Wailua Complex of Heiaus · National Register of Historic Places
Wailua’s story
Wailua in pictures
The archive holds 4 maps from 1963 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
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WailuaHI
Home to 2,697 people, this town lies in Hawaii.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Hotboxers · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,697
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$791K
Census ACS
Household income
$69K
median
Median age
44.8
years
Jobs based here
1,076
Balanced
Is Wailua a good place to live?
The best of Wailua’s subject grades is an A+ for the outdoors; the weakest is a D− for hazard risk. Wailua’s January low is 66°F, close to Hawaii’s towns (64°F) and above U.S. towns (22°F). Only 5 of the 93 Hawaii towns we compare have a lower typical household income than Wailua. The typical home is worth about $791K, 8.1 years of the Kapaa area’s $98K median household income. 32% of the land in Wailua is conserved, above both Hawaii’s towns (12%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Only 2 of Hawaii’s 125 towns score higher on the outdoors. The biggest park or preserve is Nounou Forest Reserve, at 118 acres. Wailua 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 Wailua stand out
Where Wailua beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Get outside
1 miles of trails in Wailua
31.9% of the town is conserved land, across 3 parks and preserves.
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Wailua grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Hawaii), ordered by how far Wailua is from typical.
Wailua 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).
Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listD−Open →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesDOpen →Jobs & income$69K median household income; 1,076 jobs based hereC−Open →HealthSamuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital 2.7 miles awayB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.5 of 20; 2.3% of households have no car; 2.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailA+Open →History2 places on the National Register; 4 notable people born hereBOpen →
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 Wailua: who provides what
Wailua is unincorporated, so Kauai County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerKauai Island Utility Cooperative38.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLihue-Kapaa water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKauai CountyKauai 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 hereKauai County ClerkKauai County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code9674696746 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 Wailua.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Top of a very high hazard risk in Wailua: inland flooding
Paid flood insurance claims in Wailua since 1981: 48. On expected storm and flood damage, Wailua sits above 97% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 66% come from inland flooding and 29% from tsunamis. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2008.
97risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTsunamis
48
paid flood claims since 1981
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsA+
Conserved land covers nearly a third of Wailua
1.0 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves in Wailua: 3, covering 161 acres. Its trail density stands at 0.6 miles per square mile.
31.9%conserved
31.9%
conserved · 376 of 1,177 acres
1.0 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Nounou Forest Reserve | 0.3 mi | 118 |
| 2. Wailua River State Park | — | 34 |
| 3. Wailua Homesteads Park | — | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthB+
Residents of Wailua are healthier than 72% of U.S. towns
Wailua beats the Hawaii average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 29% of adults feel lonely locally.
72%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Wailua | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 27% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 17% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 45% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Hawaii
1 better27 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Wailua | HI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults lacking emotional support | 26.6% | 30.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 6.4% | 5.3% |
Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital
2.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
40th
percentile among HI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Wailua: mild winters and pleasant summers
The peak summer temperature for Wailua comes to 85°F.
85°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter67–79°
Spring69–80°
Summer74–84°
Fall73–83°
85°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Most of Wailua’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.8 jobs for each of them
The median commute is under 14 miles. Wailua’s average trip to work is 23 minutes. Most working residents leave Wailua for work: only 7% work in town. For residents in the town, the share who live below the poverty line is 13%.
7%work in town
| Wailua | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 7.3% | 3.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Wailua7%
Lihue24%
Urban Honolulu22%
Kapaa6%
Poipu4%
14 mi
median commute distance
1,076
jobs based in Wailua
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 37% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Young adults are less common in Wailua than in Hawaii
Adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (21% statewide). In Wailua, 24% of residents are 65 or older. Among adults 25 and older, 28% have a four-year degree or more, against 36% across Hawaii. The median age in the town is 44.8 years.
44.8median age · HI 40.9
| Wailua | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 24% | 20% | 18% |
| Median age | 44.8 years | 41.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 20% | 22% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 28% | 31% | 29% |
WailuaHawaiiUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma8%
High school34%
Some college23%
Associate’s7%
Bachelor’s16%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
43% women, 57% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±8.6 points. Across Hawaii, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Wailua | HI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.7% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.6% | 9.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.3% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.3% | 13.3% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.8% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.8% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.2% | 12.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.3% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9% | 9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8.2% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 34% | 26.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.7% | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.4% | 10.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.4% | 22.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.3% | 13.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,700, single groups can be off by several points
HousingCost of living grade D
A home in Wailua sells for about $898K at the median
Among households in Wailua, 55% own their home. For Wailua, the rent at the middle of the market is $2,310 a month.
$898Kmedian sale price
| Wailua | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,310 a month | $2,009 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 55% | 71% | 73% |
1
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 11 attractions →Nā Pali Coast State Park and 10 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Wailua. Close and well known come first.
22 mi State parkNā Pali Coast State Park
21 mi Canyon & gorgeWaimea Canyon State Park
22 mi LandmarkRussian Fort Elizabeth
20 mi BeachHanakapiai Beach
15 mi GardenAllerton Garden15 mi GardenNational Tropical Botanical GardenSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Nā Pali Coast State Park: Jmblanco74, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Waimea Canyon State Park: Aaronbernstein, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Russian Fort Elizabeth: en:User:Mel29, Public domain · Hanakapiai Beach: Jeff Kubina, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Allerton Garden: Daderot., CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wailua
17pages on Wailua
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Wailua
About 2 of every 100 Wailua residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Hawaii.
Famous people from Wailua
4 notable people were born in Wailua.
About Wailua
Census-designated place in Hawaii, United States
Wailua (literally, "two waters" in Hawaiian) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kauaʻi County, Hawaiʻi, United States. The population was 2,359 at the 2020 census, up from 2,083 at the 2000 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 20 ft
- Area code
- 808
Wailua’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Wailua.
Wailua HomesteadsKapaaWailua
How the neighbors grade
| Town | HI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wailua | — | — | D | — | — | B+ |
| Wailua Homesteads | — | — | D | — | — | A− |
| Kapaa | — | — | C− | — | — | A− |
Wailua, Wailua Homesteads and Kapaa report no FBI crime data of their own. Wailua, Wailua Homesteads and Kapaa aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Wailua with a neighbor →
Questions about Wailua
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wailua, HI a good place to live?
Wailua 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 Wailua, HI expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $791,000, 5% 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 D.
What is Wailua, HI known for?
Wailua has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places. 4 notable people were born here, including Kaumualii and Cecil Brown.