Population 19,253 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Kapaa
Household size in Kapaa
| Period | Kapaa | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.00 | 3.12 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.93 | 3.20 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.92 | 3.18 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.01 | 3.06 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Kapaa are large by national standards, averaging 3.01 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the south.
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 Kapaa
| Period | Kapaa | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.2 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.4 | 39.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.2 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.1 | 42.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.8 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
Kapaa skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.1, 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 42.2, in line with the national trend. Of the 41 Hawaii cities with 5,000+ people, only two are older.
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 Kapaa
| Period | Kapaa | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Kapaa than nationally: 13.4%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 4.8 points from 2006–10, 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 Kapaa
Renters in Kapaa
| Period | Kapaa | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.8% | 40.7% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.6% | 42.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.7% | 41.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.7% | 37.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −3.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Kapaa own their homes; 31.7% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 37.1% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the northeast. The renter share has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Kapaa
| Period | Kapaa | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.6% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.3% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.2% | 10.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.2% of the housing in Kapaa, 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 down 2.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Kapaa
| Period | Kapaa | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1978 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1979 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Kapaa is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1984, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the south has the oldest housing.
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 Kapaa
| Period | Kapaa | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,474 | $1,393 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,375 | $1,482 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,504 | $1,829 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,015 | $2,199 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$541 | +$806 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Kapaa costs $2,015 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in Hawaii as a whole ($2,199). Rent has climbed $541 a month since 2006–10, up 37%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 36.0% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Kapaa
Bachelor's degrees in Kapaa
| Period | Kapaa | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.4% | 28.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.4% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.3% | 32.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.9% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.5 pts | +6.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Kapaa than nationally: 30.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 7.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Kapaa
| Period | Kapaa | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.5% | 89.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.4% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.5% | 91.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.6% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Kapaa have finished high school (92.6%), above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Hawaii. The share with a diploma is up 2.1 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 Kapaa
| Period | Kapaa | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 4.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −1.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Kapaa than nationally: unemployment was 3.9%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.1 points, in line with the national trend. 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).
Kapaa compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kapaa | 3.01 | 48.1 | 13.4% | 31.7% | 15.2% | 1984 | $2,015 | 30.9% | 92.6% | 3.9% |
| Kawaihau | 2.94 | 45.9 | 6.4% | 32.0% | 9.4% | 1998 | $2,245 | 29.5% | 97.4% | 1.5% |
| Kealia | 2.94 | 45.9 | 6.4% | 32.0% | 9.4% | 1998 | $2,245 | 29.5% | 97.4% | 1.5% |
| Kumukumu | 2.94 | 45.9 | 6.4% | 32.0% | 9.4% | 1998 | $2,245 | 29.5% | 97.4% | 1.5% |
| Kapaia | 3.17 | 39.8 | 15.3% | 15.0% | 19.6% | 1995 | $2,345 | 22.3% | 91.8% | 2.3% |
| Anahola | 3.77 | 41.5 | 16.8% | 10.9% | 5.6% | 1993 | $1,593 | 16.8% | 93.2% | 3.1% |
| Lihue | 3.51 | 41.3 | 11.6% | 32.2% | 12.5% | 1983 | $2,112 | 28.7% | 94.0% | 2.6% |
| Niumalu | 2.44 | 59.8 | 8.2% | 17.2% | 2.8% | 2001 | $1,959 | 50.0% | 98.8% | 0.1% |
| Kilauea | 3.13 | 42.9 | 7.5% | 17.6% | 15.9% | 1991 | $1,724 | 32.8% | 91.6% | 2.9% |
| Princeville | 2.31 | 55.4 | 3.5% | 27.4% | 63.7% | 1988 | $1,812 | 54.2% | 96.6% | 3.5% |
| Koloa | 3.18 | 40.8 | 16.6% | 39.6% | 26.0% | 1985 | $1,851 | 32.4% | 95.0% | 6.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Brigham City, UT · Bensenville, IL · Bethel, CT · Big Lake, MN · Blairsville, GA · Bloomfield, CT · Blue Bell, PA · Blythe, CA · White Oak, OH · Wexford, PA
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 Kapaa. 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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