What it's like to live in Kailua (Hawaii County)
Kailua (Hawaii County) is a small city in Hawaii with county unemployment below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Kailua (Hawaii County) deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Kailua (Hawaii County) compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Kailua (Hawaii County)
Based on Kailua (Hawaii County)'s median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,508
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $70,160 a year
- 37% of Kailua (Hawaii County) renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$133,480
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $66,740
- Homes cost 7.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 24% above US
$1,754/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,754 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $667,400. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $667,400 · 37% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
2.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Hawaii County is 2.7%, well below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Hawaii County (county-wide)
Safety
287 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Kailua (Hawaii County) doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Hawaii Police Department jurisdiction as a whole, which runs close to the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 1924/100k · Policed by Hawaii Police Department (county-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 22% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 69°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
34% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 34% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park (3 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Kailua (Hawaii County)'s strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,754/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low) and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
See all the data for Kailua (Hawaii County) →·All Hawaii cities →
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