Kailua (Honolulu County), Hawaii Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Kailua (Honolulu County) is a mid-sized community located in Hawaii, within Honolulu County. The total population is 39,640. It ranks as the 6th most populous out of 163 Census-designated places in Hawaii.

Age Demographics

The median age in Kailua (Honolulu County) is 42.9 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 40.9 years. 10.3% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Kailua (Honolulu County) is $148,582. This is 48% higher than the state median of $100,389. It is also 84% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.0%. This is 60% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 23% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $1,353,700. Housing costs are 61% higher than the state median of $839,100. The home-value-to-income ratio of 9.1x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 72.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% higher than the state average of 63.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

Kailua (Honolulu County) is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Asian residents account for 18.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (42.1% vs 20.9%). The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 1.8%.

Education

55.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Kailua (Honolulu County) in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 54% higher 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 97.9%. Notably, 27.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Kailua (Honolulu County), 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.