The Town FilesWaikapu, Hawaii
Community in Maui County · population 3,437 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $884,400
- Household income
- $122,917
- Jan low / Jul high
- 64° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 36.8
Waikapu is a community of 3,437 people in Maui County, Hawaii. The median home is worth $884,400, above the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of Hawaii towns, better for families than 97% of Hawaii towns, easier by car than 91% of Hawaii towns.
- #1 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Hawaii
- #2 in The 22 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Hawaii
- #7 in The 15 Quietest Small Towns in Hawaii
- #9 in The 11 Most Affordable Seaside Small Towns in Hawaii
- #24 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Hawaii
- #37 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Mildest Winters
How Waikapu 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 Waikapu is worth $884,400, above the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). Homes cost about 7.2 times the median household income of $122,917, which is more affordable than 60% of Hawaii towns. Median rent is $2,404 a month. 80.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waikapu | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $884,400 | $802,600 |
| Median rent | $2,404 | $1,931 |
| Median household income | $122,917 | $95,243 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.2× | 7.7× |
| Homeownership | 80.4% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1983 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Waikapu
| People | Waikapu | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.8 | 42.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.5% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 30.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.8% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.8% | — |
| Work from home | 6.3% | 8.1% |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 29.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 93.2% |
Weather in Waikapu
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 63.6°F. About 16.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Hawaii town: 0.0 in). Expect about 39 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 Waikapu since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Hawaii town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on February 11, 2011 about 7.0 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 Waikapu itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Towns near Waikapu
- Wailuku, HI3.8 mi · 17,697 people · home $855,700
- Kahului, HI4.7 mi · 28,219 people · home $862,600
- Waihee-Waiehu, HI6.2 mi · 9,234 people · home $777,000
- Kihei, HI7.9 mi · 21,423 people · home $919,900
- Lahaina, HI9.4 mi · 12,702 people · home $881,700
- Pukalani, HI12.2 mi · 8,299 people · home $973,700
- Wailea, HI12.3 mi · 6,027 people · home $1,534,800
- Napili-Honokowai, HI12.8 mi · 7,042 people · home $878,900
Waikapu questions
Is Waikapu, Hawaii a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waikapu scores better for retirees than 18% of Hawaii towns and quieter than 75%. 12.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.8).
How much does a house cost in Waikapu?
The median owner-occupied home in Waikapu is valued at $884,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $122,917, so homes cost about 7.2 times income. Median rent is $2,404 a month.
What is the weather like in Waikapu?
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 63.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Waikapu get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waikapu 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)