Black Sands, Hawaii Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 354, Black Sands's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Black Sands is a small community located in Hawaii, within Hawaii County. The total population is 354. It ranks as the 148th most populous out of 163 Census-designated places in Hawaii.

Age Demographics

The median age in Black Sands is 52.5 years. This is 28% higher than the state median of 40.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Black Sands is $14,167. This is 86% lower than the state median of $100,389. It is also 82% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 62.4%. This is 522% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Black Sands, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $155,600. Housing costs are 81% lower than the state median of $839,100. The home-value-to-income ratio of 11.0x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 92.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 47% higher than the state average of 63.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Black Sands is White (non-Hispanic), making up 59.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (59.0% vs 20.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (3.7%) is well below the state average of 9.9%. The Asian population (3.4%) is well below the state average of 36.4%.

Education

15.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 58% lower than the state rate of 36.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 84.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Black Sands, Hawaii is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Hawaii state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 163 Census-designated places in Hawaii. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.