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Kapaa, HI

High Pressure

Living in Kapaa, HI costs about 79% more than the national average (Cost Index: 179). Housing is the main driver — the typical home value of $947,141 is well above the $303,400 US median. The local median household income is $89,440, which helps frame the place-side housing burden.

Kapaa already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 27% rent burden, 10.6x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 312. Treat this page as a stress test for rent, mortgage, and tax burden before assuming the move works.Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 · BEA RPP 2023 · Zillow ZHVI

Data Updated: March 2026
Housing Feasibility Verdict
Stretch

Based on your household income, housing mode, local rent, home value, property tax, and mortgage assumptions for Kapaa.

Monthly Housing
$1,997/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
27%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$4,956/mo
After housing and debt · $1,652/person
Rent vs Buy
Rent first
Main pressure: home prices
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: MediumHome source: ZILLOWRent source: ACSBEA proxy: nonmetroHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 34%
Uses a URL fragment, so it does not create a separate indexed page.
Cost Index
179
Very Expensive
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$947,141
Zillow ZHVI Market Rate • Census ACS: $821,500
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$1,997/mo
Source: Census ACS
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
$89,440
National: $78,538
Population
10,886
Purchasing Power
64
100 = national baseline

Cost of Living Breakdown

Each index uses 100 as the US national average. A score of 150 means 50% more expensive; 80 means 20% cheaper.

Housing Cost Index
312 / 100
~3.1x more expensive
Rent Index
148 / 100
48% above average
Goods & Groceries
96 / 100
About the same as most US cities
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Utilities
88 / 100
12% lower utility bills
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Healthcare & Services
98 / 100
In line with national average
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Overall Index
179
Very Expensive · 79% above average

Kapaa Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $947,141 and Hawaii's property tax rate of 0.28%.

Household Housing Budget

Local median household income is shown only as a place-side affordability input. Personal salary, filing status, and take-home pay analysis belong in salary.city.

Local Household Income
$89,440
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
27%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
10.6x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Kapaa looks structurally manageable for a household budget. For a specific job offer, filing status, payroll taxes, or salary equivalence across cities, run the income-side decision in salary.city.

Property Tax in Kapaa, HI

Est. Annual Property Tax
$2,652
Monthly Impact
$221
Added to your mortgage
Effective Rate
0.28%
National avg: ~1.00%

Hawaii Place Tax Context

Tax TypeHawaiiNational Avg
Property Tax Rate0.28%1.00%
Top Income Tax Rate11%~5.0%
State Sales Tax4.44%~5.0%

Compare Kapaa to Another City

Compare place-side costs such as housing, rent, groceries, utilities, services, and tax context.

Cost of Living Comparison

Compare place-side housing, rent, goods, services, and utility pressure between cities.

Kapaa, HI
179
148
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Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Kapaa, HI: 312
Rent Prices
148

FAQ: Living in Kapaa

Is Kapaa, HI an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Kapaa is about 79% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 179. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $947,141, and monthly rents average roughly $1,997. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

How does Kapaa fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,997, while local median household income is $89,440. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 27% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

How much are taxes in Kapaa, HI?+

Hawaii has a progressive state income tax with a top rate of 11%. The effective property tax rate is 0.28%. On a home worth $947,141, that translates to roughly $2,652 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 4.44% on everyday purchases.

How much does it cost to rent in Kapaa, HI?+

The typical monthly rent in Kapaa is around $1,997. That's about 48% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $947,141, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Kapaa, HI?+

The median home in Kapaa is valued at $947,141. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $4,789/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 64% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Kapaa?+

Grocery prices in Kapaa are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 96, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are below average (index: 88). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

What is Kapaa, HI like to live in?+

Kapaa is a small town with a population of about 10,886. The median age of residents is 46.3, skewing somewhat older — common in established suburban communities. The local poverty rate is 6.91%, well below the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in Hawaii

If Kapaa feels tight, start with these same-state cities that look easier on rent burden or buy-side pressure.

Higher-Pressure Comparisons in Hawaii

Use these city pages when you want to compare Kapaa against tougher same-state markets before deciding whether the current city is already a stretch.

LC
Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team
Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists
Data Sources & Methodology
  • Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
  • Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
  • Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
  • Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
  • Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)
Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly