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Laie Hawaii Temple (1400)
Hawaii›Honolulu County

LaieHI

A town of 5,699, settled in 1901.

Photo of Laie

Laie, HI · Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Jiang assumed (based on copyright claims). · Public domain · Source ↗

Is Laie a good place to live?

Laie’s best subject grades are an A+ for walkability and an A− for health; its weakest is a D− for hazard risk. 5% of residents are 65 or older in Laie, below both Hawaii’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (18%). No town in Hawaii scores higher than Laie on walkability. Homes are expensive, about $1.3 million for a typical one and 12.1 times the Urban Honolulu metro’s $106K median household income. Laie is home to Brigham Young University-Hawaii. Laie 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).

What makes Laie stand out

Where Laie beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

College town

41% of Laie is in college

College Scorecard · IPEDS

How Laie grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Hawaii), ordered by how far Laie is from typical.

How grading works

Laie 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).

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

USS Missouri and 46 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Laie. Close and well known come first.

All 47 attractions →
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

USS Missouri: Camera Operator: EM2 KENNETH D. MEHL (Released to Public), Public domain · USS Arizona Memorial: DoD photo by: PH3(AW/SW) JAYME PASTORIC, USN, Public domain · Aloha Stadium: This photo was taken and originally uploaded by Bobak to English Wikipedia. Uplo, CC BY 3.0 · Diamond Head: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Polynesian Cultural Center: Gh5046 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Waikīkī: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0

Getting set up

Moving to Laie: who provides what

Laie is unincorporated, so Honolulu County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerHawaiian Electric Co40.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLaie Water CompanyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesHonolulu CountyHonolulu County provides services here
SchoolsHawaii Department of EducationWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereHonolulu County ClerkHonolulu County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP code9676296762 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 Laie.

Who lives here

A college town: 36% of residents are 18 to 24

Adults 18 to 34 are 51% of residents (21% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 22% of residents (38% statewide). Laie’s median age is 23.3 years, where Hawaii’s towns sit at 41.3 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. 45% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Laie.

23.3median age · HI 40.9
LaieHawaii townsU.S. towns
Median age23.3 years41.3 years40.5 years
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+45%31%29%
LaieHawaiiUnited States

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma4%
High school17%
Some college28%
Associate’s6%
Bachelor’s28%
Graduate17%

Women and men · all residents

56% women, 44% men

About 79 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±4.9 points). Across Hawaii, 49.8% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 68% are women (HI 45%). Median age: women 22.6, men 24.3.

Ages and education in Laie
LaieHIU.S.
Under 108.4%11.3%11.6%
10 to 1713.9%9.4%10.3%
18 to 2435.6%8.1%9.1%
25 to 3415.1%13.3%13.7%
35 to 448.6%13.3%13.2%
45 to 549.1%11.8%12.2%
55 to 644.3%12.4%12.7%
65 to 743.8%11.4%10.2%
75 and older1.2%9%7%
No diploma3.8%6.8%10.4%
High school16.8%26.5%26%
Some college28.4%19.6%19.1%
Associate’s6.1%10.9%8.8%
Bachelor’s28.2%22.8%21.6%
Graduate16.7%13.3%14.1%

U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

Schools

The schools Laie’s kids attend

Its public schools are run by the Hawaii Department of Education school district. Its one school is below.

SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Laie Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6Grades PK–6662A

NCES · EDFacts

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B

A job hub: Laie has 7.3 jobs for every working resident and draws in 1,537 commuters

About one in 5 of Laie’s working residents works in town. Laie’s average trip to work is 16 minutes. Since 2013, Laie has lost 810 jobs, to 1,583 in 2023.

21%work in town
LaieHawaii townsU.S. towns
Average trip to work16 minutes28 minutes25 minutes
Working residents who work in town21%3.6%8%
Median household income$125,000$100,000$80,000
Below the poverty line12%9.5%9.6%

Where working residents work

In Laie21%
Urban Honolulu23%
Hilo6%
Ko Olina3%
Kahuku2%
23 mi
median commute distance
1,583
jobs based in Laie
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

HousingCost of living grade D

Laie earns a D for cost of living

41% of Laie households own their home. Typical home values rose 5.7% in the year to September 2026. The median rent in Laie is $2,339 a month.

$1.29MZillow home value
LaieHawaii townsU.S. towns
Households that own their home41%71%73%
Median rent$2,339 a month$2,009 a month$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Laie$1.29M
Hawaii$833K
+5.7%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in March

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−

Laie faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by tsunamis

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 94% of U.S. communities.

94risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
94Very high riskLowerHigher
TsunamisInland flooding
4
federal disasters paid out here

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HealthA−

Residents of Laie are healthier than 78% of U.S. towns

Laie beats the Hawaii average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13. Among 93 Hawaii towns, just 3 have a higher share of adults who feel lonely than Laie.

78%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
LaieHawaii townsU.S. towns
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)23%19%16%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)50%45%36%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)23%31%35%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)38%32%33%
32 measures vs. Hawaii
8 better11 too close to call13 worse
What stands outLaieHI
Fewer adults who have had cancer3.9%6.7%
Fewer adults with heart disease3.9%6.2%
More adults in frequent mental distress20%14.5%
Kahuku Medical Center
2.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
54th
percentile among HI towns

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

In Laie, expect mild winters and pleasant summers

Laie has warm winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 66° and snow is almost unheard of.

83°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter67–77°
Spring69–78°
Summer74–82°
Fall73–82°
83°
typical summer high

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

OutdoorsB+

2.4% of Laie is conserved land

1.5 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.

2.4%conserved
LaieHawaii townsU.S. towns
Conserved land2.4%12%4.3%
Miles of trail per square mile0.7 miles per square mile0.50.4
2.4%
conserved · 33 of 1,388 acres
1.5 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Mālaekahana State Recreation Area—5
2. La'ie Point State Wayside—4
3. Laie Park—4

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Laie

18pages on Laie
After high school

Colleges nearby

1 within 15 miles of the center of Laie

A job hub

Every workday, about 1,537 people come to Laie for work

Where Laie’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

23% → Urban Honolulu Urban Honolulu 23% 6% → Hilo Hilo 6% 3% → Ko Olina Ko Olina 3% 2% → Kahuku Kahuku 2% 2% → Hauula Hauula 2% 2% → Wailuku Wailuku 2% Laie · 21% stay
1,583jobs based in Laie
21%of working residents work in town
23 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

Famous people from Laie

10 notable people were born in Laie.

See all 10 →

About Laie

Census-designated place in Hawaii, United States

Lāʻie (pronounced [laːˈʔie]) is a census-designated place (CDP) located in the Koolauloa District on the island of Oʻahu in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 5,963 at the 2020 census.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
2.2 sq mi
Elevation
9 ft
ZIP code
96762
Area code
808

Questions about Laie

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Laie, HI a good place to live?

Laie 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).

Is Laie, HI expensive?

Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.

What is Laie, HI known for?

10 notable people were born here, including Manti Te'o and Joseph Kekuku.