You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Hawaii. Best suburbs in Hawaii. Best counties in Hawaii.
Etc., etc., etc.
But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Aloha State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.
Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Hawaii based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.
We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Hawaii ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.
$177,143 median income · 1.6% unemployment
$132,636 median income · 0.8% unemployment
$143,333 median income · 1.3% unemployment
$102,109 median income · 4.2% unemployment
$122,917 median income · 1.8% unemployment
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$131,750 median income · 0.9% unemployment
$162,813 median income · 6.3% unemployment
$137,292 median income · 2.8% unemployment
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$118,438 median income · 2.7% unemployment
$110,607 median income · 5.3% unemployment
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Hawaii’s statewide median.
Hawaii statewide median: $100,389
Hawaii statewide median: $832,967
Hawaii statewide median: 4.9%
On the map
Where Hawaii’s best small towns are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Hawaii
We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Hawaii possible.
Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Lowest Unemployment Rates
- Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
- Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
- Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
- Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
- Commute Times (Lower is better)
We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 63 to be exact.
We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 63, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Hawaii. Top of that list — Maunawili.
This is our eleventh time ranking the best small places to live in Hawaii.
The full plate
Best Small Towns In Hawaii
Click any column to sort. Search by town name.
| Rank | Town | Population | Median Income | Median Home Value | Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maunawili | 2,024 | $177,143 | $1,500,253 | 1.6% |
| 2 | Ko Olina | 1,670 | $132,636 | $924,890 | 0.8% |
| 3 | Poipu | 1,175 | $143,333 | $1,101,887 | 1.3% |
| 4 | Princeville | 2,020 | $102,109 | $1,415,107 | 4.2% |
| 5 | Waikapu | 3,591 | $122,917 | $877,936 | 1.8% |
| 6 | Kaaawa | 1,328 | $131,750 | $1,056,686 | 0.9% |
| 7 | Mahinahina | 1,027 | $162,813 | $1,215,649 | 6.3% |
| 8 | Puhi | 4,362 | $137,292 | $696,273 | 2.8% |
| 9 | Eleele | 2,522 | $118,438 | $843,104 | 2.7% |
| 10 | Kalaheo | 4,435 | $110,607 | $1,067,490 | 5.3% |
| 11 | Kaanapali | 1,170 | $129,167 | $1,937,931 | 17.6% |
| 12 | Lanai City | 3,393 | $92,167 | $711,796 | 2.2% |
| 13 | Holualoa | 3,434 | $115,972 | $1,002,277 | 5.0% |
| 14 | Waimanalo Beach | 4,505 | $127,450 | $846,070 | 4.4% |
| 15 | Hauula | 3,548 | $115,865 | $852,251 | 4.1% |
| 16 | Wheeler AFB | 2,097 | $91,667 | $0 | 4.9% |
| 17 | Lawai | 2,718 | $104,286 | $843,588 | 9.1% |
| 18 | Hanapepe | 2,638 | $100,000 | $794,714 | 6.7% |
| 19 | Omao | 1,528 | $101,667 | $1,014,331 | 7.6% |
| 20 | Haleiwa | 4,948 | $97,780 | $1,664,042 | 4.0% |
| 21 | Honokaa | 1,963 | $87,019 | $647,246 | 1.0% |
| 22 | Mokuleia | 1,655 | $88,750 | $1,049,472 | 2.5% |
| 23 | Hanamaulu | 4,972 | $82,358 | $682,475 | 4.4% |
| 24 | Koloa | 2,907 | $77,868 | $1,225,583 | 7.8% |
| 25 | Kilauea | 3,146 | $91,984 | $1,720,904 | 3.4% |
| 26 | Kahuku | 2,375 | $75,066 | $1,050,207 | 6.9% |
| 27 | Kealakekua | 1,919 | $102,772 | $771,467 | 1.0% |
