The Town FilesLawai, Hawaii
Community in Kauai County · population 2,578 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $849,800
- Household income
- $104,286
- Jan low / Jul high
- 64° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.1
Lawai is a community of 2,578 people in Kauai County, Hawaii. The median home is worth $849,800, above the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). It ranks better transit than 88% of Hawaii towns, better for a vacation home than 84% of Hawaii towns, better for young professionals than 79% of Hawaii towns.
How Lawai 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 Lawai is worth $849,800, above the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). Homes cost about 8.1 times the median household income of $104,286, which is more affordable than 44% of Hawaii towns. Median rent is $1,747 a month. 71.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lawai | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $849,800 | $802,600 |
| Median rent | $1,747 | $1,931 |
| Median household income | $104,286 | $95,243 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.1× | 7.7× |
| Homeownership | 71.0% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1983 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.0% | — |
Who lives in Lawai
| People | Lawai | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 | 42.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.1% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.0% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.9% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 21.6% | 8.1% |
| Average commute | 19.3 min | 29.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.2% | 93.2% |
Weather in Lawai
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 64.2°F. About 23.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Hawaii town: 0.0 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lawai since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Hawaii town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on December 13, 2008 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 13, 2008.
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 Lawai itself the ACS puts it at 9.1%.
Towns near Lawai
- Kalaheo, HI1.1 mi · 4,996 people · home $956,900
- Eleele, HI5.3 mi · 2,515 people · home $777,200
- Hanapepe, HI5.6 mi · 2,678 people · home $715,700
- Puhi, HI7.6 mi · 3,380 people · home $701,400
- Lihue, HI10.0 mi · 8,004 people · home $878,500
- Hanamaulu, HI11.2 mi · 4,994 people · home $687,500
- Wailua Homesteads, HI12.8 mi · 5,863 people · home $943,400
- Kekaha, HI14.1 mi · 3,715 people · home $682,900
Lawai questions
Is Lawai, Hawaii a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lawai scores better for retirees than 71% of Hawaii towns and quieter than 40%. 20.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.1).
How much does a house cost in Lawai?
The median owner-occupied home in Lawai is valued at $849,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $104,286, so homes cost about 8.1 times income. Median rent is $1,747 a month.
What is the weather like in Lawai?
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 64.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 23.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Lawai get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lawai since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on December 13, 2008. 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)