Wainiha, Hawaii Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 362, Wainiha'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

Wainiha is a small community located in Hawaii, within Kauai County. The total population is 362. It ranks as the 147th most populous out of 163 Census-designated places in Hawaii.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wainiha is 30.8 years. This is 25% lower than the state median of 40.9 years. With 29.0% of the population under 18, Wainiha has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wainiha is $99,375. This is 1% lower than the state median of $100,389. It is also 23% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.1%. This is 59% 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 2.7%. This is 45% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $961,500. Housing costs are 15% higher than the state median of $839,100. The home-value-to-income ratio of 9.7x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 62.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

Wainiha is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Asian residents account for 17.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (35.6% vs 20.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 9.9%. The Asian population (17.7%) is well below the state average of 36.4%.

Education

47.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 31% 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 98.3%. Notably, 15.6% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Wainiha, 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.