Kawela Bay, Hawaii Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 376, Kawela Bay'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

Kawela Bay is a small community located in Hawaii, within Honolulu County. The total population is 376. It ranks as the 145th most populous out of 163 Census-designated places in Hawaii.

Age Demographics

The median age in Kawela Bay is 44.9 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 40.9 years. 10.1% 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 Kawela Bay is $74,205. This is 26% lower than the state median of $100,389. It is also 8% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 7.2%. This is 28% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.0%. The unemployment rate is 1.5%. This is 71% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $912,700. Housing costs are 9% higher than the state median of $839,100. The home-value-to-income ratio of 12.3x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 71.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% higher than the state average of 63.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Kawela Bay is White (non-Hispanic), making up 65.4% of the population. Asian residents account for 7.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (65.4% vs 20.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 9.9%. The Asian population (7.7%) is well below the state average of 36.4%.

Education

58.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Kawela Bay in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 62% 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 94.9%. Notably, 22.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Kawela Bay, 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.