Hawthorn East

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

Hawthorn East's population is approximately 17,439 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 1,755 people (11.2%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 15,684. The growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population figures of 17,318 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4,565 persons per square kilometer, placing Hawthorn East among the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate exceeded both its SA3 region (7.4%) and the national average during this period. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.7% of overall population gains, although natural growth and interstate migration also played positive roles.

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, it employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods to reach SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these trends, Hawthorn East is expected to grow by approximately 2,474 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of about 13.5% over the 17-year period.

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

Hawthorn East has seen approximately 62 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25311 homes were approved, with an additional 55 approved in FY-26 as of current data. On average, about 1.8 people moved to the area per dwelling built over these five years. However, this figure has increased to 17.7 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating growing demand and potential undersupply.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $739,000, reflecting a focus on premium developments. This year alone, $45.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Hawthorn East has about two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 32nd percentile nationally, resulting in relatively limited buyer choice. Building activity shows a skew towards compact living, with 44.0% detached houses and 56.0% medium to high-density housing, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

With around 518 people per dwelling approval, Hawthorn East indicates a developed market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the area is forecasted to gain approximately 2,353 residents by 2041. Building activity appears to be keeping pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increased competition as the population expands.

Hawthorn East has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 31 projects potentially impacting this region. Notable initiatives include Eastern Freeway Upgrades from Bulleen to Springvale Road, Camberwell Junction Activity Centre Development, Camberwell House, and Nido Early School Hawthorn East. The following list 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 East demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Hawthorn East has a highly educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 2.7% as of September 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.5%.

As of September 2025, 11,184 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.0%, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation in Hawthorn East was 75.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 49.1% of residents worked from home. Leading employment industries among residents were professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Employment levels in professional & technical services were at 1.8 times the regional average. Conversely, construction had lower representation at 5.6%, compared to the regional average of 9.7%. The ratio of workers to residents was 0.7 as at the Census, indicating a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.5% and labour force increased by 2.8%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a rise in unemployment rate of 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Hawthorn East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.8% over ten years.

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

In Hawthorn East SA2, AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows median income at $70,020 and average income at $121,551. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $75,797 (median) and $131,579 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Hawthorn East rank highly nationally, between the 79th and 92nd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 29.8% of individuals earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, aligning with the surrounding region at 32.8%. A significant 38.0% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 15.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 79th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Hawthorn East features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Hawthorn East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 32.0% houses and 68.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings, this shows a higher proportion of other dwellings in Hawthorn East. Home ownership in Hawthorn East was 29.8%, similar to Melbourne metro's level. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (28.8%) or rented (41.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,492, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure stood at $411, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Hawthorn East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Hawthorn East features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 59.9% of all households, including 25.3% couples with children, 26.6% couples without children, and 6.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 40.1%, with lone person households at 33.5% and group households comprising 6.5%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Hawthorn East places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

In Hawthorn East, residents aged 15 and above have a notably higher level of educational attainment compared to national and state averages. Specifically, 61.2% of the area's residents possess university qualifications, surpassing Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. This significant educational advantage indicates a strong foundation for knowledge-based opportunities in the region. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 37.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.3%) and graduate diplomas (5.3%).

Vocational pathways account for 17.0% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas comprising 9.2% and certificates making up 7.8%. Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.4% pursuing tertiary education, 7.8% in primary education, and 7.1% engaged in secondary education.

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

Hawthorn East has 41 active public transport stops, serving a mix of light rail and bus routes. These are operated by 8 individual routes, collectively providing 6,851 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 220 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 69%, while train accounts for 15% and walking 7%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.9 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 49.1% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 978 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 167 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Hawthorn East shows excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 79% of the total population (13,741 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and 55.7% nationally.

Mental health issues impact 7.9% of residents, while asthma affects 7.6%. A total of 73.3% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 16.3% of residents aged 65 and over (2,844 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong but rank lower nationally compared to the broader population.

Hawthorn East was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Hawthorn East has a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 32.0% of its residents born overseas and 25.3% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Hawthorn East, accounting for 38.2% of the population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in Hawthorn East compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 2.3% versus 1.0%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (22.8%), Australian (18.8%), and Chinese (9.9%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: French at 0.8% (regional average is 0.5%), Greek at 2.5% (versus 2.7%), and Sri Lankan at 0.5% (compared to 0.8%).

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

Hawthorn East's median age in 2021 was 36 years, nearly matching Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and slightly below Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Hawthorn East had a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (20.8%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.0%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds was well above the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2016 Census and the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 increased from 13.2% to 15.2%, while the proportion of residents aged 45-54 decreased from 12.6% to 10.9%. The proportion of residents aged 5-14 also dropped, from 10.5% to 9.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Hawthorn East's age profile will change significantly. The number of residents aged 65-74 is projected to grow by 34%, adding 465 people and reaching a total of 1,817. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 50% of the population growth, reflecting demographic aging trends. Conversely, the number of residents aged 15-24 is projected to decline by 119 people.