Suppose real estate is the most significant investment a majority of people make in their lifetime. In that case, it’s best to understand the places in Hawaii with best potential return on investment.
After working in real estate adjacent roles for over a decade, I had the hypothesis that the best place to buy for a return on investment would be up-and-coming cities. Smaller cities where crime might be high now, but people still move to.
To test my hypothesis, we are going to look at places in Hawaii that are growing faster than average, but where home prices are below average, and crime rates are higher than average.
In everyday terms, these might be “deals”. The best deal in Hawaii at the moment according to Saturday Night Science? That would be Hawi.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Buy A Home In Hawaii For 2026
- Hawi
- Pepeekeo
- Kualapuu
- Maunawili
- Princeville
- Kapaau
- Wheeler AFB
- Kahuku
- Paia
- Kalaeloa
The methodology that wen’t into this can be a bit complicated, so we’ll break it down for you in as much detail as we can below.
For more Hawaii reading:
The 10 Best Cities To Buy A House In Hawaii For 2026
1. Hawi
/10
Population: 2,070
Median Home Price: $819,645
Population Change: 20.3%
Home Price Change: -1.7%
More on Hawi: Movers
2. Pepeekeo
/10
Population: 2,056
Median Home Price: $535,305
Population Change: 36.6%
Home Price Change: 0.6%
More on Pepeekeo: Movers
3. Kualapuu
/10
Population: 2,535
Median Home Price: $316,072
Population Change: 7.6%
Home Price Change: 19.4%
More on Kualapuu: Movers
4. Maunawili
/10
Population: 2,024
Median Home Price: $1,500,253
Population Change: -11.5%
Home Price Change: 4.4%
More on Maunawili: Movers
5. Princeville
/10
Population: 2,020
Median Home Price: $1,415,106
Population Change: 12.6%
Home Price Change: -0.4%
More on Princeville: Movers
6. Kapaau
/10
Population: 2,224
Median Home Price: $614,939
Population Change: 9.6%
Home Price Change: -0.4%
More on Kapaau: Movers
7. Wheeler Afb
/10
Population: 2,097
Median Home Price: $0
Population Change: -4.5%
Home Price Change: nan%
More on Wheeler Afb: Movers
8. Kahuku
/10
Population: 2,375
Median Home Price: $1,050,206
Population Change: -2.1%
Home Price Change: 3.4%
More on Kahuku: Movers
9. Paia
/10
Population: 2,512
Median Home Price: $1,316,546
Population Change: -4.5%
Home Price Change: 1.0%
More on Paia: Movers
10. Kalaeloa
/10
Population: 3,342
Median Home Price: $0
Population Change: 3.5%
Home Price Change: nan%
More on Kalaeloa: Movers
Methodology: How do you determine the best places to buy a home in Hawaii for 2026?
We were in real estate for almost five years and have worked on this site for another 11. Suffice it to say we’ve put a lot of thought into finding an excellent place to buy a home.
So all that thinking has come to this moment where we get to spell out how we’d approach finding an up-and-coming place to live in Hawaii. Put differently, the analysis will try to find places in Hawaii with undervalued homes relative to pent-up demand using Saturday Night Science.
To do that, we looked at the most recent American Community Survey Census data for 2020-2024 and compared it to the previous vintage. Specifically, we used the following criteria:
- Y-o-Y Change In Population (People want to live here)
- Y-o-Y Change In Median Home Prices (People are willing to pay for it)
- Home Prices Relative To The State Average (It’s still kinda cheap)
We want places that are growing, have seen home prices increase in recent years, and are still “cheap” for Hawaii with the following caveats:
- Home prices had to be within 20% of the state average (Much lower than that, and you get to some of the more dangerous places)
- Home prices increased in the last year, and
- Above 5,000 people (Bigger cities have more data points)
So of the 0 cities and towns in Hawaii, only 96 places made it through our initial filters to even be considered.
We then ranked each place from 1 to 96 for the above criteria, with 1 being the best. We averaged the rankings to create a “best place to buy” index, with the place having the lowest index being the best.
Turns out that Hawi is the best potential gem in the not-so-rough in the Aloha State.
Summary: The Best Places To Purchase A House In Hawaii for 2026
There’s our analysis of the best places to buy a house in Hawaii. And, to be clear, we aren’t necessarily saying these places are the best places to live, just that it looks like they might be in a couple of years based on the data.
In fact, every place in the following table meets our criteria, so even though it may not look super long, remember we started off with all 0 places in the state.
The best cities to buy a house in Hawaii are Hawi, Pepeekeo, Kualapuu, Maunawili, Princeville, Kapaau, Wheeler AFB, Kahuku, Paia, and Kalaeloa.
