Hawthorn - South

An assessment of population growth drivers in Hawthorn - South reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Hawthorn-South's population was around 14,119 as of February 2026. This reflected an increase of 18.1% since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 11,957. The growth from June 2024 to February 2026 was inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 13,481 and validated new addresses totalling 459 since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 4,384 persons per square kilometer, placing Hawthorn-South among the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth exceeded that of its SA3 region (7.4%) and the national average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 95.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project an above median growth for the area, with an expected expansion of 2,509 persons by 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 13.2% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Hawthorn - South among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Hawthorn - South has received around 168 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years ending FY25, totalling 840 homes. As of FY26, 24 approvals have been recorded. The population has fallen during this period, suggesting new supply has kept pace with demand, providing good options for buyers. The average expected construction cost value is $734,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment.

This financial year, $14.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, showing balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Hawthorn - South has 134.0% more construction activity per person, reflecting strong developer interest. Recent construction comprises 5.0% detached houses and 95.0% attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living and affordability for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift contrasts with the current housing composition of 22.0% houses, suggesting decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles. With approximately 938 people per dwelling approval, Hawthorn - South indicates a mature market. Population forecasts estimate an increase of 1,871 residents by 2041, suggesting current development rates should comfortably meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond projections.

Population forecasts indicate Hawthorn - South will gain 1,871 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

A total of 37 projects have been identified by AreaSearch as likely to impact the area. Key projects include Michael Tuck Stand and Glenferrie Oval Revitalisation, Hawthorn Station Activity Centre Development, Auburn Station Activity Centre Development, and Eastern Freeway Upgrades - Bulleen to Springvale Road. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Hawthorn - South has been broadly consistent with national averages

Hawthorn - South has an educated workforce with a 4.3% unemployment rate and 2.4% estimated employment growth in the past year as of September 2025. There are 9,013 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 0.4% lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.7%. Workforce participation is high at 77.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%.

Census data shows 49.8% of residents work from home, potentially impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant employment sectors are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training, with professional & technical being particularly concentrated at 1.7 times the regional average. Construction is under-represented, with only 5.0% of Hawthorn - South's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.8, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 2.4%, labour force by 3.0%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.0% and labour force by 3.3%, with a 0.3 percentage point unemployment increase. Jobs and Skills Australia's May-25 national employment forecasts project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but industry-specific projections suggest Hawthorn - South's employment could grow by 7.3% in five years and 14.7% in ten years.

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

The Hawthorn - South SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $67,628 and an average income of $126,497 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This places it in the top percentile nationally, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $73,207 (median) and $136,933 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, individual earnings in this area stood out at the 91st percentile nationally ($1,207 weekly). Income analysis revealed that the predominant cohort spans 32.4% of locals (4,574 people) with incomes ranging from $1,500 to 2,999 per week, reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 32.8% similarly occupied this range. The locality demonstrated considerable affluence with 32.0% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consumed 15.5% of income, though strong earnings still placed disposable income at the 69th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Hawthorn-South's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 22.1% houses and 77.9% 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-South stood at 25.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.7% and rented ones at 48.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,100, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. Median weekly rent in Hawthorn-South was $400, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Hawthorn-South's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 50.8 percent of all households, including 18.6 percent couples with children, 25.2 percent couples without children, and 5.1 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 49.2 percent, with lone person households at 41.4 percent and group households making up 7.8 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Hawthorn - South's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 62.0% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 37.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (19.3%) and graduate diplomas (5.4%). Vocational pathways account for 16.3%, with advanced diplomas at 9.1% and certificates at 7.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.7% in tertiary education, 6.7% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing primary education.

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

Hawthorn-South has 48 active public transport stops, serving a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are covered by 9 different routes, offering a total of 6,846 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 153 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this predominantly residential area. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 60%, followed by trains at 17% and walking at 9%. The average vehicle ownership is 0.7 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 49.8% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 978 trips daily across all routes, equating to about 142 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Hawthorn - South's health outcomes data shows exceptional results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 80% of the total population (11,281 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7% and Australia's national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues affecting 8.7% of residents and asthma impacting 7.8%. Notably, 73.0% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 15.5% of residents aged 65 and over (2,192 people). Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Hawthorn-South has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 32.1% of its population born overseas and 24.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Hawthorn-South, comprising 37.3% of its population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in Hawthorn-South at 1.3%, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups in Hawthorn-South are English (24.0%), Australian (18.2%), and Other (10.0%). There are also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Polish is overrepresented at 1.0%, Sri Lankan at 0.6%, and Scottish at 9.0%.

Hawthorn - South hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Hawthorn-South's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Hawthorn-South has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (23.6%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.8%). This proportion for the 25-34 age group is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 15 to 24 has increased from 15.6% to 19.5%, while the 35 to 44 age group has decreased from 14.5% to 12.3%. The 5 to 14 age group has also declined, from 7.9% to 6.8%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes in Hawthorn-South. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow by 12%, adding 391 residents to reach a total of 3,717. Conversely, the number of residents aged 15 to 24 is expected to decrease by 135.