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Living in
Kailua (Honolulu County).
About
Life in Kailua (Honolulu County)
Living here means embracing an island lifestyle with real trade-offs. Yes, the beaches and outdoor access are genuinely exceptional—windsurfing, snorkeling, and hiking are legitimate weekend staples—but those amenities come at a steep cost. Median home prices hover around $1.24 million and rent averages over $3,000 monthly, making this one of Hawaii's pricier communities.
Kailua (Honolulu County) at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Foreign-Born
8.4%
Broadband Internet
95.5%
of households
Population Growth
+5.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.4% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Kailua (Honolulu County): race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Kailua (Honolulu County), the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (13.7%), and 3.7% of residents speak Other Asian/Pacific at home.
Under 18
21.4%
of residents
65 and Older
22.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
20.8%
of households
Married Couples
56.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.90
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 57% above HI average
Rent, home values, and income in Kailua (Honolulu County)
In Kailua (Honolulu County), rent runs 57% above the HI average, and home values are 61% above the HI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
111.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,970
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
72.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1966
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.5%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for HI
Unemployment in Kailua (Honolulu County)
Unemployment in Honolulu County, which includes Kailua (Honolulu County), is close to the HI average.
Unemployment rate
Kailua (Honolulu County): Honolulu County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Honolulu County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Kailua (Honolulu County) is about 4% of Honolulu County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Kailua (Honolulu County) Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute29.1 min avg
How Kailua (Honolulu County) residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Kailua (Honolulu County), most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 42% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 mi
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
Major hub10.4M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 45% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Honolulu Police Department, which covers Kailua (Honolulu County), runs 45% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
181.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,459.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Honolulu Police Department (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersHigh Surf most common — 13 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Honolulu County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Honolulu County, which includes Kailua (Honolulu County), the most common type is high surf, with 13 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | High Surf | $1.7M |
| 2024 | 26 | High Surf | $145,000 |
| 2023 | 28 | High Surf | $21,000 |
| 2022 | 54 | High Surf | $115,000 |
| 2021 | 61 | High Surf | $2.7M |
| 2020 | 57 | High Surf | None reported |
| 2019 | 63 | High Surf | $57,250 |
| 2018 | 81 | High Surf | $2.2M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Honolulu County, county-wide
Kailua (Honolulu County) is about 4% of Honolulu County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality29 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Honolulu County, which includes Kailua (Honolulu County), is typically good — 355 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
29
Good Days
355
per year
Moderate Days
10
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Honolulu County, county-wide
Kailua (Honolulu County) is about 4% of Honolulu County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate83°F summers, 69°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Kailua (Honolulu County) has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and warm winters (avg low 69°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
80°/71°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/75°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
83°/74°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
79°/69°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
2
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
258
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79°F | 68°F | 2.81" |
| Feb | 78°F | 69°F | 3.16" |
| Mar | 78°F | 69°F | 3.62" |
| Apr | 80°F | 71°F | 1.62" |
| May | 81°F | 72°F | 1.32" |
| Jun | 82°F | 74°F | 1.27" |
| Jul | 83°F | 75°F | 1.31" |
| Aug | 84°F | 75°F | 1.42" |
| Sep | 84°F | 76°F | 1.50" |
| Oct | 83°F | 75°F | 2.58" |
| Nov | 81°F | 73°F | 3.68" |
| Dec | 79°F | 70°F | 3.53" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Kailua (Honolulu County)
Kailua (Honolulu County) has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
2.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Adventist Health Castle
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children
Childrens · ER available · 9.2 mi away · Honolulu
Shriners Hospital for Children
Childrens · 9.2 mi away · Honolulu
Kuakini Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.3 mi away · Honolulu
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Kailua (Honolulu County)
Kailua (Honolulu County)'s student/teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 55.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
55.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Kailua (Honolulu County) (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 15,029 students · in-state tuition $12,402 · 65% graduate · median earnings $62,422 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 3,910 students · in-state tuition $3,284 · 33% graduate · median earnings $51,907 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,392 students · in-state tuition $36,734 · 42% graduate · median earnings $64,656 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 1,897 students · in-state tuition $3,174 · 39% graduate · median earnings $50,539 (10 yrs after entry)
Chaminade University of Honolulu
8.7 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 1,672 students · in-state tuition $31,918 · 56% graduate · median earnings $56,938 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 1,159 students · in-state tuition $3,194 · 30% graduate · median earnings $42,976 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pearl Harbor National Memorial, 13 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Kailua (Honolulu County)
Kailua (Honolulu County) has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pearl Harbor National Memorial (13 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pearl Harbor National Memorial
National Memorial
13 mi awayHonouliuli National Historic Site
National Historic Site
21 mi awayKalaupapa National Historical Park
National Historical Park
53 mi awayPublic Libraries in Kailua (Honolulu County)
Kailua Public Library
239 Kuulei Rd., Kailua
Cities Near Kailua (Honolulu County)
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Kailua (Honolulu County)?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Kailua (Honolulu County) FAQ
Is Kailua (Honolulu County), Hawaii affordable?⌄
Kailua (Honolulu County)'s median rent is $3,093/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $148,582/year. Median home value is $1,353,700.
Is Kailua (Honolulu County), Hawaii safe?⌄
Kailua (Honolulu County) is policed by the Honolulu Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 181 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1459 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Kailua (Honolulu County), Hawaii?⌄
Honolulu County, which includes Kailua (Honolulu County), has an unemployment rate of 2.3%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Kailua (Honolulu County), Hawaii?⌄
The cost of living in Kailua (Honolulu County) is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $3,093/month and median household income is $148,582/year. The median home value is $1,353,700. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Kailua (Honolulu County), Hawaii?⌄
The average commute in Kailua (Honolulu County) is 29 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from