The Town FilesWaianae, Hawaii
Community in Honolulu County · population 13,614 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $518,300
- Household income
- $81,733
- Jan low / Jul high
- 65° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 37.7
Waianae is a community of 13,614 people in Honolulu County, Hawaii. The median home is worth $518,300, below the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). It ranks better transit than 82% of Hawaii towns, more walkable than 70% of Hawaii towns, more vibrant than 70% of Hawaii towns.
How Waianae ranks
Percentile among Hawaii towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Hawaii towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Waianae is worth $518,300, below the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $81,733, which is more affordable than 78% of Hawaii towns. Median rent is $1,277 a month. 66.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waianae | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $518,300 | $802,600 |
| Median rent | $1,277 | $1,931 |
| Median household income | $81,733 | $95,243 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 7.7× |
| Homeownership | 66.7% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1983 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.6% | — |
Who lives in Waianae
| People | Waianae | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 | 42.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.2% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.2% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.4% | — |
| Work from home | 4.2% | 8.1% |
| Average commute | 42.2 min | 29.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.3% | 93.2% |
Weather in Waianae
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 64.8°F. About 21.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Hawaii town: 0.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waianae since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Hawaii town. The strongest, an F0, struck on January 25, 2004 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 25, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on March 23, 2023.
Severe weather in Honolulu County since 1996
Honolulu County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tsunami.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2026 | Hurricane | DR-4951: Hurricane Lala |
| September 25, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3654: Tropical Storm Nolo |
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4909: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 19, 2025 | Fire | FM-5609: Kunia Road Fire |
| February 15, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4639: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
Jobs and pay in Honolulu County
Honolulu County had 453,193 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,851 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Waianae itself the ACS puts it at 8.8%.
Public schools in Waianae
11 public schools with 8,175 students, about 12.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waianae High School | 9-12 | 1,643 | 13.4 |
| Nanakuli High & Intermediate School | 7-12 | 954 | 12.4 |
| Kamaile Academy PCS (charter) | PK-12 | 901 | 11.6 |
| Leihoku Elementary School | PK-6 | 787 | 11.2 |
| Waianae Intermediate School | 7-8 | 785 | 13.3 |
| Nanaikapono Elementary School | PK-6 | 690 | 12.8 |
| Ka Waihona o ka Naauao - PCS (charter) | K-8 | 626 | 14.2 |
| Maili Elementary School | PK-6 | 605 | 12.9 |
| Waianae Elementary School | PK-6 | 412 | 12.1 |
| Makaha Elementary School | PK-6 | 403 | 10.3 |
| Nanakuli Elementary School | PK-6 | 369 | 13.7 |
Towns near Waianae
- Makaha, HI2.5 mi · 9,916 people · home $394,000
- Maili, HI2.6 mi · 11,535 people · home $640,600
- Nanakuli, HI4.6 mi · 12,195 people · home $488,600
- Schofield Barracks, HI8.2 mi · 14,904 people · home —
- Waialua, HI8.9 mi · 4,062 people · home $997,200
- Makakilo, HI9.1 mi · 19,877 people · home $867,200
- Royal Kunia, HI10.2 mi · 14,896 people · home $862,400
- Waipio Acres, HI10.7 mi · 5,531 people · home $753,900
Waianae questions
Is Waianae, Hawaii a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waianae scores better for retirees than 9% of Hawaii towns and quieter than 21%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.7).
How much does a house cost in Waianae?
The median owner-occupied home in Waianae is valued at $518,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,733, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $1,277 a month.
What is the weather like in Waianae?
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 64.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Waianae get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waianae since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on January 25, 2004. The typical Hawaii town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)