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Kailua vs Waipahu

Kailua, Hawaii versus Waipahu, Hawaii: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Kailua

Mixed · objective livability48/100

Waipahu

Solid · objective livability51/100

Kailua and Waipahu score about the same overall (48 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorKailuaWaipahu
Affordability
Median Household Income$138k$88k
Cost of Living$74k$74k
Home Value$1.2M$805k
Monthly Rent$3k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$4k$3k
Property Tax Rate0.30%0.27%
Income Tax11.00%11.00%
Sales Tax4.50%4.50%
Estimated total tax burden15.12%14.95%
Unemployment3.3%4.8%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)73°F73°F
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F81°F
Annual Precipitation39.4 in17.1 in
Annual Snowfall0.0 in0.0 in
Sunny Days208 days272 days
Summer Humidity69°F67°F
Comfortable Days74 days78 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk66.065.0
Air Quality23 AQI21 AQI
School Quality71.971.9
Violent Crime1141/100k1141/100k
Property Crime2639/100k2639/100k
Community
Population40,32339,873
Median Age42.239.6
Racial Diversity0.690.51
Male/Female Ratio1.000.94
Political LeaningD+27D+27
White (%)40.6%3.6%
Black (%)0.6%0.4%
Hispanic (%)8.0%6.2%
Asian (%)21.1%66.6%
Other / Multiracial (%)29.7%23.1%
Getting Around
Commute Time30 min33 min
Walkability13.6/2013.5/20
Airport Distance13 mi7 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access95.1%82.0%
Amenities Nearby28.7757.68
Park & Nature AccessExcellentExcellent

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Kailua or Waipahu more affordable?
Waipahu has the lower cost of living: its index is $74k, compared with Kailua's $74k and Waipahu's $74k. Median rent is $3k in Kailua versus $2k in Waipahu.
Is Kailua or Waipahu safer?
Waipahu has the lower violent crime rate. Kailua reports 1141/100k and Waipahu reports 1141/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Kailua or Waipahu?
The median home value is $1.2M in Kailua and $805k in Waipahu, so homes are more affordable in Waipahu.
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