City profile · Hawaii · Census ACS 2023

Kaunakakai, HI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Kaunakakai - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

3,721
Residents
$76,944
Median income
$335,200
Median home
$2,492
Median rent (state)

Kaunakakai - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Kaunakakai lands in the 58th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

58th
percentile, household income
70th
percentile, home value
92nd
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Kaunakakai, HI

Hawaii's Kaunakakai is a small town, with 3,721 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Kaunakakai households earn a median of $76,944 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 19.6%. Typical homes in Kaunakakai are valued around $335,200, and the median resident age is 33.7 years. Educational attainment runs 16.8% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 55.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 2 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

Hawaii carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Hawaii at 110.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,492 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Hawaii run around $280, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 0.1 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

3,721 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Hawaii

Median Household Income

$76,944 /yr

Poverty 19.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.0 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Hawaii average

How does Kaunakakai compare to other US cities?

Here's how Kaunakakai stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 58% higher than other cities
Home value 70% pricier than other cities
Median rent 92% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Kaunakakai's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Hawaii, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

58thIncome percentile

58th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Kaunakakai's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$335,200 30th percentile more affordable than 30% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Kaunakakai $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Kaunakakai, HI Kaunakakai, HI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Kaunakakai, HI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Kaunakakai, HI median $76,944/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Kaunakakai, HI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Kaunakakai, HI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 16.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
3,721
Median Income
$76,944
Median Home Value
$335,200
Median Age
33.7
Poverty Rate
19.6%
Labor force participation
55.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
16.8%

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
63.4%
Carpool
9.9%
Public Transit
3.2%
Walk
6.8%
Work from Home
9.8%
Other
6.9%

Based on 1,474 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Hawaii - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$220
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$280
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Hawaii state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Hawaii state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Kaunakakai sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.0
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,492/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
0.1 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Hawaii

Captain Cook
3,751 people
Waikapu
3,645 people
Hawaiian Ocean View
3,809 people
Whitmore
3,821 people
Mountain View
3,833 people
Ainaloa
3,493 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Kaunakakai's 3,721 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Angels, CA
3,721 people
Felton, CA
3,721 people
Kitty Hawk, NC
3,721 people
Hill 'n Dale, FL
3,722 people
Rosemont, PA
3,722 people
Arcadia, WI
3,720 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Kaunakakai's $76,944 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Harwich Center, MA
$76,944 median income
Otsego, MI
$76,944 median income
Moore, OK
$76,941 median income
Hustisford, WI
$76,938 median income
Boulder Hill, IL
$76,935 median income
Titanic, OK
$76,953 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Kaunakakai, HI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Kaunakakai, HI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 10.4% 11.2% 34.8% 42.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.0% White 10.4% Black or African American 0.1% Asian 11.2% American Indian 1.2% Native Hawaiian 34.8% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 42.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Kaunakakai compares to nearby Hawaii cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Kaunakakai (this city) 3,721 $76,944
Captain Cook 3,751 $124,551
Waikapu 3,645 $121,618
Hawaiian Ocean View 3,809 $45,917
Census ACS 5-year FIPS HI NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Kaunakakai, HI?

What is the population of Kaunakakai, HI? +

3,721 people live in Kaunakakai, HI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Kaunakakai, HI? +

In Kaunakakai, the typical household earns $76,944 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Kaunakakai? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Kaunakakai; the closest available measure is the Hawaii state average, a cost of living index of 110.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Hawaii vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Kaunakakai, HI? +

Homes in Kaunakakai carry a median value of $335,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.