepresented at 0.8% of Mount Hawthorn (vs 0.7% regionally), Italian at 7.9% (vs 4.2%) and Polish at 1.0% (vs 0.7%).

Mount Hawthorn's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

With a median age of 37, Mount Hawthorn is equal to the Greater Perth figure of 37 and remains comparable to Australia's 38 years. The 5 - 14 age group shows strong representation at 15.7% compared to Greater Perth, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 10.9%. In the period since 2021, the 65 to 74 age group has grown from 6.1% to 7.5% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 10.3% to 11.6%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 12.3% to 10.9% and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 16.0% to 14.7%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Mount Hawthorn's age structure. Leading the demographic shift, the 45 to 54 group will grow by 20% (261 people), reaching 1,538 from 1,276. Meanwhile, both 5 to 14 and 35 to 44 age groups will see reduced numbers.