Kalihiwai, Hawaii Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 219, Kalihiwai'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

Kalihiwai is a small community located in Hawaii, within Kauai County. The total population is 219. It ranks as the 156th most populous out of 163 Census-designated places in Hawaii.

Age Demographics

The median age in Kalihiwai is 51.2 years. This is 25% higher than the state median of 40.9 years. Only 12.3% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 11.4% 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 Kalihiwai is $127,813. This is 27% higher than the state median of $100,389. It is also 58% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.9%. This is 32% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.0%. The unemployment rate is 14.1%. This is 188% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $2,000,000+. Housing costs are 138% higher than the state median of $839,100. The home-value-to-income ratio of 15.6x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 81.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 29% higher than the state average of 63.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Kalihiwai is White (non-Hispanic), making up 48.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (48.4% vs 20.9%). The Asian population (3.2%) is well below the state average of 36.4%.

Education

38.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 7% 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 97.1%. Notably, 22.8% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Kalihiwai, 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.