Naalehu, Hawaii Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 872, Naalehu'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

Naalehu is a small community located in Hawaii, within Hawaii County. The total population is 872. It ranks as the 132nd most populous out of 163 Census-designated places in Hawaii.

Age Demographics

The median age in Naalehu is 30.3 years. This is 26% lower than the state median of 40.9 years. With 35.0% of the population under 18, Naalehu has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Naalehu is $67,679. This is 33% lower than the state median of $100,389. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.8%. This is 27% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.0%. The unemployment rate is 2.3%. This is 54% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $234,100. Housing costs are 72% lower than the state median of $839,100. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.5x. 77.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% higher than the state average of 63.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

Naalehu is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 22.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (10.3%) is well below the state average of 20.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (22.7% vs 9.9%).

Education

13.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 64% 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 87.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Naalehu, 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.