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 was approximately 17,543 as of May 2026. This figure represents an increase of 1,859 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,684. The growth is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 17,541 in June 2025 and an additional 183 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a population density ratio of 4,592 persons per square kilometer, placing Hawthorn East in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 11.9% since the Census exceeded both its SA3 area (6.6%) and SA4 region. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 93.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, along with VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 adjusted using weighted aggregation for areas not covered by ABS data. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Hawthorn East is projected to grow by 2,218 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 12.6% over the 16-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 averaged approximately 62 new home approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25311 homes were approved, with an additional 58 approved so far in FY-26. The area has seen an average of 1.8 people moving in for each dwelling built over these five years, suggesting balanced supply and demand conditions. However, recent data indicates this ratio has increased to 17.7 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, potentially indicating growing popularity and undersupply concerns.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $739,000, reflecting a focus on the premium market by developers. This year alone, $45.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Hawthorn East has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 32nd percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. Building activity is skewed 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 exhibits a developed market. Population forecasts estimate Hawthorn East will gain approximately 2,216 residents by 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, but buyers may face increased competition as the population grows.

Hawthorn East has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 28 such projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include Camberwell Junction Activity Centre Development, Camberwell House, Nido Early School Hawthorn East, and Hawthorn East Main Drain Upgrade. The following list details those projects likely to be 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 strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 2.9%. In the past year, there was an estimated employment growth of 2.5%.

As of December 2025, 11,210 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.9% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation is 74.7%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. Census responses indicate that 49.1% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

The area has a notable concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 5.6% versus the regional average of 9.7%. The ratio of 0.7 workers per resident indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 2.5%, labour force increased by 2.4%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a rise in unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Hawthorn East's employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Hawthorn East SA2 is exceptionally high nationally. The median assessed income is $70,020 and the average income stands at $121,551. In comparison, Greater Melbourne has a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $76,756 (median) and $133,244 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family, and personal incomes in Hawthorn East rank highly nationally, between the 79th and 92nd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 29.8% of the community (5,227 individuals) earns within the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly earnings band, aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort represents 32.8%. Notably, 38.0% earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting prosperous pockets driving robust local economic activity. 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, consisted of 32.0% houses and 68.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hawthorn East was at 29.8%, similar to Melbourne metro, with the rest being mortgaged (28.8%) or rented (41.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,492, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. The median weekly rent was $411, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Hawthorn East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,492 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were also higher at $411 compared to 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 make up 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, educational attainment is notably high among residents aged 15 and above. A total of 61.2% hold university qualifications, significantly surpassing the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. This high level of educational attainment positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common 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 making up 9.2% and certificates 7.8%. Educational participation is also high in the area, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.4% in tertiary education, 7.8% in primary education, and 7.1% pursuing 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 stops are covered by 8 different routes that together facilitate 6,851 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically living 220 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 69%, followed by trains at 15% and walking at 7%. On average, there are 0.9 vehicles per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 49.1% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 978 trips per day, equating to about 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's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 79% of Hawthorn East's total population (13,823 people) has private health cover, compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 7.9% of residents and asthma impacting 7.6%. Notably, 73.3% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Hawthorn East has 16.0% of residents aged 65 and over (2,805 people). While health outcomes among seniors are strong, they rank lower nationally than 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 had a higher cultural diversity compared to most local areas, with 32.0% of its population born overseas and 25.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Hawthorn East, accounting for 38.2% of people. Judaism's representation was notably higher at 2.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (22.8%), Australian (18.8%), and Chinese (9.9%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: French was overrepresented at 0.8% in Hawthorn East, Greek at 2.5%, and Sri Lankan at 0.5%.

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

At 36 years, Hawthorn East's median age is nearly matching Greater Melbourne's average of 37, which is modestly under the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Hawthorn East has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (21.8%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.6%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15 to 24 has grown from 13.2% to 14.9%, while those aged 25 to 34 increased from 20.1% to 21.8%. Conversely, the age group of 5 to 14 has declined from 10.5% to 8.6%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 12.6% to 10.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Hawthorn East's age profile will change significantly. The cohort aged 65 to 74 is projected to grow by 33%, adding 447 residents to reach a total of 1,790. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 51% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Conversely, the cohorts aged 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 are anticipated to experience population declines.