Puu o Mahuka Heiau · National Register of Historic Places
Pupukea’s story
Pupukea in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2008.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
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PupukeaHI
A town of 4,679.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: jai Mansson from Chicago, United States of America · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
4,679
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$1.44M
Census ACS
Household income
$100K
median
Median age
40.5
years
Jobs based here
578
A job hub
Is Pupukea a good place to live?
Pupukea’s best subject grade is an A for walkability; its weakest is a D− for cost of living. Pupukea’s average trip to work is 37 minutes, against 28 minutes in Hawaii’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. On cost of living, just 10 of Hawaii’s 125 towns do worse. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 85% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Puu o Mahuka Heiau is on the National Register of Historic Places. Pupukea 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 Pupukea stand out
Where Pupukea beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here578
Residents who work333
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 90% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 85% of U.S. towns
4.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD
Inland flooding and tsunamis at the top
FEMA National Risk Index.
A growing town
Pupukea has grown 13% from 2010 to 2020
4,551 counted in 2010 and 5,130 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Pupukea grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Hawaii), ordered by how far Pupukea is from typical.
Pupukea 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).
Cost of livingTypical home $1.44M, 13.5 years of the Urban Honolulu metro’s $106K median household incomeD−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.1 of 20; 0.8% of households have no carAOpen →Jobs & income$100K median household incomeC−Open →HealthKahuku Medical Center 7 miles awayB+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.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Pupukea: who provides what
Pupukea is unincorporated, so Honolulu County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerHawaiian Electric Co40.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWaialee-Sunset Beach 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 code9671296712 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 Pupukea.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
With 1.7 jobs for every working resident, Pupukea draws in 563 commuters
Most working residents leave Pupukea for work: only 5% work in town. 15% of residents live below the poverty line in Pupukea, where Hawaii’s towns sit at 9.5% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Jobs based in Pupukea grew to 578 in 2023, 110 more than in 2013.
5%work in town
| Pupukea | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $100,000 | $100,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.5% | 3.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Pupukea5%
Urban Honolulu21%
Lihue3%
Kawela Bay3%
Kailua3%
28 mi
median commute distance
578
jobs based in Pupukea
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 85% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Pupukea’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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunset Beach Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 359 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Inland flooding leads a very high hazard risk in Pupukea
Since 2012, 14 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Pupukea.
85risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTsunamisWildfire
14
paid flood claims since 2012
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB+
Pupukea is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns
Pupukea beats the Hawaii average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 22% of Pupukea adults binge drink.
66%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Pupukea | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 19% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 45% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 17% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Hawaii
4 better17 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Pupukea | HI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 10.6% | 12.4% |
| Fewer adults lacking emotional support | 26.8% | 30.1% |
| More adults with depression | 20.8% | 16% |
Kahuku Medical Center
7 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
30th
percentile among HI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Mild winters and pleasant summers in Pupukea
Pupukea 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
Winter63–79°
Spring65–81°
Summer70–85°
Fall68–84°
86°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB+
Conserved land covers 7.4% of Pupukea
1.3 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. The trail density in Pupukea is 0.2 miles per square mile.
7.4%conserved
| Pupukea | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 7.4% | 12% | 4.3% |
7.4%
conserved · 289 of 3,883 acres
1.3 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sunset Beach Neighborhood Park | — | 6 |
| 2. Pupukea-Paumalu Forest Reserve | — | 3 |
| 3. 'Ehukai Beach Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Who lives here
An age mix much like Hawaii’s
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Hawaii average. 24% of residents are 65 or older in Pupukea. 34% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 36% across Hawaii.
40.5median age · HI 40.9
| Pupukea | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 24% | 20% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 34% | 31% | 29% |
PupukeaHawaiiUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school27%
Some college25%
Associate’s10%
Bachelor’s23%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
45% women, 55% men
About 124 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.8 points). Across Hawaii, 49.8% of residents are women. Among residents 75 and older, 75% are men (HI 43%).
| Pupukea | HI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.3% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10% | 9.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.7% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.3% | 13.3% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.6% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.9% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.4% | 12.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 16.2% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.6% | 9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.6% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 26.5% | 26.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 25% | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.6% | 10.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.5% | 22.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.7% | 13.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,700, single groups can be off by several points
HousingCost of living grade D−
The median home in Pupukea sells for about $2.8M
Pupukea’s median rent is $1,979 a month.
$2.8Mmedian sale price
| Pupukea | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 61% | 71% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,979 a month | $2,017 a month | $1,185 a month |
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 47 attractions →USS Missouri and 46 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Pupukea. Close and well known come first.
Big draw21 mi MuseumUSS Missouri
21 mi MuseumUSS Arizona Memorial
21 mi Stadium & arenaAloha Stadium
31 mi MountainDiamond Head
30 mi BeachWaikīkī
9 mi MuseumPolynesian Cultural CenterSources: 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 · Polynesian Cultural Center: Gh5046 at en.wikipedia, Public domain
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pupukea
17pages on Pupukea
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Pupukea
About 7 of every 100 Pupukea residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Hawaii.
A job hub
Every workday, about 563 people come to Pupukea for work
Where Pupukea’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
578jobs based in Pupukea
5%of working residents work in town
28 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Pupukea
Census-designated place in Hawaii, United States
Pūpūkea (Hawaiian pronunciation: [puːpuːˈkɛjə]) is a community and census-designated place (CDP) in the Koʻolauloa District on the island of Oʻahu, City & County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. In Hawaiian, pūpūkea means "white shell". As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 5,130. The Koʻolauloa District ends at Waimea Bay, with the Waialua District extending south and westward. Pūpūkea is a popular area on Oʻahu's North Shore for living and for visiting. The best known surfing sites of Velzyland, Sunset (at Sunset Beach Park), Kammieland, Pūpūkea, ʻEhukai, Pipeline (these latter two off adjacent ʻEhukai Beach Park and Banzai Beach) and lesser breaks are arrayed off this sho…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 6.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 0 ft
- Area code
- 808
Pupukea’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Pupukea.
HaleiwaKawela BayPupukea
How the neighbors grade
| Town | HI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupukea | — | — | D− | — | — | B+ |
| Haleiwa | — | — | D | — | — | B+ |
| Kawela Bay | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Pupukea and Haleiwa report no FBI crime data of their own. Pupukea, Haleiwa and Kawela Bay aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Pupukea with a neighbor →
Questions about Pupukea
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Pupukea, HI a good place to live?
Pupukea 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 Pupukea, HI expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $1,436,000, 72% above 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 D−.