The Town FilesKapolei, Hawaii
Community in Honolulu County · population 21,411 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $744,200
- Household income
- $128,324
- Jan low / Jul high
- 65° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 35.3
Kapolei is a community of 21,411 people in Honolulu County, Hawaii. The median home is worth $744,200, below the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of Hawaii towns, more of a college town than 92% of Hawaii towns, better for families than 85% of Hawaii towns.
How Kapolei 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 Kapolei is worth $744,200, below the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $128,324, which is more affordable than 85% of Hawaii towns. Median rent is $2,311 a month. 76.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kapolei | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $744,200 | $802,600 |
| Median rent | $2,311 | $1,931 |
| Median household income | $128,324 | $95,243 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 7.7× |
| Homeownership | 76.5% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 2006 | 1983 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.6% | — |
Who lives in Kapolei
| People | Kapolei | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 42.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.2% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.9% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.3% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 9.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 8.1% |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 29.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.7% | 93.2% |
Weather in Kapolei
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 64.7°F. About 13.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Hawaii town: 0.0 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kapolei since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Hawaii town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on April 23, 2015 about 1.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 23, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on March 23, 2023.
Severe weather in Honolulu County since 1996
Honolulu County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tsunami.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2026 | Hurricane | DR-4951: Hurricane Lala |
| September 25, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3654: Tropical Storm Nolo |
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4909: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 19, 2025 | Fire | FM-5609: Kunia Road Fire |
| February 15, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4639: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
Jobs and pay in Honolulu County
Honolulu County had 453,193 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,851 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Kapolei itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Kapolei
9 public schools with 6,159 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kapolei High School | 9-12 | 1,898 | 14.9 |
| Hookele Elementary School | PK-5 | 767 | 16.7 |
| Kapolei Middle School | 6-8 | 738 | 13.2 |
| Kapolei Elementary School | PK-5 | 686 | 12.9 |
| Barbers Point Elementary School | PK-5 | 541 | 15.9 |
| Mauka Lani Elementary School | PK-5 | 538 | 14.5 |
| Makakilo Elementary School | PK-5 | 453 | 13.7 |
| DreamHouse Ewa Beach (charter) | 6-10 | 400 | 11.1 |
| Kapolei Charter School by Goodwill Hawaii (charter) | 9-12 | 138 | 15.3 |
Towns near Kapolei
- Makakilo, HI1.6 mi · 19,877 people · home $867,200
- Ewa Villages, HI1.9 mi · 7,825 people · home $867,600
- East Kapolei, HI2.4 mi · 5,299 people · home $697,300
- Ewa Gentry, HI2.7 mi · 25,707 people · home $816,000
- West Loch Estate, HI3.2 mi · 5,523 people · home $855,100
- Ocean Pointe, HI3.2 mi · 14,965 people · home $900,200
- Ewa Beach, HI4.4 mi · 16,415 people · home $748,800
- Waipahu, HI4.8 mi · 43,485 people · home $868,600
Kapolei questions
Is Kapolei, Hawaii a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kapolei scores better for retirees than 5% of Hawaii towns and quieter than 3%. 11.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Kapolei?
The median owner-occupied home in Kapolei is valued at $744,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $128,324, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $2,311 a month.
What is the weather like in Kapolei?
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 64.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Kapolei get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kapolei since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on April 23, 2015. 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)