Wailuku Sugar Company, Reservoir No. 1, Southwest of Honoapiilani Highway and Waikapu Road
Waikapu’s story
Waikapu in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers.
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WaikapuHI
3,591 people live in this town in Hawaii.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: LittleT889 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
3,591
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$884K
Census ACS
Household income
$123K
median
Median age
36.8
years
Jobs based here
352
A commuter town
Is Waikapu a good place to live?
The best of Waikapu’s subject grades are an A for health and incomes; the weakest is a D− for walkability. On walkability, just 2 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. Among 93 Hawaii towns, just 5 have a higher peak summer temperature than Waikapu. 43% of the land in Waikapu is conserved, where Hawaii’s towns sit at 12% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Waikapu 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 Waikapu grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Hawaii), ordered by how far Waikapu is from typical.
Waikapu 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).
WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.5 of 20; 2.6% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitD−Open →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listDOpen →HealthKula Hospital 14.5 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & income$123K median household incomeAOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $884K, 9.1 years of the Kahului metro’s $97K median household incomeCOpen →
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 →
What makes Waikapu stand out
Where Waikapu beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A growing town
Waikapu has grown 16% from 2010 to 2020
2,965 counted in 2010 and 3,437 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Waikapu.
OutdoorsB−
In Waikapu, nearly a third of the land is conserved
42.9%conserved
Waikapu’s density of trails is 0.2 miles per square mile. 1.6 miles of trail.
42.9%
conserved · 3,028 of 7,054 acres
1.6 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA
Waikapu is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
87%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
For adults in Waikapu, the share who binge drink is 21%. This Hawaii town beats the Hawaii average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. Only 4 of the 93 Hawaii towns we compare have a lower share of adults who had a checkup this year than Waikapu.
| Waikapu | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 76% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 31% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 17% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Hawaii
10 better19 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Waikapu | HI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 4.6% | 6.2% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.9% | 3.7% |
| More binge drinkers | 20.6% | 17.4% |
Kula Hospital
14.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
86th
percentile among HI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Very high risk in Waikapu, with inland flooding at the top
85risk score of 100
Of the losses FEMA expects in Waikapu, 78% come from inland flooding and 11% from earthquakes.
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Waikapu has 0.2 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
2%work in town
Half the trips to work are shorter than 13 miles. Waikapu had 352 jobs in 2023, up 187 from 2013. Just 2% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. Its average commute is 22 minutes.
| Waikapu | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $123,000 | $100,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.6% | 3.7% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Waikapu2%
Urban Honolulu23%
Kahului19%
Wailuku16%
Kaanapali4%
13 mi
median commute distance
352
jobs based in Waikapu
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 5% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
More children than Hawaii overall
36.8median age · HI 40.9
College graduates make up 39% of adults 25 and older, against 36% across Hawaii. Children under 18 are 30% of residents (21% statewide); people 65 and older are 13% of residents (20% statewide). Waikapu’s age of the median resident stands at 36.8 years.
| Waikapu | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 30% | 22% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 13% | 20% | 18% |
| Median age | 36.8 years | 41.3 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 39% | 31% | 29% |
WaikapuHawaiiUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma1%
High school30%
Some college22%
Associate’s8%
Bachelor’s22%
Graduate17%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 90 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.1 points). Across Hawaii, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Waikapu | HI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 16.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.8% | 9.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.6% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10% | 13.3% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.1% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 16.8% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.5% | 12.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.8% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.8% | 9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.1% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 30.2% | 26.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.9% | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8% | 10.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.1% | 22.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 16.7% | 13.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,600, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Expect mild winters and hot summers in Waikapu
90°summer high
The town’s January low comes in at 64°F.
Typical low → high °F
Winter64–83°
Spring66–85°
Summer71–89°
Fall70–88°
90°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade C
The median home in Waikapu sells for about $1.1M
$1.1Mmedian sale price
In Waikapu, the typical rent is $2,404 a month. Among households here, 80% own their home.
| Waikapu | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,404 a month | $2,009 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 80% | 71% | 73% |
1
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Waikapu
16pages on Waikapu
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
Nearby attractions
All 12 attractions →Haleakala National Park and 11 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Waikapu. Close and well known come first.
19 mi National ParkHaleakala National Park854K visitors a year
3 mi Zoo & aquariumMaui Ocean Center
31 mi National Historical ParkKalaupapa National Historical Park15K visitors a year
5 mi MuseumAlexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum
5 mi GardenMaui Nui Botanical Gardens
32 mi GardenKahanu GardenSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Haleakala National Park: Michael Oswald, Public domain · Maui Ocean Center: Richard N Horne, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kalaupapa National Historical Park: Jack Boucher, Public domain · Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum: Joel Bradshaw, Public domain · Maui Nui Botanical Gardens: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us · Kahanu Garden: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0
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Getting set up
Moving to Waikapu: who provides what
Waikapu is unincorporated, so Maui County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerMaui Electric Co Ltd42.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWailuku water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesMaui CountyMaui 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 hereMaui County ClerkMaui County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code9679396793 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.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Waikapu for work
Where Waikapu’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
352jobs based in Waikapu
2%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Waikapu
About 2 of every 100 Waikapu residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Hawaii.
About Waikapu
Census-designated place in Hawaii, United States
Waikapū is a census-designated place (CDP) in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 3,437 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 11 sq mi
- Elevation
- 482 ft
- Area code
- 808
Waikapu’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Waikapu.
WailukuKahuluiMaalaeaWaikapu
How the neighbors grade
Waikapu, Wailuku and Kahului report no FBI crime data of their own. Waikapu, Wailuku, Kahului and Maalaea aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Waikapu with a neighbor →
Questions about Waikapu
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Waikapu, HI a good place to live?
Waikapu 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). 3,591 people live in this town in Hawaii.
Is Waikapu, HI expensive?
The typical home is worth about $884,000, 6% 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 C.
Waikapu is in here
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