City profile · Hawaii · Census ACS 2023

Paia, HI

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

2,629
Residents
$120,735
Median income
$881,100
Median home
$2,624
Median rent (state)

Paia - the verdict

Paia ranks in the 87th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

87th
percentile, household income
96th
percentile, home value
94th
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: Paia, HI

Paia is a small town in Hawaii, home to 2,629 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Paia households earn a median of $120,735 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 6.3%. Home values in Paia run a median of $881,100, and the median resident age is 37.5 years. About 34.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 67.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 1 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

Hawaii carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Hawaii scores 110.0 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,624 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Hawaii's average monthly utility costs around $280 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 93.1 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

2,629 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Hawaii

Median Household Income

$120,735 /yr

Poverty 6.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.0 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Hawaii average

How does Paia compare to other US cities?

Where Paia sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 87% higher than other cities
Home value 96% pricier than other cities
Median rent 94% 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 Paia against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Hawaii only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Hawaii-relative analysis

Median Home Value sits close to the middle of Hawaii's city distribution

Among the 150 Hawaii cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Paia ranks #44 - the 71st percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Paia only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#34 of 155
78th percentile in Hawaii
Median Gross Rent
#56 of 160
51st percentile in Hawaii
Median Home Value
#44 of 150
71st percentile in Hawaii
Poverty Rate
#81 of 160
49th percentile in Hawaii
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#61 of 160
61st 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.

87thIncome percentile

87th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Paia's home value compares nationally

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

$881,100 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%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Paia $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 - Paia, HI Paia, HI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Paia, 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 Paia, HI median $120,735/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%
Paia, 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 Paia, HI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.4%

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

Population
2,629
Median Income
$120,735
Median Home Value
$881,100
Median Age
37.5
Poverty Rate
6.3%
Labor force participation
67.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.0%

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
59.9%
Carpool
10.8%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
1.6%
Work from Home
25.3%
Other
2.3%

Based on 1,399 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 Paia sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.0
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,624/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
93.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Hawaii

Honaunau-Napoopoo
2,554 people
Wailua
2,544 people
Lawai
2,775 people
Holualoa
2,825 people
Kahuku
2,425 people
Kualapuu
2,357 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Paia's 2,629 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Jarrettsville, MD
2,629 people
Ruidoso Downs, NM
2,629 people
Waverly, VA
2,629 people
Pembroke, GA
2,628 people
Montague, MI
2,630 people
Angola, NY
2,628 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Paia's $120,735 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Heron Bay, GA
$120,735 median income
Bel Air South, MD
$120,721 median income
Hasley Canyon, CA
$120,714 median income
West Haven-Sylvan, OR
$120,709 median income
Martin Lake, MN
$120,705 median income
Twin Lakes, IA
$120,699 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Paia, 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 Paia, HI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 39.3% 12.7% 15.9% 30.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 14.3% White 39.3% Black or African American 0.1% Asian 12.7% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 15.9% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 30.5% 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 Paia 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
Paia (this city) 2,629 $120,735
Honaunau-Napoopoo 2,554 $75,884
Wailua 2,544 $68,548
Lawai 2,775 $104,826
Census ACS 5-year FIPS HI NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Paia, HI?

What is the population of Paia, HI? +

Paia, HI counts 2,629 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Paia households earn a median of $120,735 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Paia? +

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

Homes in Paia carry a median value of $881,100, 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

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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.