Most Americans have never been to small town Hawaii. However, as the Hawaiian who live there know, small town Hawaii is an awesome place to call home.
But is it all roses? Definitely not. Just like any other state, Hawaii has its trouble spots. This article aims to determine, using Saturday Night Science, the absolute worst small towns to live in the Aloha State. Don’t freak out, we will use data to show which places have high crime, poverty, and unemployment.
After analyzing more than 65 of Hawaii’s smallest cities, we came up with this list as the 10 worst small towns in Hawaii where you’d never want to live:
17.2% unemployment · $45,043 median income
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
19.2% unemployment · $24,771 median income
7.7% unemployment · $69,299 median income
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
7.5% unemployment · $56,042 median income
8.8% unemployment · $29,295 median income
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
3.6% unemployment · $42,917 median income
4.4% unemployment · $26,683 median income
21.5% unemployment · $30,192 median income
4.2% unemployment · $63,125 median income
10.6% unemployment · $61,042 median income
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Hawaii’s statewide median.
Hawaii statewide median: $832,967
Hawaii statewide median: $100,389
Hawaii statewide median: 4.9%
On the map
Where Hawaii’s worst small towns are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you decide if a small place in Hawaii is lousy or not?
To rank the worst small towns to live in Hawaii, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. Assuming that people like low crime, solid education, things to do, and a stable economy isn’t a stretch.
We then analyzed the criteria using Saturday Night Science, the thinking you’d use at a bar. It seems like even your crazy Uncle would agree that a town with high crime is worse than a town with low crime; all else the same.
Using FBI crime data and the Census’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (The lower, the worse)
- Highest Unemployment Rates
- Low housing costs (meaning there’s no demand)
- Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
- Education (Number of high school dropouts)
- High Crime
We looked at cities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people, of which there were many – 65 to be exact.
We get the crime numbers from the FBI, which gets them from the cities. Dropout numbers are based on the adult population, not just the current graduation rates of teenagers.
We base all our research on facts, which is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2026, which is our eleventh time ranking the worst small places to live in Hawaii.
The full plate
Worst Small Towns In Hawaii
Click any column to sort. Search by town name.
| Rank | Town | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaiian Ocean View | 4,431 | 17.2% | $315,874 | $45,043 |
| 2 | Eden Roc | 1,166 | 19.2% | $163,397 | $24,771 |
| 3 | Mountain View | 3,756 | 7.7% | $333,445 | $69,299 |
| 4 | Pahoa | 1,361 | 7.5% | $289,500 | $56,042 |
| 5 | Hawaiian Beaches | 3,947 | 8.8% | $270,707 | $29,295 |
| 6 | Fern Forest | 1,088 | 3.6% | $169,651 | $42,917 |
| 7 | Nanawale Estates | 1,692 | 4.4% | $230,900 | $26,683 |
| 8 | Leilani Estates | 1,490 | 21.5% | $266,140 | $30,192 |
| 9 | Honalo | 1,071 | 4.2% | $585,985 | $63,125 |
| 10 | Discovery Harbour | 1,079 | 10.6% | $440,258 | $61,042 |
| 11 | Kalaeloa | 3,342 | 6.9% | $0 | $90,313 |
| 12 | Pepeekeo | 2,056 | 9.1% | $535,305 | $70,625 |
