Pearl Harbor, U.S. Naval Base · National Register of Historic Places
Pearl City’s story
126 years in pictures
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1900Pearl City is settled
Pearl CityHI
A town of 44,547, settled in 1900.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Anthony Quintano from Westminster, United States · CC BY 2.0
Population
44,547
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$944K
+3.5% in a year
Household income
$118K
median
Median age
45.8
years
Jobs based here
9,084
A commuter town
Is Pearl City a good place to live?
Pearl City’s best subject grades are an A for incomes and walkability and an A− for health; its weakest is a C− for cost of living. 18% of the land in Pearl City is conserved, against 12% in Hawaii’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Pearl City has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them USS UTAH Wreck and U.S.S. ARIZONA Memorial. Pearl City 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 Pearl City stand out
Where Pearl City beats most towns.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 86% of U.S. towns
4% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
32 measures vs. Hawaii
17 better15 too close to call0 worse
| Widest gap | Pearl City | HI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6% | 8.5% |
HealthA−
Healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Beats HI on 17 of 32 CDC measures, trails it on none
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
A commuter town
93% of working residents leave Pearl City for work
Where Pearl City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
9,084jobs based in Pearl City
7%of working residents work in town
9 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Pearl City grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Hawaii), ordered by how far Pearl City is from typical.
Pearl City 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).
Jobs & incomeAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.3 of 20; 7.3% of households have no carAOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →HealthPali Momi Medical Center 1.8 miles awayA−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →
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.
ClimateMild winters, 89° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market66 days on market–Open →Who lives here–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 47 attractions →USS Missouri and 46 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Pearl City. Close and well known come first.
Big draw3 mi MuseumUSS Missouri
3 mi MuseumUSS Arizona Memorial
3 mi Stadium & arenaAloha Stadium
14 mi MountainDiamond Head
12 mi BeachWaikīkī
3 mi MuseumUSS BowfinSources: 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 · Waikīkī: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0 · USS Bowfin: Max Smith, Public domain
Getting set up
Moving to Pearl City: who provides what
Pearl City is unincorporated, so Honolulu County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerHawaiian Electric Co40.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHnl-Windward-Pearl Harbor water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesHonolulu CountyHonolulu 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 hereHonolulu County ClerkHonolulu County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP codes96782, 9670196782 81% · 96701 19%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 Pearl City.
HealthA−
A smaller share of adults in Pearl City have been diagnosed with depression than in the typical Hawaii or U.S. town
Only 8 of the 93 Hawaii towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have obesity than Pearl City. 13% of Pearl City adults have diabetes, where Hawaii’s towns sit at 12% and U.S. towns at 12%. In Pearl City, 34% of adults have high blood pressure.
80%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Pearl City | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 27% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 45% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Hawaii
17 better15 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Pearl City | HI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6% | 8.5% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.5% | 5.8% |
Pali Momi Medical Center
1.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
63rd
percentile among HI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Schools
The schools Pearl City’s kids attend
The Hawaii Department of Education school district runs its public schools. Three of its 13 schools are shown below, with the reason for each. 6 public schools serve Pearl City, with 2,489 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands Intermediate SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 824 | B |
| Pearl City High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,481 | B+ |
| Momilani Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 412 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
More than half of Pearl City’s working residents commute to Urban Honolulu
Most working residents leave Pearl City for work: only 7% work in town. For Pearl City, the median household income is $118,000. Jobs in Pearl City grew by 623 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 9,084. Pearl City: 5.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
7%work in town
| Pearl City | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $118,000 | $100,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 8.1% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Pearl City7%
Urban Honolulu55%
Kapolei4%
Waimalu3%
Waipahu3%
9 mi
median commute distance
9,084
jobs based in Pearl City
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 86% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsA−
Pearl City has set aside 17.5% of its land for conservation
Trails run 6.8 miles in 18 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Ewa Forest Reserve, at 53 acres. For Pearl City, the trail network density is 0.7 miles per square mile.
17.5%conserved
17.5%
conserved · 1,124 of 6,425 acres
6.8 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Neal S. Blaisdell Park | 0.4 mi | 24 |
| 2. Pearl City District Park | 0.4 mi | 9 |
| 3. Ewa Forest Reserve | 0.1 mi | 53 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Pearl City faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Pearl City has had one paid flood insurance claim since 1991. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage in the town than in 70% of U.S. communities. 78% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by earthquakes at 15%. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2026.
70risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakes
1
paid flood claims since 1991
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
89°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter68–81°
Spring70–83°
Summer75–88°
Fall74–86°
89°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
A older population than Hawaii as a whole
People 65 and older are 27% of residents (20% statewide). Nearly two in five adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Pearl City. Its median age comes in at 45.8 years.
45.8median age · HI 40.9
| Pearl City | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 27% | 20% | 18% |
| Median age | 45.8 years | 41.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 39% | 31% | 29% |
Pearl CityHawaiiUnited States
Ages · share of residents
14%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school25%
Some college18%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s27%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
49.6% women, 50.4% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±0.7 points. Across Hawaii, 49.8% of residents are women. Median age: women 48.5, men 42.1.
| Pearl City | HI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.7% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.2% | 9.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.2% | 13.3% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.1% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.8% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12% | 12.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.5% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 14.4% | 9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.6% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 24.9% | 26.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.5% | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.9% | 10.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 27.3% | 22.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.7% | 13.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
HousingCost of living grade C−
Homes in Pearl City are worth about $944K, by Zillow’s estimate
Values rose 3.5% in the 12 months to September 2026. In Pearl City, the typical rent is $2,316 a month. Bidding over the asking price: 38% of homes sold here.
$944KZillow home value
| Pearl City | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,316 a month | $2,009 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 54% | 55% | 48% |
Typical home value
Pearl City$944K
Hawaii$833K
Market temperature
66
days on market
100.5%
sale-to-list price
+3.5%
value change, 1 year
16
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pearl City
17pages on Pearl City
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
12 within 15 miles of the center of Pearl City
Leeward Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Pearl City1.9 mi$3,214 in-state tuitionPacific Rim Christian UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Honolulu6.8 mi$13,580 tuitionUniversity of Hawaii-West OahuUniversity or college · Public · Kapolei7.2 mi$7,584 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Pearl City residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Hawaii.
Landmarks
3 places in Pearl City on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Pearl City’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Pearl City.
WaimaluPearl City
How the neighbors grade
| Town | HI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearl City | — | — | C− | — | — | A− |
| Waimalu | — | — | C− | — | — | A− |
Pearl City and Waimalu report no FBI crime data of their own. Pearl City and Waimalu aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Pearl City with a neighbor →
Questions about Pearl City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Pearl City, HI a good place to live?
Pearl City 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 Pearl City, HI expensive?
Yes. That is 8.9 years of the area's median household income ($106,195 across the Urban Honolulu, HI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.