Median Income
$87,266
household / year
Median Home Value
$874,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,821
gross / month
Cost of Living
108
national avg = 100

Is Waialua, HI a Good Place to Live?

Waialua is a small town of 3,053 in Hawaii, with a median household income of $87,266 and a 5.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.

Strengths: Waialua stands out for solid school ratings (B).

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Waialua is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Waialua city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 107.6

Waialua's overall cost of living index is 107.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Waialua costs roughly 8% more than the average American city.

Metric Waialua, HI National Avg
Median Home Value $874,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,821 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 58.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $87,266 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Crime data for Waialua is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.

Schools & Education

Waialua is served primarily by Hawaii Department of Education. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Waialua, HI National Avg
School District Hawaii Department of Education —
Elementary Schools 183 —
Middle Schools 42 —
High Schools 46 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 13.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 28.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 93.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Waialua sees average highs of 75.6°F in January and 84.9°F in July, with 33.0 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricWaialua, HI
Average High — January75.6°F
Average High — July84.9°F
Annual Precipitation33.0"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricWaialua, HINational Avg
Population3,053—
Median Age46.838.9
Unemployment Rate5.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time33.7 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)28.7%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino5.4%18.9%
Asian30.9%6.3%
Under 1817.0%22.2%
65 and over24.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Haleiwa, HI 3 mi Mokuleia, HI 3 mi Schofield Barracks, HI 6 mi Helemano, HI 7 mi Whitmore Village, HI 7 mi

Waialua vs Other Cities

Waialua, HI vs Haleiwa, HI Waialua, HI vs Mokuleia, HI Waialua, HI vs Schofield Barracks, HI Waialua, HI vs Helemano, HI Waialua, HI vs Whitmore Village, HI

Frequently Asked Questions

Waialua's cost of living index is 108, where 100 is the national average. That puts Waialua roughly 8% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $874,600 and median rent is $1,821/month.
Crime data for Waialua is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
Public schools in Waialua are operated by Hawaii Department of Education. The district has 183 elementary, 42 middle, and 46 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.7:1. 28.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Waialua, HI has a population of 3,053, a median household income of $87,266, and an unemployment rate of 5.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Waialua averages 75.6°F in January and 84.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 33.0 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Waialua, Hawaii is 3,053 with a median age of 46.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Waialua: cost of living index 108 (100 = US average), median home $874,600, median household income $87,266, schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Waialua side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.