Kalapana, Hawaii Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 76, Kalapana'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

Kalapana is a small community located in Hawaii, within Hawaii County. The total population is 76. It ranks as the 161st most populous out of 163 Census-designated places in Hawaii.

Age Demographics

The median age in Kalapana is 61.0 years. This is 49% higher than the state median of 40.9 years. Only 7.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Kalapana is $27,000. This is 73% lower than the state median of $100,389. It is also 67% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 39.5%. This is 293% 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 44.4%. This is 803% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $245,000. Housing costs are 71% lower 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. 76.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% higher than the state average of 63.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Kalapana is White (non-Hispanic), making up 46.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (46.1% vs 20.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 9.9%.

Education

61.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Kalapana in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 70% higher than the state rate of 36.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 31.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Kalapana, 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.