The Town FilesKapaa, Hawaii
Community in Kauai County · population 11,652 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $861,300
- Household income
- $89,477
- Jan low / Jul high
- 66° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 48.4
Kapaa is a community of 11,652 people in Kauai County, Hawaii. The median home is worth $861,300, above the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). It ranks easier by car than 80% of Hawaii towns, more walkable than 76% of Hawaii towns, better for first-time buyers than 75% of Hawaii towns.
How Kapaa ranks
Percentile among Hawaii towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Hawaii towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Kapaa is worth $861,300, above the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). Homes cost about 9.6 times the median household income of $89,477, which is more affordable than 22% of Hawaii towns. Median rent is $2,020 a month. 69.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kapaa | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $861,300 | $802,600 |
| Median rent | $2,020 | $1,931 |
| Median household income | $89,477 | $95,243 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.6× | 7.7× |
| Homeownership | 69.0% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1983 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.2% | — |
Who lives in Kapaa
| People | Kapaa | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.4 | 42.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.8% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.7% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.5% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 8.1% |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 29.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.2% | 93.2% |
Weather in Kapaa
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 66.0°F. About 36.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Hawaii town: 0.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Kapaa since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Hawaii town. The strongest, an F0, struck on March 24, 2002 about 3.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 24, 2002.
Severe weather in Kauai County since 1996
Kauai County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, typhoon, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2026 | Hurricane | DR-4952: Hurricane Lowell |
| September 25, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3654: Tropical Storm Nolo |
| June 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4793: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| July 25, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3529: Hurricane Douglas |
| July 9, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4549: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Kauai County
Kauai County had 32,830 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,731 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Kapaa itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Public schools in Kapaa
3 public schools with 2,385 students, about 16.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kapaa High School | 9-12 | 1,038 | 17.9 |
| Kapaa Elementary School | PK-5 | 824 | 15.0 |
| Kapaa Middle School | 6-8 | 523 | 18.0 |
Towns near Kapaa
- Wailua Homesteads, HI2.3 mi · 5,863 people · home $943,400
- Hanamaulu, HI6.3 mi · 4,994 people · home $687,500
- Lihue, HI8.0 mi · 8,004 people · home $878,500
- Kilauea, HI9.1 mi · 3,014 people · home $1,087,400
- Puhi, HI9.1 mi · 3,380 people · home $701,400
- Lawai, HI15.0 mi · 2,578 people · home $849,800
- Kalaheo, HI15.9 mi · 4,996 people · home $956,900
- Hanapepe, HI19.4 mi · 2,678 people · home $715,700
Kapaa questions
Is Kapaa, Hawaii a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kapaa scores better for retirees than 36% of Hawaii towns and quieter than 31%. 23.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.4).
How much does a house cost in Kapaa?
The median owner-occupied home in Kapaa is valued at $861,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,477, so homes cost about 9.6 times income. Median rent is $2,020 a month.
What is the weather like in Kapaa?
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 66.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Kapaa get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Kapaa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on March 24, 2002. The typical Hawaii town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)