Nanakuli is an unincorporated community in Honolulu County, HI. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.

About

Life in Nanakuli

Nanakuli is a community of 12,282 people in Hawaii. The median household income is $86,597, median rent runs about $1,690 per month, and median home values are around $489,000. Unemployment is low at 2.3%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.

Nanakuli at a Glance

Population, income, housing and more

Median Age

36.7 yrs

Poverty Rate

18.2%

Foreign-Born

8.9%

Broadband Internet

94.3%

of households

Population Growth

+7.2%

recent change · Census Bureau

Median household income

Nanakuli$86,597
Hawaii avg$100,389
US$80,734

Demographics8.9% foreign-born, most often from Oceania, n.e.c.

Who lives in Nanakuli: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin

In Nanakuli, the largest foreign-born group is from Oceania, n.e.c. (47.3%), and 13.9% of residents speak Other Asian/Pacific at home.

Under 18

27.1%

of residents

65 and Older

15.1%

of residents

Households with Kids

48.3%

anyone under 18

Living Alone

10.2%

of households

Married Couples

48.8%

of households

Avg Household Size

4.03

people

Race & Ethnicity

Pacific Islander48.8%
Two or more races29.7%
Hispanic or Latino11.1%
Asian5.1%
White4.4%
Black0.7%

Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic

Top countries of origin (foreign-born)

Oceania, n.e.c.47.3%
Marshall Islands23.3%
Philippines20.3%
Vietnam3.0%
Germany1.5%
Japan1.1%
France0.9%
Cambodia0.9%
Micronesia0.8%
Asia, n.e.c.0.6%

Languages Spoken at Home

English only82.8%
Other Asian/Pacific13.9%
Other1.3%
Tagalog/Filipino1.2%
Vietnamese0.3%
Spanish0.2%
French/Haitian0.1%
German/Germanic0.1%

Cost of Livingrent 14% below HI average

Rent, home values, and income in Nanakuli

In Nanakuli, rent runs 14% below the HI average, and home values are 42% below the HI average.

Median rent (per month)

Nanakuli$1,690
Hawaii avg$1,971
US$1,413

Median home value

Nanakuli$488,600
Hawaii avg$839,100
US$332,700

Rent Burdened

50.3%

spending 30%+ of income on rent

Severely Rent Burdened

42.7%

spending 50%+

Cost of Living Index

111.0

metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100

Median Property Tax

$369

per year, owner-occupied homes

Homeowners

67.4%

of occupied homes are owned

Typical Home Built

1977

median year built

Vacant Homes

6.1%

of housing units

Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for HI

Unemployment in Nanakuli

Unemployment in Honolulu County, which includes Nanakuli, is close to the HI average.

Unemployment rate

Nanakuli2.3%
Hawaii avg2.4%
US4.3%

Nanakuli: Honolulu County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average

Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend

2.7%
2.1%
2.3%
2.4%
10%
5.4%
3.2%
2.6%
2.5%
2.3%
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Honolulu County (county-wide) · Annual averages

Nanakuli is about 1% of Honolulu County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

What Nanakuli Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry

Education & health care15.6%
Construction14.6%
Retail12.9%
Transportation & utilities11.8%
Professional & business services11.8%
Public administration10.7%
Arts, hospitality & food service9.9%
Finance & real estate3.7%

City residents, wherever they work

Commute35.3 min avg

How Nanakuli residents get to work, and the nearest airports

In Nanakuli, most residents drive alone to work (66%), and 39% get there in under 30 minutes.

How People Get to Work

Drive alone66.2%
Carpool19.3%
Public transit2.7%
Walk2.1%
Work from home6.6%
Other3.1%

Commute Time Distribution

Under 15 min14.4%
15–29 min24.2%
30–44 min26.5%
45–59 min14.6%
60+ min20.3%

Nearest airports · with airline service

  • Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)

    Major hub10.4M passengers boarded in 2025

    15 mi

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 Nanakuli, 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).

Lightning · Very HighInland flooding · Very HighEarthquake · HighLandslide · HighTsunami · High

Honolulu County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025

In Honolulu County, which includes Nanakuli, the most common type is high surf, with 13 recorded events in 2025.

