Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,638, settled in 1900.
Hanapepe’s best subject grade is an A for the outdoors; its weakest is a D for hazard risk. Hanapepe’s January low is 64°F, where Hawaii’s towns sit at 64°F and U.S. towns at 22°F. Only 5 of the 93 Hawaii towns we compare have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Hanapepe. 33% of the land in Hanapepe is conserved, where Hawaii’s towns sit at 12% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Only 8 of Hawaii’s 125 towns score higher on the outdoors. Hanapepe has no overall grade: it has no figures for safety and schools, and an overall grade needs at least three of the four big subjects (cost of living, safety, schools and health).
Where Hanapepe beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Where Hanapepe’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Hawaii), ordered by how far Hanapepe is from typical.
Hanapepe has no overall grade: it has no figures for safety and schools, and an overall grade needs at least three of the four big subjects (cost of living, safety, schools and health).
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1911 and 4 maps from 1963 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Hanapepe is unincorporated, so Kauai County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Hanapepe.
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 87% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Hanapepe for work: only 6% work in town. Since 2013, Hanapepe has added 132 jobs, to 357 in 2023. The top destinations are Urban Honolulu (17%), Poipu (14%) and Lihue (11%).
| Hanapepe | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $100,000 | $100,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.5% | 3.6% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Hanapepe has warm winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 64° and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The median rent in Hanapepe is $2,199 a month.
| Hanapepe | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,199 a month | $2,009 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 76% | 71% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Hanapepe beats the Hawaii average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 18. 46% of Hanapepe adults sleep under 7 hours. Among 93 Hawaii towns, just 6 have a higher share of adults 18 to 64 who have no health insurance than Hanapepe.
| Hanapepe | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 45% | 36% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 18% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 17% | 23% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 76% | 79% |
| What stands out | Hanapepe | HI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.9% | 8.5% |
| More uninsured adults | 8.4% | 5.6% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 8.5% | 5.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hanapepe. Close and well known come first.
6 mi LandmarkRussian Fort Elizabeth
11 mi Canyon & gorgeWaimea Canyon State Park
19 mi State parkNā Pali Coast State Park
20 mi BeachHanakapiai Beach
6 mi GardenAllerton Garden5 mi GardenNational Tropical Botanical GardenRussian Fort Elizabeth: en:User:Mel29, Public domain · Waimea Canyon State Park: Aaronbernstein, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Nā Pali Coast State Park: Jmblanco74, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hanakapiai Beach: Jeff Kubina, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Allerton Garden: Daderot., CC BY-SA 3.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of Hanapepe
About 8 of every 100 Hanapepe residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Hawaii.
Place in Hawaii, United States
Hanapēpē is an unincorporated community in Kauaʻi County, Hawaii, United States. The name means "crushed bay" in Hawaiian, which may refer to landslides in the area. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Hanapepe as a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 2,678 at the 2020 census, up from 2,153 at the 2000 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Hanapepe.
Hanapepe and Eleele report no FBI crime data of their own. Hanapepe and Eleele aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Hanapepe with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Hanapepe has no overall grade: it has no figures for safety and schools, and an overall grade needs at least three of the four big subjects (cost of living, safety, schools and health).
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