So if we’d could rent or buy in these cities, we’d definitely buy.
For more Hawaii reading, check out:
Best Places To Buy A Home In Hawaii
| Rank | City | Population | Median Home Price | Population Change | Home Price Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawi | 2,070 | $819,645 | 20.3% | -1.7% |
| 2 | Pepeekeo | 2,056 | $535,305 | 36.6% | 0.6% |
| 3 | Kualapuu | 2,535 | $316,072 | 7.6% | 19.4% |
| 4 | Maunawili | 2,024 | $1,500,253 | -11.5% | 4.4% |
| 5 | Princeville | 2,020 | $1,415,106 | 12.6% | -0.4% |
| 6 | Kapaau | 2,224 | $614,939 | 9.6% | -0.4% |
| 7 | Wheeler Afb | 2,097 | $0 | -4.5% | nan% |
| 8 | Kahuku | 2,375 | $1,050,206 | -2.1% | 3.4% |
| 9 | Paia | 2,512 | $1,316,546 | -4.5% | 1.0% |
| 10 | Kalaeloa | 3,342 | $0 | 3.5% | nan% |
| 11 | Anahola | 3,067 | $526,225 | -1.0% | -2.0% |
| 12 | Koloa | 2,907 | $1,225,582 | 24.9% | -0.9% |
| 13 | Keokea | 2,892 | $723,075 | -5.1% | -5.6% |
| 14 | Wailua | 2,697 | $785,019 | 6.0% | 10.1% |
| 15 | Lawai | 2,718 | $843,588 | -2.1% | -3.4% |
| 16 | Honaunau-Napoopoo | 2,629 | $829,988 | 2.9% | 12.1% |
| 17 | Eleele | 2,522 | $843,104 | 7.8% | -0.7% |
| 18 | Hanapepe | 2,638 | $794,713 | 15.3% | -1.1% |
| 19 | Holualoa | 3,434 | $1,002,277 | 21.6% | -6.8% |
| 20 | Lanai City | 3,393 | $711,796 | 3.4% | 1.5% |
| 21 | Kilauea | 3,146 | $1,720,904 | 1.4% | 0.2% |
| 22 | Hawaiian Acres | 3,872 | $316,072 | -6.1% | -0.0% |
| 23 | Kaunakakai | 4,360 | $416,332 | 17.2% | 4.4% |
| 24 | Waialua | 3,050 | $1,016,404 | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| 25 | Orchidlands Estates | 3,027 | $383,079 | -4.8% | 12.0% |
| 26 | Kurtistown | 3,151 | $376,874 | 7.6% | -2.1% |
| 27 | Kekaha | 3,768 | $677,908 | 8.2% | 28.3% |
| 28 | Hauula | 3,548 | $852,250 | 2.2% | -0.8% |
| 29 | Mountain View | 3,756 | $333,445 | -2.0% | 1.4% |
| 30 | Ainaloa | 4,094 | $226,631 | 17.2% | -0.3% |
| 31 | Waikapu | 3,591 | $877,935 | -1.5% | 2.5% |
| 32 | Whitmore Village | 4,105 | $823,833 | 7.4% | 3.8% |
| 33 | Pupukea | 4,679 | $1,425,503 | -3.6% | 4.7% |
| 34 | Waimanalo Beach | 4,505 | $846,070 | -1.8% | 1.3% |
| 35 | Puhi | 4,362 | $696,273 | -0.4% | 4.0% |
| 36 | Captain Cook | 3,419 | $685,600 | -8.9% | -1.0% |
| 37 | Heeia | 5,144 | $1,191,427 | 0.9% | -1.8% |
| 38 | Haleiwa | 4,948 | $1,664,042 | 5.9% | -0.4% |
| 39 | Hawaiian Beaches | 3,947 | $270,706 | -12.3% | 6.9% |
| 40 | Kahaluu | 5,619 | $1,204,530 | 6.4% | 1.4% |
| 41 | Hanamaulu | 4,972 | $682,474 | 14.0% | 5.1% |
| 42 | Hawaiian Ocean View | 4,431 | $315,874 | 16.3% | 29.1% |
| 43 | Iroquois Point | 5,158 | $0 | -6.3% | nan% |
| 44 | Kalaheo | 4,435 | $1,067,489 | -3.8% | 0.9% |
| 45 | Waipio Acres | 5,332 | $748,389 | 3.6% | 21.4% |
| 46 | Waimanalo | 6,054 | $1,078,073 | 7.5% | 2.5% |
| 47 | Laie | 5,699 | $1,292,971 | 2.4% | 1.6% |
