Census-designated place · Hawaii
Kahului, Hawaii
Kahului, census-designated place, in Maui County, Hawaii. Kahului had 28,288 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,914). GEOID 1522700.
Residents, 2020-2024
28,288
±1,914 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 28,219
Median household income
$98,077
±$13,386 (90% margin)
Hawaii: $100,389
Median home value
$862,600
±$26,656 (90% margin)
Hawaii: $839,100
Median gross rent
$1,488
±$156 (90% margin)
Hawaii: $1,971
Where is Kahului and what county is it in?
Kahului is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Maui County, Hawaii. It covers 14.4 square miles of land, 1,962 residents per square mile in 2020.
Kahului is in the Kahului-Wailuku, HI metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Kahului, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Kahului's population at 28,288 (±1,914). The 2020 Census counted 28,219 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Kahului is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Kahului | Maui County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 28,288 ±1,914 | 164,522 | −3,048 |
| Households | 8,330 ±459 | 55,841 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.20 ±0.15 | 2.90 | −0.59 |
| Housing units | 8,879 ±491 | 72,279 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Kahului?
The median resident of Kahului is 43.0 years old; 20.0% are under 18 and 21.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Asian residents at 55.4%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 17.7%. 29.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Kahului | Maui County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 ±1.7 | 43.2 | +5.5 |
| Under 18 years | 20.0% ±1.8 pts | 21.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.2% ±2.0 pts | 20.7% | – |
| Male | 49.4% ±1.6 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.3% ±1.8 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 10.6% ±1.7 pts | 29.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±0.9 pts | 0.8% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 55.4% ±4.2 pts | 27.7% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 7.5% ±2.3 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 17.7% ±3.6 pts | 21.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 29.6% ±3.3 pts | 17.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 32.6% ±3.5 pts | 22.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.5% ±1.0 pts | 5.6% | – |
| With a disability | 12.9% ±1.9 pts | 11.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.2% ±1.8 pts | 4.1% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.1% ±1.8 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 24.6% ±3.4 pts | 31.0% | +7.1 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.3% ±1.4 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.3% ±2.1 pts | 88.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.4% ±0.7 pts | 2.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Kahului earn?
Half of Kahului's 8,330 households earn less than $98,077 a year (±$13,386), against $97,161 in Maui County and $100,389 in Hawaii. In 2015-2019 it was $105,998 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Kahului | Maui County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $98,077 ±$13,386 | $97,161 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $127,390 ±$8,622 | $131,649 | – |
| Per capita income | $37,588 ±$2,243 | $45,622 | +$5,077 |
| People below the poverty line | 8.7% ±2.1 pts | 9.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 5.0% ±4.5 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.5% ±2.1 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.2% ±2.0 pts | 95.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.0% ±2.8 pts | 90.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Kahului?
Owners occupy 64.7% of Kahului's occupied homes and renters 35.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $862,600 by its owner (±$26,656). The median renter pays $1,488 a month including utilities, and 36.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Kahului | Maui County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $862,600 ±$26,656 | $904,700 | +$116,061 |
| Median gross rent | $1,488 ±$156 | $1,916 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 36.2% ±8.9 pts | 45.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,950 ±$196 | $2,821 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 64.7% ±4.0 pts | 65.6% | +6.9 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 35.3% ±4.0 pts | 34.4% | – |
| Housing units | 8,879 ±491 | 72,279 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.4% ±2.8 pts | 17.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 73.7% ±3.5 pts | 59.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.6% ±2.2 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.8% ±0.6 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.0% ±2.2 pts | 5.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Kahului work and get to work?
68.2% of Kahului's workers drive alone and 5.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.5%.
| Measure | Kahului | Maui County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.5% ±3.2 pts | 63.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% ±1.6 pts | 5.5% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 68.2% ±3.5 pts | 70.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 19.7% ±3.1 pts | 13.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 3.2% ±1.9 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Walked | 1.1% ±0.6 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.0% ±1.9 pts | 10.2% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.8 min ±1.8 | 23.0 min | +2.4 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Kahului?
6 census tracts lie mostly in Kahului (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $87,301 (Tract 319) to $170,112 (Tract 311.04).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 311.06Maui County | 6,219 | $116,179 |
| Tract 311.05Maui County | 6,213 | $91,844 |
| Tract 311.02Maui County | 5,942 | $89,363 |
| Tract 319Maui County | 5,317 | $87,301 |
| Tract 311.04Maui County | 2,459 | $170,112 |
| Tract 311.07Maui County | 2,420 | $116,667 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Kahului) · Census block assignment files
How does Kahului compare with other places in Hawaii?
Kahului ranks 61st of 125 places in Hawaii with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 8th | 126 |
| Residents per square mile | 50th | 126 |
| Median household income | 61st | 125 |
| Per capita income | 79th | 126 |
| Median home value | 51st | 120 |
| Median gross rent | 95th | 119 |
| Poverty rate | 59th | 99 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 87th | 125 |
| Median age | 53rd | 126 |
| Owner-occupied share | 84th | 119 |
| Work from home | 79th | 86 |
| Travel time to work | 95th | 126 |
Kahului's figures with every place in Hawaii (CSV)
Every place in Hawaii, sortable · Compare Kahului with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Kahului?
8 of the 57 figures for Kahului on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Kahului are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.