The Town FilesWahiawa, Hawaii
Community in Honolulu County · population 18,658 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $806,200
- Household income
- $87,143
- Jan low / Jul high
- 61° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 38.8
Wahiawa is a community of 18,658 people in Honolulu County, Hawaii. The median home is worth $806,200, close to the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Hawaii towns, better transit than 91% of Hawaii towns, more vibrant than 89% of Hawaii towns.
How Wahiawa 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 Wahiawa is worth $806,200, close to the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). Homes cost about 9.3 times the median household income of $87,143, which is more affordable than 27% of Hawaii towns. Median rent is $1,546 a month. 53.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wahiawa | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $806,200 | $802,600 |
| Median rent | $1,546 | $1,931 |
| Median household income | $87,143 | $95,243 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.3× | 7.7× |
| Homeownership | 53.5% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1983 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Wahiawa
| People | Wahiawa | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 42.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.3% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.3% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 10.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.2% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 29.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.3% | 93.2% |
Weather in Wahiawa
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 60.6°F. About 64.1 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
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wahiawa since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Hawaii town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 18, 1982 about 0.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 25, 2004.
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 Wahiawa itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Wahiawa
11 public schools with 6,692 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leilehua High School | 9-12 | 1,581 | 14.2 |
| Sergeant Samuel K Solomon Elementary School | PK-5 | 750 | 12.9 |
| Major Sheldon Wheeler Middle School | 6-8 | 697 | 15.8 |
| Wahiawa Middle School | 6-8 | 686 | 15.2 |
| Daniel K Inouye Elementary School | PK-5 | 659 | 15.7 |
| Major Sheldon Wheeler Elementary School | PK-5 | 628 | 14.6 |
| Helemano Elementary School | PK-5 | 435 | 11.4 |
| Wahiawa Elementary School | PK-5 | 425 | 12.5 |
| Kaala Elementary School | PK-5 | 383 | 12.0 |
| Iliahi Elementary School | PK-5 | 336 | 13.4 |
| Kamalani Academy (charter) | PK-8 | 112 | 10.2 |
Towns near Wahiawa
- Whitmore Village, HI1.1 mi · 4,887 people · home $829,900
- Waipio Acres, HI2.2 mi · 5,531 people · home $753,900
- Mililani Mauka, HI2.3 mi · 21,075 people · home $988,100
- Helemano, HI2.5 mi · 2,549 people · home —
- Schofield Barracks, HI2.9 mi · 14,904 people · home —
- Mililani Town, HI3.7 mi · 28,121 people · home $923,900
- Waipio, HI6.1 mi · 12,082 people · home $749,500
- Royal Kunia, HI6.7 mi · 14,896 people · home $862,400
Wahiawa questions
Is Wahiawa, Hawaii a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wahiawa scores better for retirees than 20% of Hawaii towns and quieter than 7%. 18.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Wahiawa?
The median owner-occupied home in Wahiawa is valued at $806,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,143, so homes cost about 9.3 times income. Median rent is $1,546 a month.
What is the weather like in Wahiawa?
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 60.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 64.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Wahiawa get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wahiawa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 18, 1982. 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)