City profile · Hawaii · Census ACS 2023

Lawai, HI

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

2,775
Residents
$104,826
Median income
$853,700
Median home
$2,332
Median rent (state)

Lawai - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Lawai places in the 80th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

80th
percentile, household income
96th
percentile, home value
90th
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: Lawai, HI

2,775 people live in Lawai, Hawaii - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $104,826 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 8.2%. Home values in Lawai run a median of $853,700, and the median resident age is 38.4 years. About 35.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 52.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,332 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Hawaii run around $280, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 84.4 out of 100 (High).

Population

2,775 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Hawaii

Median Household Income

$104,826 /yr

Poverty 8.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.0 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Hawaii average

How does Lawai compare to other US cities?

Lawai measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 80% higher than other cities
Home value 96% pricier than other cities
Median rent 90% 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

Each percentile compares Lawai against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Hawaii only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Hawaii-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent sits close to the middle of Hawaii's city distribution

Among the 160 Hawaii cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Lawai ranks #84 - the 33rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Lawai only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#52 of 155
66th percentile in Hawaii
Median Gross Rent
#84 of 160
33rd percentile in Hawaii
Median Home Value
#50 of 150
67th percentile in Hawaii
Poverty Rate
#58 of 160
64th percentile in Hawaii
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#57 of 160
64th percentile in Hawaii

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Hawaii only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

80thIncome percentile

80th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Lawai's home value compares nationally

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

$853,700 4th percentile more affordable than 4% 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%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Lawai $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 - Lawai, HI Lawai, HI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lawai, 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 Lawai, HI median $104,826/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%
Lawai, 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 Lawai, HI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.2%

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

Population
2,775
Median Income
$104,826
Median Home Value
$853,700
Median Age
38.4
Poverty Rate
8.2%
Labor force participation
52.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.5%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
67.7%
Carpool
7.1%
Public Transit
3.8%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
21.3%

Based on 1,082 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 Lawai sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.0
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,332/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
84.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Hawaii

Holualoa
2,825 people
Paia
2,629 people
Kurtistown
2,928 people
Honaunau-Napoopoo
2,554 people
Wailua
2,544 people
Waialua
3,015 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lawai's 2,775 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Clarion, IA
2,775 people
Sale Creek, TN
2,775 people
Angwin, CA
2,774 people
West Wareham, MA
2,776 people
Lexington Hills, CA
2,777 people
Milton, WV
2,773 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lawai's $104,826 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Silver Peak, NV
$104,821 median income
East Palo Alto, CA
$104,832 median income
Spring Valley CDP (San Diego County), CA
$104,808 median income
Collinsville, CT
$104,808 median income
Huntertown, IN
$104,808 median income
Brandon, SD
$104,806 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lawai, 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 Lawai, HI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 36.8% 14.3% 6.1% 39.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 25.8% White 36.8% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 14.3% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 6.1% Some other race 3.1% Two or more races 39.7% 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 Lawai 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
Lawai (this city) 2,775 $104,826
Holualoa 2,825 $109,444
Paia 2,629 $120,735
Kurtistown 2,928 $78,750
Census ACS 5-year FIPS HI OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lawai, HI?

What is the population of Lawai, HI? +

2,775 people live in Lawai, HI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Lawai households earn a median of $104,826 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lawai? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lawai; 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 Lawai, HI? +

A typical home in Lawai is worth $853,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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

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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.