Population 16,805 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Makawao
Household size in Makawao
| Period | Makawao | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.91 | 3.12 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.79 | 3.20 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.75 | 3.18 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.92 | 3.06 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Makawao is a place of big households: 2.92 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Even so, the typical household here is smaller than in Hawaii as a whole, where it has 3.06 people.
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 Makawao
| Period | Makawao | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.1 | 39.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.7 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.5 | 42.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.6 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.5, Makawao is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 38.9 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the south.
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 Makawao
| Period | Makawao | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.2% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.9% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in seven households in Makawao (14.9%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.3 points, mirroring the country.
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 Makawao
Renters in Makawao
| Period | Makawao | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6% | 40.7% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.5% | 42.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.9% | 41.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.4% | 37.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −3.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in Makawao rent their homes (36.4%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among owners, 34.7% have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the center. The renter share is down 4.3 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 Makawao
| Period | Makawao | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 10.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Makawao: just 4.7% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has fallen 4.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other Hawaii city with 5,000+ people has a lower vacancy rate.
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 Makawao
| Period | Makawao | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1978 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1979 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Makawao are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1984, versus 1980 across the U.S. The picture is much the same across Hawaii.
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 Makawao
| Period | Makawao | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,380 | $1,393 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,278 | $1,482 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,605 | $1,829 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,748 | $2,199 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$369 | +$806 | +$606 |
The median renter in Makawao pays $1,748 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in Hawaii overall ($2,199). Rent has climbed $369 a month since 2006–10, up 27%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.1% of the typical renter's income, just over 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 Makawao
Bachelor's degrees in Makawao
| Period | Makawao | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.1% | 28.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.1% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.9% | 32.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.0% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Makawao (34.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.9 points since 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 Makawao
| Period | Makawao | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.2% | 89.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.5% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.7% | 91.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.5% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Makawao: 95.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.3 points since 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 Makawao
| Period | Makawao | Hawaii | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 4.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −1.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Makawao: 7.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has edged up 0.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. 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).
Makawao 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makawao | 2.92 | 44.5 | 14.9% | 36.4% | 4.7% | 1984 | $1,748 | 34.0% | 95.5% | 7.7% |
| Haliimaile | 3.40 | 44.8 | 18.9% | 35.0% | 8.6% | 1961 | $1,507 | 24.9% | 91.1% | 14.2% |
| Haiku-Pauwela | 2.79 | 41.7 | 13.4% | 31.6% | 8.9% | 1990 | $2,158 | 35.2% | 94.2% | 6.3% |
| Kula | 3.02 | 45.6 | 17.4% | 31.9% | 9.8% | 1984 | $2,200 | 36.0% | 93.8% | 3.7% |
| Paia | 2.98 | 37.3 | 12.8% | 40.8% | 15.2% | 1977 | $2,317 | 39.4% | 90.6% | 10.5% |
| Haiku | 3.06 | 46.1 | 26.0% | 34.4% | 14.6% | 1984 | $2,345 | 22.9% | 95.2% | 7.3% |
| Pauwela | 2.80 | 26.0 | 69.6% | 61.8% | 28.7% | 2009 | $3,038 | 3.8% | 35.9% | 2.3% |
| Hawaiian Village | 2.41 | 42.5 | 5.6% | 58.6% | 9.3% | 1971 | $1,515 | 26.7% | 81.7% | 4.6% |
| Spanish B Village | 2.41 | 42.5 | 5.6% | 58.6% | 9.3% | 1971 | $1,515 | 26.7% | 81.7% | 4.6% |
| Huelo | 3.08 | 47.0 | 28.0% | 33.1% | 14.6% | 1984 | $2,318 | 21.3% | 95.1% | 7.5% |
| Kahului | 3.34 | 43.9 | 8.0% | 34.6% | 9.1% | 1978 | $1,885 | 25.2% | 89.2% | 3.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Valle Vista, CA · Country Club Hills, IL · Country Walk, FL · Cranberry Twp, PA · Vinings, GA · Verona, PA · Verdigris, OK · Veradale, WA · Elkhorn, WI · Vandalia, OH
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 Makawao. 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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