Fern Forest, Hawaii Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Fern Forest is a small community located in Hawaii, within Hawaii County. The total population is 1,088. It ranks as the 120th most populous out of 163 Census-designated places in Hawaii.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fern Forest is 51.4 years. This is 26% higher than the state median of 40.9 years. Only 13.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fern Forest is $42,917. This is 57% lower than the state median of $100,389. It is also 47% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 30.6%. This is 205% 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 unemployment rate is 3.6%. This is 26% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $170,900. Housing costs are 80% lower than the state median of $839,100. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.0x. 89.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 42% higher than the state average of 63.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Fern Forest is White (non-Hispanic), making up 45.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 19.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (45.7% vs 20.9%). The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (3.0% vs 1.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (19.2% vs 9.9%). The Asian population (4.2%) is well below the state average of 36.4%.

Education

18.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 49% 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 92.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Fern Forest, 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.