HIHawaii rankings

Towns where rent is easiest to afford in Hawaii

Ranked by the share of renter households spending 30% or more of their income on rent, the federal "cost-burdened" line. 25 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

1 Kailua 39.1% Median rent $1,754 2 Waimalu 43.6% Median rent $1,931

3 Kaneohe 44.6% Median rent $2,269

#TownRenters paying 30%+Median rentRenter households

1 Kailua21,818 people 39.1% $1,754 2,383

2 Waimalu13,061 people 43.6% $1,931 1,852

Kaneohe37,355 people 44.6% $2,269 2,482

Kahului28,288 people 47.1% $1,488 2,677

Kailua39,640 people 49.1% $3,093 3,657

Lahaina10,162 people 53% $1,997 1,241

Waipahu40,482 people 53.2% $1,658 3,632

Pearl City44,547 people 53.8% $2,316 3,987

9 Mililani Town27,668 people 54% $2,384 1,597

10 Hilo50,404 people 54.1% $1,427 5,190

Waipio10,870 people 54.6% $2,219 1,114

12 Urban Honolulu345,482 people 54.8% $1,823 64,719

Halawa14,385 people 55.4% $1,739 1,510

14 Mililani Mauka21,278 people 55.5% $2,350 1,752

15 Napili-Honokowai7,308 people 57.2% $2,220 1,085

Kihei21,567 people 58.4% $2,045 3,096

17 East Honolulu51,360 people 59.1% $3,313 2,501

18 Ewa Gentry26,563 people 61.4% $2,580 1,706

Wahiawa17,996 people 62.1% $1,546 2,649

Wailuku16,926 people 66.7% $1,762 1,732

Makaha10,066 people 70.4% $1,868 1,687

Makakilo20,735 people 70.5% $2,276 1,307

23 Hickam Housing9,425 people 73.5% $3,501 2,569

Schofield Barracks16,270 people 81.8% $3,230 3,711

25 Kaneohe Base10,919 people 82.5% $3,410 2,239

How this ranking works

We rank every town by the share of renter households spending 30% or more of their income on rent, the federal "cost-burdened" line. Lower is better. Only towns with 1,000+ renter households are ranked, because smaller samples are too uncertain. The town with the lowest figure ranks #1. For comparison, the figure for Hawaii as a whole is 56.7%.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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