| 28 | Whitmore Village | 4,105 | $104,900 | $823,834 | 2.9% |
| 29 | Kurtistown | 3,151 | $96,165 | $376,874 | 3.9% |
| 30 | Waialua | 3,050 | $88,269 | $1,016,405 | 7.9% |
| 31 | Hawi | 2,070 | $84,457 | $819,646 | 4.0% |
| 32 | Pupukea | 4,679 | $100,368 | $1,425,504 | 7.7% |
| 33 | Anahola | 3,067 | $100,688 | $526,225 | 3.0% |
| 34 | Captain Cook | 3,419 | $108,675 | $685,600 | 8.2% |
| 35 | Papaikou | 1,332 | $79,079 | $592,002 | 3.4% |
| 36 | Kekaha | 3,768 | $84,375 | $677,908 | 3.6% |
| 37 | Keaau | 1,436 | $85,000 | $459,410 | 2.2% |
| 38 | Paia | 2,512 | $100,559 | $1,316,546 | 10.7% |
| 39 | Honaunau-Napoopoo | 2,629 | $93,929 | $829,989 | 5.7% |
| 40 | Kaunakakai | 4,360 | $76,131 | $416,333 | 6.7% |
| 41 | Kaumakani | 1,012 | $95,625 | $0 | 2.8% |
| 42 | Keokea | 2,892 | $114,250 | $723,076 | 7.1% |
| 43 | Wailua | 2,697 | $69,167 | $785,020 | 10.4% |
| 44 | Hawaiian Acres | 3,872 | $91,120 | $316,073 | 2.0% |
| 45 | Kapaau | 2,224 | $83,750 | $614,940 | 3.5% |
| 46 | Orchidlands Estates | 3,027 | $73,936 | $383,079 | 1.8% |
| 47 | Pahala | 1,768 | $71,518 | $287,275 | 12.7% |
| 48 | Pepeekeo | 2,056 | $70,625 | $535,305 | 9.1% |
| 49 | Kualapuu | 2,535 | $62,917 | $316,073 | 7.2% |
| 50 | Haliimaile | 1,105 | $88,259 | $867,612 | 13.3% |
| 51 | Honalo | 1,071 | $63,125 | $585,985 | 4.2% |
| 52 | Fern Acres | 1,480 | $40,400 | $317,462 | 6.8% |
| 53 | Leilani Estates | 1,490 | $30,192 | $266,140 | 21.5% |
| 54 | Ainaloa | 4,094 | $58,918 | $226,631 | 17.8% |
| 55 | Kalaeloa | 3,342 | $90,313 | $0 | 6.9% |
| 56 | Discovery Harbour | 1,079 | $61,042 | $440,258 | 10.6% |
| 57 | Pahoa | 1,361 | $56,042 | $289,500 | 7.5% |
| 58 | Nanawale Estates | 1,692 | $26,683 | $230,900 | 4.4% |
| 59 | Eden Roc | 1,166 | $24,771 | $163,397 | 19.2% |
| 60 | Mountain View | 3,756 | $69,299 | $333,445 | 7.7% |
| 61 | Fern Forest | 1,088 | $42,917 | $169,651 | 3.6% |
| 62 | Hawaiian Beaches | 3,947 | $29,295 | $270,707 | 8.8% |
| 63 | Hawaiian Ocean View | 4,431 | $45,043 | $315,874 | 17.2% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 via Saturday Night Science. 63 Hawaii towns between 1,000 and 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones
We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these small towns in Hawaii are the best in which to live.
And who can argue with that?
The best small towns in Hawaii are Maunawili, Ko Olina, Poipu, Princeville, Waikapu, Kaaawa, Mahinahina, Puhi, Eleele, and Kalaheo. Not sold on Hawaii? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Small Towns In Hawaii FAQs
What is the best small town to live in Hawaii?
Maunawili is the best small town in Hawaii for 2026. The median household income there is $177,143 and the median home costs $1,500,253. Ko Olina and Poipu round out the top three.
What are the best small towns in Hawaii?
The best small towns in Hawaii are Maunawili, Ko Olina, Poipu, Princeville, Waikapu, Kaaawa, Mahinahina, Puhi, Eleele, and Kalaheo. We ranked all 63 Hawaii towns with between 1,000 and 5,000 residents.
What counts as a small town?
For this ranking, a small town is any Hawaii place with between 1,000 and 5,000 residents. 63 towns fit that window this year.
How do you rank the best small towns in Hawaii?
Each town is scored on density, unemployment, housing costs, income, education, insurance coverage, and commute times, using Census American Community Survey data. The town with the best average across all of it, Maunawili, takes the top spot.
How much does a home cost in Maunawili?
The median home in Maunawili runs $1,500,253, against $832,967 across Hawaii as a whole. Pair that with a $177,143 median household income, and you can see why it ranks so well.
