Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Hawthorn

Hawthorn combines leafy, established streets with a lively village atmosphere around Glenferrie Road. The river and parkland to the north provide riverside walking trails and green space, while tree-lined streets show Victorian and Edwardian terraces, grand period houses and pockets of low-rise apartments near the shops and stations. A sizeable university campus brings a student presence, and the suburb attracts families and professionals who value good local schools, cafes, restaurants and boutique shopping. Regular train and tram services make the city readily accessible, so Hawthorn feels both residential and well connected.

About 22,322 people live in Hawthorn, with a median age of 34 and a median household income of $2,145 a week. The community is weighted towards couple families, and homes are slightly more often owner-occupied than rented. Recent and planned local works include a major public-housing redevelopment that added more than 200 social and affordable homes and upgrades around Patterson Reserve, planning changes for the train and tram activity centre, completed pedestrian and intersection upgrades, and a budgeted Hawthorn Library refurbishment. Whether that mix suits you depends on what you want from a neighbourhood.

On these figures, buying in Hawthorn sits well above what a typical local household earned at the last Census. A median house price of $2,250,000 works out to about 20.2 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census, while the median unit price of $601,000 is about 5.4 times a local year's household income.

Looking at rents, the average house rent of $950 a week would take roughly 44.3% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, a large share, while the average unit rent of $550 a week is about 25.6% of that weekly income, a moderate share. Which feels expensive will depend on your own income and circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Rents have been the most notable movement in Hawthorn over the past year. House rents climbed 11.8%, a strong rise, while unit rents increased 7.2%, a solid gain.

By contrast, median house values fell 2.0% over the year, a modest decline, so on the house side rental income rose while prices moved lower. If rental income is your priority the rent figures are the number that matters; if capital growth is your focus the house value change is the relevant figure. Whether that balance makes Hawthorn the right investment for you depends on your goals and circumstances.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.