Hawaii County vs Kauai County
Hawaii County, Hawaii versus Kauai County, Hawaii: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Hawaii County and Kauai County score about the same overall (40 vs 39 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hawaii County | Kauai County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $89k |
| Cost of Living | $69k | $72k |
| Home Value | $455k | $743k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.29% | 0.23% |
| Income Tax | 11.00% | 11.00% |
| Sales Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.26% | 14.37% |
| Unemployment | 6.5% | 4.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 65°F | 72°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 112.2 in | 48.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 140 days | 207 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 46 days | 88 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.5 | 84.4 |
| Air Quality | 23 AQI | — |
| Violent Crime | 136/100k | 2029/100k |
| Property Crime | 162/100k | 1746/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 202,163 | 73,511 |
| Median Age | 43.3 | 42.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.74 | 0.73 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | D+37 | D+29 |
| White (%) | 29.6% | 28.9% |
| Black (%) | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| Asian (%) | 21.0% | 28.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 35.1% | 30.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 5.5/20 | 6.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 200 mi | 136 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.7% | 92.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hawaii County or Kauai County more affordable?
- Hawaii County has the lower cost of living: its index is $69k, compared with Hawaii County's $69k and Kauai County's $72k. Median rent is $1k in Hawaii County versus $2k in Kauai County.
- Is Hawaii County or Kauai County safer?
- Hawaii County has the lower violent crime rate. Hawaii County reports 136/100k and Kauai County reports 2029/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hawaii County or Kauai County?
- The median home value is $455k in Hawaii County and $743k in Kauai County, so homes are more affordable in Hawaii County.