Kauai County vs Maui County
Kauai County, Hawaii versus Maui County, Hawaii: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Maui County edges out Kauai County on overall objective livability (48 vs 39 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kauai County | Maui County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $89k | $95k |
| Cost of Living | $72k | $76k |
| Home Value | $743k | $800k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.23% | 0.18% |
| Income Tax | 11.00% | 11.00% |
| Sales Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.37% | 13.97% |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 72°F | 73°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.8 in | 35.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 207 days | 290 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 67°F |
| Comfortable Days | 88 days | 80 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 84.4 | 93.1 |
| Air Quality | — | 20 AQI |
| Violent Crime | 2029/100k | 1020/100k |
| Property Crime | 1746/100k | 2094/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 73,511 | 164,765 |
| Median Age | 42.3 | 42.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.73 | 0.74 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | D+29 | D+36 |
| White (%) | 28.9% | 29.3% |
| Black (%) | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 11.6% | 11.9% |
| Asian (%) | 28.3% | 27.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 30.7% | 30.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 6.5/20 | 6.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 136 mi | 88 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.3% | 87.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 2.91 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Good |
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 Kauai County or Maui County more affordable?
- Kauai County has the lower cost of living: its index is $72k, compared with Kauai County's $72k and Maui County's $76k. Median rent is $2k in Kauai County versus $2k in Maui County.
- Is Kauai County or Maui County safer?
- Maui County has the lower violent crime rate. Kauai County reports 2029/100k and Maui County reports 1020/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kauai County or Maui County?
- The median home value is $743k in Kauai County and $800k in Maui County, so homes are more affordable in Kauai County.