The Town FilesMakawao, Hawaii
Community in Maui County · population 7,297 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $888,000
- Household income
- $96,444
- Jan low / Jul high
- 53° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 42.8
Makawao is a community of 7,297 people in Maui County, Hawaii. The median home is worth $888,000, above the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). It ranks more upscale than 75% of Hawaii towns, better for families than 74% of Hawaii towns, better for retirees than 71% of Hawaii towns.
How Makawao 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 Makawao is worth $888,000, above the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). Homes cost about 9.2 times the median household income of $96,444, which is more affordable than 29% of Hawaii towns. Median rent is $1,908 a month. 67.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Makawao | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $888,000 | $802,600 |
| Median rent | $1,908 | $1,931 |
| Median household income | $96,444 | $95,243 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.2× | 7.7× |
| Homeownership | 67.1% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1983 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.3% | — |
Who lives in Makawao
| People | Makawao | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 42.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.6% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.3% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.2% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.2% | — |
| Work from home | 13.4% | 8.1% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 29.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 93.2% |
Weather in Makawao
July highs average 74.8°F and January lows 53.1°F. About 23.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Hawaii town: 0.0 in). Expect about 0 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 Makawao since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Hawaii town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on February 11, 2011 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 11, 2011.
Severe weather in Maui County since 1996
Maui County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tsunami.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2026 | Hurricane | DR-4951: Hurricane Lala |
| October 7, 2026 | Hurricane | DR-4952: Hurricane Lowell |
| September 25, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3654: Tropical Storm Nolo |
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4909: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 23, 2025 | Fire | FM-5613: Holomua Fire |
Jobs and pay in Maui County
Maui County had 73,656 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,830 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Makawao itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Public schools in Makawao
2 public schools with 1,420 students, about 14.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel Enoka Kalama Intermediate School | 6-8 | 937 | 14.9 |
| Makawao Elementary School | PK-5 | 483 | 13.8 |
Towns near Makawao
- Pukalani, HI1.8 mi · 8,299 people · home $973,700
- Haiku-Pauwela, HI5.2 mi · 8,595 people · home $1,093,800
- Kula, HI5.6 mi · 6,942 people · home $1,127,700
- Kihei, HI9.4 mi · 21,423 people · home $919,900
- Kahului, HI9.6 mi · 28,219 people · home $862,600
- Wailuku, HI12.2 mi · 17,697 people · home $855,700
- Waihee-Waiehu, HI13.3 mi · 9,234 people · home $777,000
- Waikapu, HI13.7 mi · 3,437 people · home $884,400
Makawao questions
Is Makawao, Hawaii a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Makawao scores better for retirees than 71% of Hawaii towns and quieter than 57%. 20.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).
How much does a house cost in Makawao?
The median owner-occupied home in Makawao is valued at $888,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,444, so homes cost about 9.2 times income. Median rent is $1,908 a month.
What is the weather like in Makawao?
July highs average 74.8°F and January lows 53.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 23.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Makawao get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Makawao since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on February 11, 2011. 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)