Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
3,768 people live in this town, settled in 1900.
The best of Kekaha’s subject grades is an A− for the outdoors; the weakest is a D− for hazard risk. Kekaha’s January low is 65°F, near the Hawaii town median (64°F) and above the median of U.S. towns (22°F). Only 5 of the 93 Hawaii towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Kekaha. 24% of the land in Kekaha is conserved, above both Hawaii’s towns (12%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Kekaha 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 Kekaha beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Where Kekaha’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 Kekaha is from typical.
Kekaha 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 2008 and 2 maps from 1963 on.
Kekaha 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 Kekaha.
Expected losses in Kekaha break down as 80% from inland flooding and 18% from tsunamis. Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 93% of U.S. communities. One declared disaster, in 2006, has brought federal aid to Kekaha households.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Two of its 4 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed. The Hawaii Department of Education school district runs its public schools. 3 public schools serve Kekaha, with 411 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kekaha Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 333 | C− |
| Ke Kula Niihau o Kekaha Learning CenterLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 43 | D− |
NCES · EDFacts
Among 93 Hawaii towns, just 8 have a higher share of residents below the poverty line than Kekaha. Most people who work leave Kekaha to do it: just 4% work in town. Jobs in Kekaha grew by 46 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 188. The top destinations are Urban Honolulu (21%), Waimea (16%) and Lihue (9%).
| Kekaha | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $84,000 | $100,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.8% | 3.6% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Walkers can cover 0.4 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Kekaha’s concentration of trails comes in at 0.3 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves in the town: 2, covering 11 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Faye Park | — | 9 |
| 2. Kekaha Beach Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Kekaha: 23% of adults worry about having enough food. Among 93 Hawaii towns, just 7 have a higher share of adults 18 to 64 who have no health insurance than Kekaha.
| Kekaha | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 17% | 23% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 18% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 27% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 76% | 79% |
| What stands out | Kekaha | HI |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 8.2% | 5.6% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 8.4% | 5.8% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 10.2% | 7.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
In Kekaha, just over two thirds of households are owner-occupiers. For Kekaha, the median rent is $2,248 a month.
| Kekaha | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,248 a month | $2,009 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 71% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Kekaha. Close and well known come first.
4 mi LandmarkRussian Fort Elizabeth
7 mi Canyon & gorgeWaimea Canyon State Park
16 mi State parkNā Pali Coast State Park
18 mi BeachHanakapiai Beach
15 mi GardenAllerton Garden14 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
None within 15 miles of Kekaha; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Kekaha residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Hawaii.
Census-designated place in Hawaii, United States
Kekaha (literally, "the place" in Hawaiian) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kauaʻi County, Hawaiʻi, United States. The population was 3,715 at the 2020 census, up from 3,175 at the 2000 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Kekaha.
Waimea has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Kekaha and Waimea report no FBI crime data of their own. Kekaha isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Kekaha with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Kekaha 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. The typical home is worth about $683,000, 18% below the Hawaii typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
