Lihue, HI

Yes — Lihue is about 69% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 169. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $858,976, and monthly rents average roughly $1,989. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,989, while local median household income is $77,420. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 31% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

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 $858,976, that translates to roughly $2,405 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 4.44% on everyday purchases.

The typical monthly rent in Lihue is around $1,989. That's about 48% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $858,976, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

The median home in Lihue is valued at $858,976. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $4,343/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 63% of residents here own their homes.

Grocery prices in Lihue 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.

Lihue is a small town with a population of about 7,847. The median age of residents is 43.1, skewing somewhat older — common in established suburban communities. The local poverty rate is 6.32%, well below the national average of 12.4%.