The Town Files

Kekaha, Hawaii

Community in Kauai County · population 3,715 (2020 Census)

Map: where Kekaha is in HawaiiKekaha
Median home
$682,900
Household income
$84,375
Jan low / Jul high
65° / 87°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
5
Median age
41.2

Kekaha is a community of 3,715 people in Kauai County, Hawaii. The median home is worth $682,900, below the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). It ranks better for cycling than 94% of Hawaii towns, more seaside character than 85% of Hawaii towns, easier by car than 76% of Hawaii towns.

Kekaha in our rankings:

How Kekaha 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.

Kekaha lifestyle rankings vs other Hawaii townsRetirement55th pctFamilies2nd pctQuiet65th pctWalkability42nd pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals61st pctVibrancy46th pctHip & trendy40th pctCollege town14th pctUpscale21st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside character85th pctCycling94th pctTransit56th pctDriving76th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Kekaha is worth $682,900, below the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). Homes cost about 8.1 times the median household income of $84,375, which is more affordable than 44% of Hawaii towns. Median rent is $2,248 a month. 68.3% of households own their home.

Kekaha vs Kauai County vs typical Hawaii townKekahaKauai CountyTypical Hawaii townHome value$682,900$873,200$802,600Household income$84,375$97,668$95,243Monthly rent$2,248$1,870$1,931
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Hawaii towns with 500+ people.
HousingKekahaTypical Hawaii town
Median home value$682,900$802,600
Median rent$2,248$1,931
Median household income$84,375$95,243
Home value ÷ income8.1×7.7×
Homeownership68.3%71.0%
Median year built19751983
Seasonal / vacation homes5.7%—

Who lives in Kekaha

PeopleKekahaTypical Hawaii town
Median age41.242.2
Age 65 and over16.9%21.1%
Under 1829.5%—
Bachelor's degree or higher15.7%30.4%
Below the poverty line18.9%10.1%
Veterans5.0%—
Born outside the U.S.12.2%—
Work from home2.5%8.1%
Average commute26.2 min29.1 min
Homes with broadband93.3%93.2%

Weather in Kekaha

July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 64.9°F. About 17.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Hawaii town: 0.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.

Kekaha monthly temperatures and precipitation60°70°80°90°79°65°Jan79°64°Feb81°66°Mar82°67°Apr84°69°May86°71°Jun87°71°Jul88°73°Aug87°72°Sep86°71°Oct84°69°Nov82°67°DecPrecipitation (in)1.92.61.70.61.20.60.30.30.81.82.63.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Barking Sands station (6.3 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kekaha since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Hawaii town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on December 13, 2008 about 4.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 13, 2008.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Kekaha by decade01950s11960s21970s01980s01990s22000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Severe weather in Kauai County since 1996

Storm events in Kauai County since 1996 by typeFlood61Drought118Wildfire14High Surf1,840High Wind146Heavy Rain305Debris Flow8Flash Flood150
NOAA Storm Events Database, Kauai County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 19 deaths recorded.

Kauai County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, typhoon, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
October 7, 2026HurricaneDR-4952: Hurricane Lowell
September 25, 2026Tropical StormEM-3654: Tropical Storm Nolo
June 17, 2024FloodDR-4793: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides
July 25, 2020HurricaneEM-3529: Hurricane Douglas
July 9, 2020Severe StormDR-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 Kekaha itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.

Largest industries in Kauai CountyHealth care & social assistan…2,673 jobs · $70,813Construction2,105 jobs · $83,249Administrative & support1,926 jobs · $48,373Other services1,186 jobs · $51,613Professional & technical serv…878 jobs · $102,596Real estate692 jobs · $63,376
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Kauai County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Kauai 2.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Kekaha

3 public schools with 435 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Kekaha Elementary SchoolPK-534715.1
Kula Aupuni Niihau A Kahelelani Aloha - NCPCS (charter)PK-124511.3
Ke Kula Niihau o Kekaha Learning Center (charter)PK-12436.1

Towns near Kekaha

Kekaha questions

Is Kekaha, Hawaii a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kekaha scores better for retirees than 55% of Hawaii towns and quieter than 65%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).

How much does a house cost in Kekaha?

The median owner-occupied home in Kekaha is valued at $682,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,375, so homes cost about 8.1 times income. Median rent is $2,248 a month.

What is the weather like in Kekaha?

July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 64.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.

Does Kekaha get tornadoes?

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kekaha since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on December 13, 2008. The typical Hawaii town has had 2.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Kekaha's Census boundary (GEOID 1535600). Comparisons use the median of Hawaii towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.