| 13 | Orchidlands Estates | 3,027 | 1.8% | $383,079 | $73,936 |
| 14 | Ainaloa | 4,094 | 17.8% | $226,631 | $58,918 |
| 15 | Fern Acres | 1,480 | 6.8% | $317,462 | $40,400 |
| 16 | Wailua | 2,697 | 10.4% | $785,020 | $69,167 |
| 17 | Kaunakakai | 4,360 | 6.7% | $416,333 | $76,131 |
| 18 | Kualapuu | 2,535 | 7.2% | $316,073 | $62,917 |
| 18 | Haliimaile | 1,105 | 13.3% | $867,612 | $88,259 |
| 20 | Kaumakani | 1,012 | 2.8% | $0 | $95,625 |
| 21 | Honaunau-Napoopoo | 2,629 | 5.7% | $829,989 | $93,929 |
| 22 | Halaula | 1,033 | 5.1% | $569,507 | $1,000 |
| 23 | Paia | 2,512 | 10.7% | $1,316,546 | $100,559 |
| 24 | Kekaha | 3,768 | 3.6% | $677,908 | $84,375 |
| 25 | Captain Cook | 3,419 | 8.2% | $685,600 | $108,675 |
| 26 | Pahala | 1,768 | 12.7% | $287,275 | $71,518 |
| 27 | Keaau | 1,436 | 2.2% | $459,410 | $85,000 |
| 28 | Keokea | 2,892 | 7.1% | $723,076 | $114,250 |
| 28 | Kealakekua | 1,919 | 1.0% | $771,467 | $102,772 |
| 30 | Kapaau | 2,224 | 3.5% | $614,940 | $83,750 |
| 31 | Kilauea | 3,146 | 3.4% | $1,720,904 | $91,984 |
| 31 | Papaikou | 1,332 | 3.4% | $592,002 | $79,079 |
| 33 | Kurtistown | 3,151 | 3.9% | $376,874 | $96,165 |
| 34 | Hawaiian Acres | 3,872 | 2.0% | $316,073 | $91,120 |
| 35 | Anahola | 3,067 | 3.0% | $526,225 | $100,688 |
| 36 | Kahuku | 2,375 | 6.9% | $1,050,207 | $75,066 |
| 37 | Whitmore Village | 4,105 | 2.9% | $823,834 | $104,900 |
| 38 | Pupukea | 4,679 | 7.7% | $1,425,504 | $100,368 |
| 39 | Waialua | 3,050 | 7.9% | $1,016,405 | $88,269 |
| 40 | Holualoa | 3,434 | 5.0% | $1,002,277 | $115,972 |
| 41 | Hanamaulu | 4,972 | 4.4% | $682,475 | $82,358 |
| 42 | Omao | 1,528 | 7.6% | $1,014,331 | $101,667 |
| 43 | Koloa | 2,907 | 7.8% | $1,225,583 | $77,868 |
| 44 | Hawi | 2,070 | 4.0% | $819,646 | $84,457 |
| 45 | Lawai | 2,718 | 9.1% | $843,588 | $104,286 |
| 46 | Lanai City | 3,393 | 2.2% | $711,796 | $92,167 |
| 47 | Wheeler AFB | 2,097 | 4.9% | $0 | $91,667 |
| 48 | Hauula | 3,548 | 4.1% | $852,251 | $115,865 |
| 49 | Kaanapali | 1,170 | 17.6% | $1,937,931 | $129,167 |
| 50 | Mokuleia | 1,655 | 2.5% | $1,049,472 | $88,750 |
| 51 | Haleiwa | 4,948 | 4.0% | $1,664,042 | $97,780 |
| 51 | Hanapepe | 2,638 | 6.7% | $794,714 | $100,000 |
| 53 | Waimanalo Beach | 4,505 | 4.4% | $846,070 | $127,450 |
| 53 | Honokaa | 1,963 | 1.0% | $647,246 | $87,019 |
| 55 | Waimea CDP (Kauai County) | 1,840 | 1.3% | $764,074 | $89,205 |
| 56 | Puhi | 4,362 | 2.8% | $696,273 | $137,292 |
| 57 | Kalaheo | 4,435 | 5.3% | $1,067,490 | $110,607 |
| 58 | Eleele | 2,522 | 2.7% | $843,104 | $118,438 |
| 59 | Princeville | 2,020 | 4.2% | $1,415,107 | $102,109 |
| 60 | Mahinahina | 1,027 | 6.3% | $1,215,649 | $162,813 |
| 61 | Poipu | 1,175 | 1.3% | $1,101,887 | $143,333 |
| 62 | Ko Olina | 1,670 | 0.8% | $924,890 | $132,636 |
| 63 | Waikapu | 3,591 | 1.8% | $877,936 | $122,917 |
| 63 | Kaaawa | 1,328 | 0.9% | $1,056,686 | $131,750 |
| 65 | Maunawili | 2,024 | 1.6% | $1,500,253 | $177,143 |
Source: FBI crime data + U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 via Saturday Night Science. 65 Hawaii towns between 1,000 and 5,000 residents.
Summary
There You Have It – The Worst Small Towns In Hawaii
If you’re analyzing teeny places in the Aloha State with the worst economic situations, where there’s high crime and there’s not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The worst small towns in Hawaii are Hawaiian Ocean View, Eden Roc, Mountain View, Pahoa, Hawaiian Beaches, Fern Forest, Nanawale Estates, Leilani Estates, Honalo, and Discovery Harbour. Not sold on Hawaii? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
