Malvern vs Hawthorn

Hawthorn is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 46 in Malvern. In both, the large majority of households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Malvern, most households are couple families. In Hawthorn, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Malvern: a median of $2.26 million, against $1.8 million in Hawthorn, and rent is higher there too. Malvern is closer to the city centre: 4.6 km, against 6.1 km. On these figures, Hawthorn tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Hawthorn

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more parks and reserves (7 vs 1)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Malvern has cheaper units ($515,000 vs $571,083)
  • Hawthorn has cheaper houses ($1,800,000 vs $2,260,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Hawthorn

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($295/wk vs $380/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Hawthorn

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (91/100 vs 73/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Hawthorn

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (91/100 vs 73/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Malvern and Hawthorn drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Malvern Hawthorn
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Malvern Hawthorn
Walkability 73 / 91
Malvern — Walkability: 73/100 Hawthorn — Walkability: 91/100
Safety 28 / 31
Malvern — Safety: 28/100 Hawthorn — Safety: 31/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Malvern — Low fire risk: 100/100 Hawthorn — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 32 / 25
Malvern — Low flood risk: 32/100 Hawthorn — Low flood risk: 25/100

Demographics

Malvern rents higher ($380/wk vs $295/wk); Malvern has higher household incomes ($138,060 vs $123,240).

Malvern Hawthorn
Population 2,713
+18% vs other
 2,221
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.4% +2.5%
Median age 46 43
Median household income $138,060/yr
+11% vs other
 $123,240/yr
Median weekly rent $380/wk
+22% vs other
 $295/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Malvern Hawthorn
0-4 3.6% / 4.5%
Malvern — 0-4: 3.6% Hawthorn — 0-4: 4.5%
5-14 12.6% / 12.5%
Malvern — 5-14: 12.6% Hawthorn — 5-14: 12.5%
15-19 6.9% / 6.4%
Malvern — 15-19: 6.9% Hawthorn — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 6.0% / 6.7%
Malvern — 20-24: 6.0% Hawthorn — 20-24: 6.7%
25-34 7.4% / 10.3%
Malvern — 25-34: 7.4% Hawthorn — 25-34: 10.3%
35-44 10.9% / 11.6%
Malvern — 35-44: 10.9% Hawthorn — 35-44: 11.6%
45-54 15.0% / 13.1%
Malvern — 45-54: 15.0% Hawthorn — 45-54: 13.1%
55-64 13.7% / 14.4%
Malvern — 55-64: 13.7% Hawthorn — 55-64: 14.4%
65-74 13.5% / 13.5%
Malvern — 65-74: 13.5% Hawthorn — 65-74: 13.5%
75-84 6.7% / 6.0%
Malvern — 75-84: 6.7% Hawthorn — 75-84: 6.0%
85+ 3.9% / 1.4%
Malvern — 85+: 3.9% Hawthorn — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Malvern 56.6% couple families
Malvern — Couple Families: 56.6% Malvern — Lone Person: 27.8% Malvern — One Parent Families: 12.2% Malvern — Group Household: 1.9% Malvern — Other Families: 1.5%
Hawthorn 53.3% couple families
Hawthorn — Couple Families: 53.3% Hawthorn — Lone Person: 31.7% Hawthorn — One Parent Families: 10.1% Hawthorn — Group Household: 3.2% Hawthorn — Other Families: 1.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Malvern 19.3% renting
Malvern — Owned Outright: 49.4% Malvern — Mortgage: 31.3% Malvern — Renting: 19.3%
Hawthorn 23.9% renting
Hawthorn — Owned Outright: 40.4% Hawthorn — Mortgage: 35.7% Hawthorn — Renting: 23.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Malvern Hawthorn
Bachelor Degree 26.3% / 26.0%
Malvern — Bachelor Degree: 26.3% Hawthorn — Bachelor Degree: 26.0%
Postgraduate Degree 9.8% / 10.5%
Malvern — Postgraduate Degree: 9.8% Hawthorn — Postgraduate Degree: 10.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 7.0%
Malvern — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Hawthorn — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Certificate III & IV 5.4% / 6.7%
Malvern — Certificate III & IV: 5.4% Hawthorn — Certificate III & IV: 6.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.9% / 3.7%
Malvern — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.9% Hawthorn — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.3%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Malvern Hawthorn
England 3.9% / 4.3%
Malvern — England: 3.9% Hawthorn — England: 4.3%
China 3.4% / 1.4%
Malvern — China: 3.4% Hawthorn — China: 1.4%
India 1.2% / 1.5%
Malvern — India: 1.2% Hawthorn — India: 1.5%
Italy 1.4% / —
Malvern — Italy: 1.4% Hawthorn — Italy: not among its largest
Greece 1.1% / —
Malvern — Greece: 1.1% Hawthorn — Greece: not among its largest
Vietnam — / 1.0%
Malvern — Vietnam: not among its largest Hawthorn — Vietnam: 1.0%
Scotland — / 0.9%
Malvern — Scotland: not among its largest Hawthorn — Scotland: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Malvern 79.8% houses
Malvern — Houses: 79.8% Malvern — Flats / Apartments: 7.4% Malvern — Townhouses: 12.7%
Hawthorn 72.7% houses
Hawthorn — Houses: 72.7% Hawthorn — Flats / Apartments: 21.0% Hawthorn — Townhouses: 6.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Malvern Hawthorn
Median house price $2,260,000 $1,800,000
Median unit price $515,000 $571,083
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 23 sales
 19 days
from 7 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Malvern Hawthorn
3 bed $2.17M / $1.78M
Malvern — 3 bed: $2.17M (29 sales) Hawthorn — 3 bed: $1.78M (12 sales)

