© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Moving to
Wailuku.
Wailuku is an unincorporated community in Maui County, HI. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
What it's like to live in Wailuku
Wailuku is an unincorporated community in Hawaii with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Wailuku deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, a population that has been shrinking, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Shrinking population
- High rent burden for renters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Wailuku compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Wailuku
Based on Wailuku's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,524
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $70,480 a year
- 63% of Wailuku renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$171,140
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $85,570
- Homes cost 8.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 25% above US
$1,762/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,762 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 $855,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $855,700 · 63% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
2.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Maui 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.
Maui County (county-wide)
Safety
308 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Wailuku doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Maui 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 2596/100k · Policed by Maui Police Department (county-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 27% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.1 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 64°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
36% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 36% 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
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Haleakalā National Park (26 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Wailuku's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,762/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low) and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Wailuku
All Hawaii guides →Not sure Wailuku is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.