Cook Landing Site · National Register of Historic Places
Waimea’s story
126 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1900Waimea is settled
WaimeaHI
A town of 1,840, settled in 1900.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Bob Linsdell · CC BY 3.0
Population
1,840
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$744K
+2.7% in a year
Household income
$89K
median
Median age
45.5
years
Jobs based here
864
A job hub
Is Waimea a good place to live?
The best of Waimea’s subject grades are an A for walkability and the outdoors; the weakest is a D− for hazard risk. Waimea’s January low is 64°F, where Hawaii’s towns sit at 64°F and U.S. towns at 22°F. Among 94 Hawaii towns, just 9 have a lower owner-occupancy rate than Waimea. 31% of the land in Waimea is conserved, above both the Hawaii town median (12%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Only 5 of Hawaii’s 125 towns score higher on the outdoors. Waimea has 6 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Cook Landing Site and Kikiaola. Waimea has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Waimea stand out
Where Waimea beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
OutdoorsA
30.8% conserved land
Biggest place to walk: Puʻu Ka Pele Forest Reserve, 0.1 mi of trail.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here864
Residents who work499
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 90% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD−
Inland flooding and tsunamis at the top
FEMA National Risk Index.
A job hub
Every workday, about 789 people come to Waimea for work
Where Waimea’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
864jobs based in Waimea
15%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Waimea grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Hawaii), ordered by how far Waimea is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.1 of 20; 7.3% of households have no car; 13.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitAOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →Jobs & income$89K median household income; 864 jobs based hereC+Open →HealthWilcox Memorial Hospital 16.4 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 →
Nearby attractions
All 11 attractions →Russian Fort Elizabeth and 10 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Waimea. Close and well known come first.
in town LandmarkRussian Fort Elizabeth
6 mi Canyon & gorgeWaimea Canyon State Park
15 mi State parkNā Pali Coast State Park
17 mi BeachHanakapiai Beach
13 mi GardenAllerton Garden11 mi GardenNational Tropical Botanical GardenSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Russian Fort Elizabeth: en:User:Mel29, Public domain · Waimea Canyon State Park: Aaronbernstein, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Nā Pali Coast State Park: Jmblanco74, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hanakapiai Beach: Jeff Kubina, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Allerton Garden: Daderot., CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
Moving to Waimea: who provides what
Waimea is unincorporated, so Kauai County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerKauai Island Utility Cooperative38.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterKekaha-Waimea water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers99% 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 code9679696796 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 Waimea.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
With 1.7 jobs for every working resident, Waimea draws in 789 commuters
Half commute less than 20 miles. The share of working residents in Waimea who work locally: 15%. The top destinations are Urban Honolulu (20%), Lihue (8%) and Poipu (6%). Its average commute stands at 21 minutes.
15%work in town
| Waimea | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 3.7% | 8% |
| Median household income | $89,000 | $100,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Waimea15%
Urban Honolulu20%
Lihue8%
Poipu6%
Kaneohe Base5%
20 mi
median commute distance
864
jobs based in Waimea
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 88% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Waimea’s kids attend
The Hawaii Department of Education school district runs its public schools. The largest public high school is Waimea High School, with 711 students. Two of the 3 schools are below, and why each made the list.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waimea Canyon Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 467 | D |
| Waimea High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 711 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Waimea faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 93% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts four fifths of Waimea’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 18% to tsunamis.
93risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTsunamis
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsA
Conserved land covers nearly a third of Waimea
Waimea’s density of trails comes in at 1.5 miles per square mile. Count the trails in 6 parks and preserves and they come to 3.3 miles. The biggest park or preserve is Puʻu Ka Pele Forest Reserve, at 233 acres.
30.8%conserved
30.8%
conserved · 429 of 1,394 acres
3.3 mi
of trails · 1.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Puʻu Ka Pele Forest Reserve | 0.1 mi | 233 |
| 2. Waimea Athletic Field | — | 11 |
| 3. Hapokele Park | — | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Mild winters and pleasant summers in Waimea
July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 64° and snow is almost unheard of.
87°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter65–80°
Spring67–81°
Summer72–86°
Fall71–85°
87°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Waimea is older than the Hawaii average
For residents in Waimea, the share who are 65 or older is 27%. 28% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 36% across Hawaii. In Waimea, the midpoint age is 45.5 years.
45.5median age · HI 40.9
| Waimea | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 27% | 20% | 18% |
| Median age | 45.5 years | 41.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 21% | 22% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 28% | 31% | 29% |
WaimeaHawaiiUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school35%
Some college21%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s19%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
56% women, 44% men
About 78 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±4.7 points). Across Hawaii, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Waimea | HI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.5% | 9.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 17.8% | 13.3% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.3% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.4% | 12.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.1% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 12.4% | 9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.4% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 35% | 26.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.9% | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.3% | 10.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.6% | 22.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.9% | 13.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,800, single groups can be off by several points
HousingCost of living grade C
The typical home in Waimea: about $744K
Typical home values rose 2.7% in the year to September 2026. Waimea’s typical rent is $1,612 a month.
$744KZillow home value
Typical home value
Waimea$744K
Hawaii$833K
+2.7%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthB−
On CDC estimates, Waimea is less healthy than 51% of U.S. towns
In Waimea, 44% of adults sleep under 7 hours. Only 4 of the 94 Hawaii towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Waimea. 14% of adults in the town have diabetes; 22% worry about having enough food.
49%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Waimea | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 17% | 23% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 12% | 12% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 45% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Hawaii
0 better17 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Waimea | HI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 8.5% | 5.8% |
| More uninsured adults | 8.2% | 5.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.3% | 5.3% |
Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital
0.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Waimea
18pages on Waimea
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Waimea; the nearest are
Kauai Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Lihue17.5 mi$3,252 in-state tuitionUniversity of Hawaii-West OahuUniversity or college · Public · Kapolei111.9 mi$7,584 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Waimea residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Hawaii.
A growing town
Waimea has grown 11% from 2010 to 2020
1,855 counted in 2010 and 2,057 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
Landmarks
6 places in Waimea on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Waimea
10 notable people were born in Waimea.
R
R. Keao NeSmithScientistA
Andy IonaAmerican musician · 1902–1966J
Jim BallantineAmerican film producer · born 1955D
Deborah KapuleLast queen of Kauaʻi prior to its modern establishment · 1798–1853About Waimea
Census-designated place in Hawaii, United States
Waimea (Hawaiian: [wɐjˈmɛjə, vɐjˈmɛjə], literally, "red water") is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kauaʻi County, Hawaii, United States. It is on the southwest coast of the island of Kauaʻi and had a population of 2,057 at the 2020 census. The first Europeans to reach Hawaii landed in Waimea in 1778 (giving rise to Kauaʻi's slogan "Hawaii's Original Visitor Destination").
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- ZIP code
- 96796
- Area code
- 808
Waimea’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Waimea.
KekahaPakala VillageWaimea
How the neighbors grade
| Town | HI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waimea | — | — | C | — | — | B− |
| Kekaha | — | — | C− | — | — | B− |
| Pakala Village | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Waimea has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Waimea and Kekaha report no FBI crime data of their own. Kekaha and Pakala Village aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Waimea with a neighbor →
Questions about Waimea
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Waimea, HI expensive?
That is 7.6 years of the area's median household income ($97,668 across the Kapaa, HI 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.
What is Waimea, HI known for?
10 notable people were born here, including Larry Ramos and Henry Martyn Whitney.