Waioli Mission District · National Register of Historic Places
Hanalei’s story
126 years in pictures
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1900Hanalei is settled
HanaleiHI
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Caracas1830 assumed (based on copyright claims). · CC BY-SA 2.5
Population
272
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$3.33M
−1.2% in a year
Household income
$124K
median
Median age
65.8
years
Jobs based here
539
A job hub
Is Hanalei a good place to live?
No town among the 94 in Hawaii we compare has a higher median age than Hanalei. Hanalei’s trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile, above both Hawaii’s towns (0.6) and U.S. towns (0.4). Hanalei has 5 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Waioli Mission District and Haraguchi Rice Mill. Hanalei has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Hanalei stand out
Where Hanalei beats most towns.
Small town
272 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
PrincevilleHanalei
Getting set up
Moving to Hanalei: who provides what
Hanalei is unincorporated, so Kauai County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerKauai Island Utility Cooperative38.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHanalei water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKauai CountyKauai County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Hawaii you can register online up to and including Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 10 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereKauai County ClerkKauai County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code9671496714 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Hanalei.
Housing
A typical Hanalei home is worth about $3.33M
The typical Hanalei home is worth about $3,333,000, down 1.2% in a year, 4 times the Hawaii typical home.
$3.33MZillow home value
Typical home value
Hanalei$3.33M
Hawaii$833K
−1.2%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Hanalei’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Hawaii Department of Education school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanalei Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 183 | A |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
A smaller share of residents in Hanalei live below the poverty line than in the typical Hawaii or U.S. town
0.7% of Hanalei residents live below the poverty line. Since 2013, Hanalei has added 169 jobs, to 539 in 2023. The median household income in Hanalei is $124,000.
13%work in town
| Hanalei | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 0.7% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $124,000 | $100,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 3.7% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Hanalei13%
Urban Honolulu13%
Laie5%
Princeville5%
Poipu5%
21 mi
median commute distance
539
jobs based in Hanalei
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a very high hazard risk in Hanalei
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 100% of U.S. communities.
100risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTsunamis
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and pleasant summers in Hanalei
Hanalei has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 62° and snow is almost unheard of.
86°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter63–78°
Spring65–80°
Summer69–85°
Fall68–83°
86°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Hanalei stands out in Hawaii and nationally, with fewer of its adults who feel lonely
27% of adults feel lonely in Hanalei. Hanalei beats the Hawaii average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 14% of adults report frequent mental distress in Hanalei.
| Hanalei | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 32% | 33% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 27% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 45% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Hawaii
6 better23 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Hanalei | HI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults lacking emotional support | 22.7% | 30.1% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 13.6% | 17.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.5% | 6.7% |
Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital
14.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Hanalei has set aside 7.9% of its land for conservation
0.9 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves.
7.9%conserved
7.9%
conserved · 36 of 459 acres
0.9 mi
of trails · 1.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Waioli Beach Park | — | 10 |
| 2. Wai'oli Park | — | 6 |
| 3. Hanalei Pavilion Beach Park | 0.1 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 11 attractions →Nā Pali Coast State Park and 10 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hanalei. Close and well known come first.
9 mi State parkNā Pali Coast State Park
15 mi Canyon & gorgeWaimea Canyon State Park
6 mi BeachHanakapiai Beach
20 mi LandmarkRussian Fort Elizabeth
22 mi GardenAllerton Garden
5 mi GardenLimahuli Garden and PreserveSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Nā Pali Coast State Park: Jmblanco74, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Waimea Canyon State Park: Aaronbernstein, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hanakapiai Beach: Jeff Kubina, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Russian Fort Elizabeth: en:User:Mel29, Public domain · Allerton Garden: Daderot., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Limahuli Garden and Preserve: Daderot., CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hanalei
17pages on Hanalei
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Hanalei; the nearest are
Kauai Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Lihue17.5 mi$3,252 in-state tuitionUniversity of Hawaii-West OahuUniversity or college · Public · Kapolei109.5 mi$7,584 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Hanalei residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Hawaii.
A job hub
Every workday, about 532 people come to Hanalei for work
Where Hanalei’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
539jobs based in Hanalei
13%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
5 places in Hanalei on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Hanalei
Census-designated place in Hawaii, United States
Hanalei is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kauaʻi County, Hawaii, United States. As of the 2020 census, Hanalei had a population of 444. Hanalei means "lei making" in Hawaiian. Alternatively, the name Hanalei also means "crescent bay" and may be indicative of the shape of Hanalei Bay. Hanalei can also be translated as lei valley, referring to the rainbows that color the valley and encircle Hanalei like a wreath.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 0 ft
- ZIP code
- 96714
- Area code
- 808
Questions about Hanalei
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hanalei, HI a good place to live?
Hanalei has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.