Most common events:

High SurfHeavy RainDroughtFlash FloodStrong Wind

Storm events by year

YearEventsTop TypeProperty Damage
202513High Surf$1.7M
202426High Surf$145,000
202328High Surf$21,000
202254High Surf$115,000
202161High Surf$2.7M
202057High SurfNone reported
201963High Surf$57,250
201881High 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

Nanakuli is about 1% 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 Nanakuli, 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

Nanakuli is about 1% of Honolulu County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

Climate85°F summers, 65°F winters

30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation

Nanakuli has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and warm winters (avg low 65°F).

Spring (Mar–May)

80°/66°F

avg high / low

Summer (Jun–Aug)

85°/70°F

avg high / low

Fall (Sep–Nov)

84°/70°F

avg high / low

Winter (Dec–Feb)

79°/65°F

avg high / low

Annual Precipitation

17.9"

Annual Snowfall

0.0"

Hot Days/Year

1

days above 90°F

Freeze Days/Year

0

days below 32°F

Rainy Days/Year

60

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)
50°60°70°80°90°100°3.5"Jan: 3.18" precipitationFeb: 2.27" precipitationMar: 2.74" precipitationApr: 1.35" precipitationMay: 1.64" precipitationJun: 0.80" precipitationJul: 0.47" precipitationAug: 0.74" precipitationSep: 0.92" precipitationOct: 1.93" precipitationNov: 2.54" precipitationDec: 3.20" precipitationJJan: high 79°F, low 65°F64°FFeb: high 78°F, low 64°FMMar: high 79°F, low 65°FAApr: high 80°F, low 66°FMMay: high 82°F, low 68°FJJun: high 83°F, low 69°FJJul: high 85°F, low 70°F86°AAug: high 86°F, low 70°FSSep: high 85°F, low 70°FOOct: high 85°F, low 70°FNNov: high 82°F, low 69°FDDec: high 80°F, low 67°F
Show month-by-month table ↓
MonthHighLowPrecip
Jan79°F65°F3.18"
Feb78°F64°F2.27"
Mar79°F65°F2.74"
Apr80°F66°F1.35"
May82°F68°F1.64"
Jun83°F69°F0.80"
Jul85°F70°F0.47"
Aug86°F70°F0.74"
Sep85°F70°F0.92"
Oct85°F70°F1.93"
Nov82°F69°F2.54"
Dec80°F67°F3.20"

Healthcare

Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Nanakuli

Uninsured

5.3%

of residents

No hospitals inside Nanakuli's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles

Pali Momi Medical Center

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.8 mi away · Aiea

Adult Health · vs. the typical US place

Obesity39.1%US 36.8%
Diabetes15.5%US 12.6%
High blood pressure35.2%US 37.1%
Current smoking17.2%US 15.0%
No leisure-time physical activity30.2%US 26.6%
Depression19.1%US 23.0%
Asthma13.2%US 10.7%
Routine checkup in past year74.8%US 78.2%

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.

Education13.1:1 student/teacher ratio

Schools and degree attainment in Nanakuli

Nanakuli's student/teacher ratio is 13.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 10.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Public Schools

4

within city limits

Private Schools

0

within city limits

College Degree Rate

10.8%

adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher

Student/Teacher Ratio

13.1:1

National avg 16:1

Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year

Colleges Near Nanakuli (within 15 miles)

University of Hawaii-West Oahu

6.6 mi away

Public · 4-year · 2,519 students · in-state tuition $7,728 · 54% graduate · median earnings $56,319 (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: Honouliuli National Historic Site, 6 mi

Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Nanakuli

Nanakuli has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Honouliuli National Historic Site (6 mi away).

Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas

Honouliuli National Historic Site

National Historic Site

6 mi away

Pearl Harbor National Memorial

National Memorial

14 mi away

Kalaupapa National Historical Park

National Historical Park

79 mi away

Public Libraries in Nanakuli

Nanakuli Public Library

89-070 Farrington Highway, Waianae

Branch~38 hrs/week

Cities Near Nanakuli

The closest cities within 60 miles

Planning a move to Nanakuli?

Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.

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Nanakuli FAQ

Is Nanakuli, Hawaii affordable?⌄

Nanakuli's median rent is $1,690/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $86,597/year. Median home value is $488,600.

Is Nanakuli, Hawaii safe?⌄

Nanakuli 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 Nanakuli, Hawaii?⌄

Honolulu County, which includes Nanakuli, 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 Nanakuli, Hawaii?⌄

The cost of living in Nanakuli is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,690/month and median household income is $86,597/year. The median home value is $488,600. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

How is the commute in Nanakuli, Hawaii?⌄

The average commute in Nanakuli is 35 minutes, which is longer than 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