City profile · Hawaii · Census ACS 2023

Waikele, HI

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

7,950
Residents
$111,971
Median income
$696,400
Median home
$2,642
Median rent (state)

Waikele - the verdict

Nationally, Waikele sits in the 84th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

84th
percentile, household income
93rd
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: Waikele, HI

Waikele is a small town in Hawaii, home to 7,950 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Waikele households earn a median of $111,971 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.6%. Typical homes in Waikele are valued around $696,400, and the median resident age is 41.0 years. Educational attainment runs 34.8% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 67.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Hawaii carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 110.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,642 per month. 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 98.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

7,950 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Hawaii

Median Household Income

$111,971 /yr

Poverty 4.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.0 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Hawaii average

How does Waikele compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 84% higher than other cities
Home value 93% 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

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 Waikele'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.

84thIncome percentile

84th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Waikele's home value compares nationally

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

$696,400 7th percentile more affordable than 7% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Waikele $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 - Waikele, HI Waikele, HI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Waikele, 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 Waikele, HI median $111,971/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%
Waikele, 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 Waikele, HI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.2%

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

Population
7,950
Median Income
$111,971
Median Home Value
$696,400
Median Age
41.0
Poverty Rate
4.6%
Labor force participation
67.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.8%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
74.5%
Carpool
12.1%
Public Transit
3.1%
Walk
0.4%
Work from Home
8.0%
Other
1.9%

Based on 4,821 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 Waikele sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.0
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,642/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Hawaii

Lihue
7,847 people
Pukalani
8,490 people
Ahuimanu
8,520 people
Makawao
7,263 people
Wailua Homesteads
7,136 people
Waikoloa
7,028 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Waikele's 7,950 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Crestwood, NJ
7,951 people
Emmett, ID
7,948 people
Oak Grove, KY
7,945 people
Carneys Point, NJ
7,945 people
Watsessing, NJ
7,944 people
Woodfin, NC
7,957 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Waikele's $111,971 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Alum Rock, CA
$111,976 median income
Eldridge, CA
$111,983 median income
Downieville, CA
$112,000 median income
Longview, MS
$112,000 median income
University Center, VA
$112,000 median income
Ashland, NJ
$112,009 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Waikele, 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 Waikele, HI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 9.6% 53.3% 29.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.7% White 9.6% Black or African American 2.4% Asian 53.3% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 4.3% Some other race 0.6% Two or more races 29.7% 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 Waikele 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
Waikele (this city) 7,950 $111,971
Lihue 7,847 $77,420
Pukalani 8,490 $120,707
Ahuimanu 8,520 $129,028
Census ACS 5-year FIPS HI OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Waikele, HI?

What is the population of Waikele, HI? +

7,950 people live in Waikele, HI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Waikele households earn a median of $111,971 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Waikele? +

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

Homes in Waikele carry a median value of $696,400, 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 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.