29 vs 12 sales

4 bed $2.65M / $1.61M
Malvern — 4 bed: $2.65M (22 sales) Hawthorn — 4 bed: $1.61M (5 sales)

22 vs 5 sales

Zoning mix

Malvern Hawthorn
Residential 96% 90%
Commercial 4% 5%
Parks and recreation 0% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Malvern Hawthorn
New dwellings approved 273
across Unley
 188
across Mitcham
Approvals change year on year -67% +32%

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Malvern Hawthorn
Houses 2.1%
$790/wk on $1.95M
 —
Units 3.5%
$450/wk on $672K
 —

Ranking within SA

Malvern Hawthorn
House price Higher than 97% of SA Higher than 91% of SA
Income Higher than 96% of SA Higher than 94% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 89% of SA Higher than 99% of SA
Affordability Higher than 15% of SA Higher than 25% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 98% of SA Higher than 97% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of SA Higher than 91% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 2% of SA —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 6% of SA —

Liveability

Hawthorn is more walkable (91 vs 73).

Malvern Hawthorn
Grade A
same for both
Score 72/100 75/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Malvern Hawthorn
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
72/100
 Moderate
69/100
Flood Moderate
68/100
 High
75/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Malvern Hawthorn
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
Adelaide University, Adelaide City Campus, 3.5 km
 3
Tonsley, 4.3 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 5.3% 4.6%

Schools in Malvern

  • Unley Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Hawthorn

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Malvern Hawthorn
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 3 4
Parks & reserves 1 7
Childcare 2
same for both
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Waterways 0 6

Mobility

Malvern Hawthorn
Walkability score 73/100 91/100
Distance to Adelaide 4.6 km 6.1 km
+33% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 10 min 13 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 90/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 82.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 80.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.6%
postcode 5061
 2.5%
postcode 5062
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 53
postcode 5061
 63
postcode 5062

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Malvern Hawthorn
Car (driver) 66.4% / 67.7%
Malvern — Car (driver): 66.4% Hawthorn — Car (driver): 67.7%
Worked from Home 18.2% / 16.6%
Malvern — Worked from Home: 18.2% Hawthorn — Worked from Home: 16.6%
Bus 5.5% / 4.8%
Malvern — Bus: 5.5% Hawthorn — Bus: 4.8%
Car (passenger) 4.9% / 4.4%
Malvern — Car (passenger): 4.9% Hawthorn — Car (passenger): 4.4%
Bicycle 2.8% / 2.8%
Malvern — Bicycle: 2.8% Hawthorn — Bicycle: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.7%).

Setting

Malvern Hawthorn
Elevation 62 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 67 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.3 km 8.4 km

NBN connectivity

Malvern Hawthorn
Connectivity score 73/100 77/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 40%
1,376 premises
 32%
1,062 premises

Climate

Malvern Hawthorn
Annual rainfall 457 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Malvern Hawthorn
PM2.5 6.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 1.12 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Malvern Hawthorn
Average residential rate $2,288/yr $2,296/yr
Council Unley Mitcham

Federal electorate

Malvern Hawthorn
Division Adelaide Boothby
Member Steve Georganas Louise Miller-Frost
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Malvern Hawthorn
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Malvern

Inner Luxury Parks Professionals River

Hawthorn

Inner Parks Premium Professionals River Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Malvern

Malvern vs Parkside Malvern vs Fullarton Malvern vs Unley Malvern vs Kingswood Malvern vs Hyde Park Malvern vs Netherby

Other comparisons with Hawthorn

Hawthorn vs Colonel Light Gardens Hawthorn vs Torrens Park Hawthorn vs Westbourne Park Hawthorn vs Kingswood Hawthorn vs Lower Mitcham Hawthorn vs Unley Park
Full data on Malvern Full data on Hawthorn
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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