The Town FilesWaimalu, Hawaii
Community in Honolulu County · population 13,817 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $597,800
- Household income
- $89,232
- Jan low / Jul high
- 67° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 43.9
Waimalu is a community of 13,817 people in Honolulu County, Hawaii. The median home is worth $597,800, below the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). It ranks better transit than 95% of Hawaii towns, more of a college town than 93% of Hawaii towns, better for young professionals than 91% of Hawaii towns.
How Waimalu 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 Waimalu is worth $597,800, below the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). Homes cost about 6.7 times the median household income of $89,232, which is more affordable than 73% of Hawaii towns. Median rent is $1,931 a month. 63.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waimalu | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $597,800 | $802,600 |
| Median rent | $1,931 | $1,931 |
| Median household income | $89,232 | $95,243 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.7× | 7.7× |
| Homeownership | 63.8% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1983 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Waimalu
| People | Waimalu | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.9 | 42.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 14.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.3% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.8% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 12.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.5% | — |
| Work from home | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 29.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.9% | 93.2% |
Weather in Waimalu
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 66.8°F. About 16.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Hawaii town: 0.0 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waimalu since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Hawaii town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 18, 1982 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 23, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on March 9, 2012.
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 Waimalu itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Towns near Waimalu
- Aiea, HI0.7 mi · 10,408 people · home $1,065,700
- Halawa, HI1.5 mi · 15,016 people · home $1,051,900
- Pearl City, HI1.7 mi · 45,295 people · home $901,500
- Waipio, HI4.4 mi · 12,082 people · home $749,500
- Hickam Housing, HI4.4 mi · 7,581 people · home —
- Waikele, HI4.7 mi · 7,509 people · home $704,700
- Waipahu, HI5.0 mi · 43,485 people · home $868,600
- Iroquois Point, HI5.6 mi · 4,549 people · home —
Waimalu questions
Is Waimalu, Hawaii a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waimalu scores better for retirees than 26% of Hawaii towns and quieter than 15%. 24.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.9).
How much does a house cost in Waimalu?
The median owner-occupied home in Waimalu is valued at $597,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,232, so homes cost about 6.7 times income. Median rent is $1,931 a month.
What is the weather like in Waimalu?
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 66.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Waimalu get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waimalu since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 18, 1982. 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)