| 48 | Wailea | 6,352 | $1,523,581 | -3.3% | 9.2% |
| 49 | Wailua Homesteads | 5,431 | $936,504 | -23.9% | 1.9% |
| 50 | Ewa Villages | 7,415 | $861,258 | 7.2% | 2.8% |
| 51 | West Loch Estate | 5,544 | $848,849 | -13.9% | -0.4% |
| 52 | Kula | 6,791 | $1,320,089 | 3.6% | -1.4% |
| 53 | Napili-Honokowai | 7,308 | $872,475 | 6.0% | 10.0% |
| 54 | Waikele | 7,528 | $699,549 | -5.3% | -1.8% |
| 55 | Kahaluu-Keauhou | 5,150 | $880,417 | -22.8% | 3.6% |
| 56 | Waikoloa Village | 7,543 | $796,733 | 7.3% | 15.6% |
| 57 | Pukalani | 8,679 | $966,582 | 2.2% | 2.1% |
| 58 | Makawao | 7,353 | $1,103,697 | 1.2% | -0.4% |
| 59 | Ahuimanu | 8,452 | $903,944 | -0.8% | 0.6% |
| 60 | Lihue | 7,901 | $864,446 | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| 61 | Haiku-Pauwela | 9,178 | $1,085,804 | -1.2% | 4.1% |
| 62 | Hickam Housing | 9,425 | $0 | 2.5% | nan% |
| 63 | Aiea | 9,087 | $838,395 | -0.7% | 1.8% |
| 64 | Kapaa | 11,094 | $948,643 | 1.9% | -0.1% |
| 65 | Makaha | 10,066 | $391,120 | 1.7% | -8.1% |
| 66 | Waipio | 10,870 | $744,021 | -2.9% | 2.5% |
| 67 | Waihee-Waiehu | 10,988 | $771,320 | -3.4% | 1.9% |
| 68 | Hawaiian Paradise Park | 13,203 | $453,758 | -0.5% | 7.2% |
| 69 | Waimea Cdp (Hawaii County) | 9,286 | $672,448 | -9.3% | 0.7% |
| 70 | Nanakuli | 12,383 | $485,028 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| 71 | Maili | 11,570 | $635,917 | -5.4% | -1.8% |
| 72 | Waianae | 12,918 | $574,226 | 0.1% | 2.0% |
| 73 | Lahaina | 10,162 | $981,023 | -11.0% | -3.6% |
| 74 | Waimalu | 13,061 | $593,430 | -7.9% | -2.9% |
| 75 | Ewa Beach | 14,376 | $836,183 | -6.6% | 2.4% |
| 76 | Royal Kunia | 13,555 | $856,096 | -1.0% | 0.5% |
| 77 | Halawa | 14,385 | $1,044,211 | 4.2% | 1.6% |
| 78 | Ocean Pointe | 17,085 | $893,620 | 5.0% | -0.4% |
| 79 | Wahiawa | 17,996 | $858,313 | 2.7% | 3.3% |
| 80 | Wailuku | 16,926 | $924,155 | 7.4% | 0.1% |
| 81 | Schofield Barracks | 16,270 | $0 | -2.9% | nan% |
| 82 | Makakilo | 20,735 | $860,861 | 1.8% | 1.7% |
| 83 | Mililani Mauka | 21,278 | $980,877 | -3.1% | 6.4% |
| 84 | Kapolei | 22,232 | $848,166 | -3.5% | 0.9% |
| 85 | Kihei | 21,567 | $1,013,506 | -4.4% | -3.0% |
| 86 | Kailua Cdp (Hawaii County) | 21,818 | $662,521 | -0.2% | -0.2% |
| 87 | Ewa Gentry | 26,563 | $810,035 | -0.7% | 3.1% |
| 88 | Mililani Town | 27,668 | $917,146 | 0.6% | 1.4% |
| 89 | Kahului | 28,288 | $1,035,497 | 4.5% | 1.2% |
| 90 | Kaneohe | 37,355 | $1,091,198 | 3.9% | 3.6% |
| 91 | Kailua Cdp (Honolulu County) | 39,640 | $1,343,805 | -0.3% | 6.0% |
| 92 | Waipahu | 40,482 | $868,669 | 1.5% | 2.8% |
| 93 | Pearl City | 44,547 | $944,248 | -1.2% | 3.0% |
| 94 | Hilo | 50,404 | $548,367 | 4.5% | 2.4% |
| 95 | East Honolulu | 51,360 | $1,203,140 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| 96 | Urban Honolulu | 345,482 | $768,465 | -0.2% | 1.7% |