Population 8,830 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Kamuela
Household size in Kamuela
| Period | Kamuela | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.05 | 3.12 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.00 | 3.20 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.23 | 3.18 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.56 | 3.06 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.48 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Kamuela run a little small, averaging 2.56 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.05, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the southwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Kamuela
| Period | Kamuela | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.4 | 39.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.0 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.4 | 42.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +9.4 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
Kamuela skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.0, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Kamuela
| Period | Kamuela | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.2% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in six households in Kamuela (16.5%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 1.7 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Kamuela
Renters in Kamuela
| Period | Kamuela | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.6% | 40.7% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.5% | 42.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.2% | 41.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.6% | 37.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | −11.0 pts | −3.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Kamuela is largely a place of homeowners: only 23.6% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About a third of owners (33.5%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 11.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Kamuela
| Period | Kamuela | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.3% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.7% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.2% | 10.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Kamuela: 17.2% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 2.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Kamuela
| Period | Kamuela | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1988 | 1978 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1979 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1994 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Kamuela is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1994, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1985 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Kamuela
| Period | Kamuela | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,407 | $1,393 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,592 | $1,482 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,524 | $1,829 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,988 | $2,199 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$580 | +$806 | +$606 |
The median renter in Kamuela pays $1,988 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in Hawaii overall ($2,199). Rent has climbed $580 a month since 2006–10, up 41%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 25.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Kamuela
Bachelor's degrees in Kamuela
| Period | Kamuela | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.1% | 28.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.8% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.5% | 32.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.3% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.3 pts | +6.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Kamuela (45.3%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 15.3 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the northeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Kamuela
| Period | Kamuela | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.2% | 89.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.6% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.4% | 91.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.6% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Kamuela: 94.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 1.3 points, a smaller shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Kamuela
| Period | Kamuela | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 4.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −1.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.3%, unemployment in Kamuela is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Kamuela compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamuela | 2.56 | 46.4 | 16.5% | 23.6% | 17.2% | 1994 | $1,988 | 45.3% | 94.6% | 5.3% |
| Kailua Kona | 2.97 | 42.1 | 10.6% | 32.7% | 19.6% | 1988 | $1,807 | 35.2% | 92.0% | 3.8% |
| Holualoa | 2.97 | 44.3 | 17.7% | 27.9% | 13.6% | 1980 | $1,638 | 35.4% | 90.6% | 4.5% |
| Downtown Hilo | 2.50 | 39.8 | 21.5% | 66.9% | 9.5% | 1971 | $1,356 | 38.7% | 93.8% | 4.3% |
| Hawaiian Acres | 2.69 | 36.5 | 10.8% | 17.4% | 15.4% | 2002 | $1,304 | 20.5% | 97.3% | 2.9% |
| Orchidlands Estates | 2.89 | 43.3 | 8.2% | 12.5% | 7.4% | 1999 | $1,359 | 25.4% | 90.2% | 2.6% |
| Wailea | 2.24 | 55.8 | 2.6% | 29.2% | 36.7% | 1988 | $2,744 | 53.7% | 97.2% | 8.1% |
| Pukalani | 3.05 | 45.8 | 17.4% | 40.3% | 3.6% | 1986 | $1,586 | 35.5% | 96.5% | 11.0% |
| Napili-Honokowai | 2.94 | 42.3 | 12.0% | 41.8% | 40.9% | 1985 | $2,283 | 30.8% | 94.6% | 6.0% |
| Hawaii Kai | 2.86 | 48.3 | 7.2% | 16.8% | 7.5% | 1980 | $3,296 | 59.3% | 96.8% | 4.4% |
| Kuliouou-Kalani Iki | 3.02 | 49.8 | 8.2% | 13.4% | 11.6% | 1971 | $3,055 | 59.8% | 98.6% | 5.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Jefferson Park, Chicago, IL · Burbank-Hayward, Hayward, CA · Cleveland Heights, Oakland, CA · Glenwood, Glendale, CA · Foxhill, Hampton, VA · Northwest, Manchester, NH · Lyell-Otis, Rochester, NY · Martin Luther King, Shreveport, LA · Mesa, Santa Barbara, CA · Mill Park, Portland, OR
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Kamuela. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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