The Town FilesWaialua, Hawaii
Community in Honolulu County · population 4,062 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $997,200
- Household income
- $88,269
- Jan low / Jul high
- 63° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 49.0
Waialua is a community of 4,062 people in Honolulu County, Hawaii. The median home is worth $997,200, above the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). It ranks more seaside character than 100% of Hawaii towns, more walkable than 94% of Hawaii towns, hipper than 89% of Hawaii towns.
How Waialua 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 Waialua is worth $997,200, above the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). Homes cost about 11.3 times the median household income of $88,269, which is more affordable than 11% of Hawaii towns. Median rent is $1,678 a month. 63.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waialua | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $997,200 | $802,600 |
| Median rent | $1,678 | $1,931 |
| Median household income | $88,269 | $95,243 |
| Home value ÷ income | 11.3× | 7.7× |
| Homeownership | 63.9% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1983 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.1% | — |
Who lives in Waialua
| People | Waialua | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.0 | 42.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.2% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 12.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.2% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.0% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.8% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 8.1% |
| Average commute | 32.4 min | 29.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.0% | 93.2% |
Weather in Waialua
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 62.6°F. About 33.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Hawaii town: 0.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waialua 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 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 11, 1989.
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 Waialua itself the ACS puts it at 7.9%.
Public schools in Waialua
2 public schools with 1,043 students, about 14.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waialua High & Intermediate School | 7-12 | 608 | 14.5 |
| Waialua Elementary School | PK-6 | 435 | 14.5 |
Towns near Waialua
- Haleiwa, HI2.9 mi · 4,941 people · home $1,091,700
- Schofield Barracks, HI6.4 mi · 14,904 people · home —
- Helemano, HI6.8 mi · 2,549 people · home —
- Whitmore Village, HI7.0 mi · 4,887 people · home $829,900
- Pupukea, HI7.1 mi · 5,130 people · home $1,436,000
- Wahiawa, HI8.0 mi · 18,658 people · home $806,200
- Waianae, HI8.9 mi · 13,614 people · home $518,300
- Makaha, HI9.2 mi · 9,916 people · home $394,000
Waialua questions
Is Waialua, Hawaii a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waialua scores better for retirees than 80% of Hawaii towns and quieter than 39%. 26.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.0).
How much does a house cost in Waialua?
The median owner-occupied home in Waialua is valued at $997,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,269, so homes cost about 11.3 times income. Median rent is $1,678 a month.
What is the weather like in Waialua?
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 62.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Waialua get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waialua 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)