The Town FilesWaimanalo Beach, Hawaii
Community in Honolulu County · population 4,823 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $852,300
- Household income
- $127,450
- Jan low / Jul high
- 65° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 46.5
Waimanalo Beach is a community of 4,823 people in Honolulu County, Hawaii. The median home is worth $852,300, above the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). It ranks more seaside character than 99% of Hawaii towns, more walkable than 86% of Hawaii towns, better transit than 74% of Hawaii towns.
- #1 in The 11 Most Affordable Seaside Small Towns in Hawaii
- #6 in The 23 Most Walkable Small Towns in Hawaii
- #15 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Hawaii
- #18 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Hawaii
- #19 in 21 Small Towns in Hawaii With the Mildest Winters
- #21 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Mildest Winters
How Waimanalo Beach 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 Waimanalo Beach is worth $852,300, above the typical Hawaii town ($802,600). Homes cost about 6.7 times the median household income of $127,450, which is more affordable than 73% of Hawaii towns. Median rent is $1,275 a month. 83.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waimanalo Beach | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $852,300 | $802,600 |
| Median rent | $1,275 | $1,931 |
| Median household income | $127,450 | $95,243 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.7× | 7.7× |
| Homeownership | 83.0% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1983 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Waimanalo Beach
| People | Waimanalo Beach | Typical Hawaii town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 | 42.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.6% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.8% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 8.1% |
| Average commute | 33.2 min | 29.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.0% | 93.2% |
Weather in Waimanalo Beach
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 64.8°F. About 42.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Hawaii town: 0.0 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waimanalo Beach since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Hawaii town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on February 11, 1982 about 1.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 9, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 4.25 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 Waimanalo Beach itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Towns near Waimanalo Beach
- Waimanalo, HI2.5 mi · 6,057 people · home $799,200
- East Honolulu, HI3.3 mi · 50,922 people · home $1,212,000
- Kailua, HI5.3 mi · 40,514 people · home $1,353,700
- Kaneohe, HI8.2 mi · 37,430 people · home $1,029,700
- Kaneohe Base, HI8.8 mi · 9,483 people · home $352,000
- Urban Honolulu, HI9.9 mi · 350,964 people · home $843,400
- Heeia, HI10.2 mi · 5,001 people · home $1,200,200
- Ahuimanu, HI12.0 mi · 8,969 people · home $910,600
Waimanalo Beach questions
Is Waimanalo Beach, Hawaii a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waimanalo Beach scores better for retirees than 31% of Hawaii towns and quieter than 41%. 25.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.5).
How much does a house cost in Waimanalo Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in Waimanalo Beach is valued at $852,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $127,450, so homes cost about 6.7 times income. Median rent is $1,275 a month.
What is the weather like in Waimanalo Beach?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 64.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Waimanalo Beach get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waimanalo Beach since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on February 11, 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)