The Town FilesWaikele, Hawaii
Community in Honolulu County · population 7,509 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $704,700
- Household income
- $120,525
- Jan low / Jul high
- 62° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 44.4
Waikele is a community of 7,509 people in Honolulu County, Hawaii. The median home is worth $704,700, below the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). It ranks more vibrant than 100% of Hawaii towns, better for young professionals than 94% of Hawaii towns, more upscale than 94% of Hawaii towns.
How Waikele 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 Waikele is worth $704,700, below the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $120,525, which is more affordable than 85% of Hawaii towns. Median rent is $2,634 a month. 71.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waikele | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $704,700 | $802,600 |
| Median rent | $2,634 | $1,931 |
| Median household income | $120,525 | $95,243 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 7.7× |
| Homeownership | 71.0% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1983 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Waikele
| People | Waikele | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.4 | 42.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.5% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 14.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.2% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.6% | — |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 8.1% |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 29.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.6% | 93.2% |
Weather in Waikele
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 62.2°F. About 17.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Hawaii town: 0.0 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waikele 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 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 23, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on March 23, 2023.
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 Waikele itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Towns near Waikele
- Waipio, HI1.0 mi · 12,082 people · home $749,500
- Waipahu, HI1.3 mi · 43,485 people · home $868,600
- Royal Kunia, HI1.7 mi · 14,896 people · home $862,400
- Mililani Town, HI3.1 mi · 28,121 people · home $923,900
- West Loch Estate, HI3.1 mi · 5,523 people · home $855,100
- Pearl City, HI3.1 mi · 45,295 people · home $901,500
- East Kapolei, HI3.5 mi · 5,299 people · home $697,300
- Waipio Acres, HI4.6 mi · 5,531 people · home $753,900
Waikele questions
Is Waikele, Hawaii a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waikele scores better for retirees than 29% of Hawaii towns and quieter than 31%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.4).
How much does a house cost in Waikele?
The median owner-occupied home in Waikele is valued at $704,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $120,525, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $2,634 a month.
What is the weather like in Waikele?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 62.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Waikele get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waikele 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)