There are plenty of small towns throughout the Islands, each with their own charm, character and appeal. But the richest small town in Hawai‘i is the Windward O‘ahu community of Kailua, according to a recent analysis from GOBankingRates, a site that offers personal finance content.
GBR says it analyzed cities and towns with between 500 and 1,500 households, factoring in data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, AreaVibes and Zillow to find the richest small town in every state. The ranking includes population, median household income, average home value and a livability score. GBR noted, too, that multiple data points for each city were weighed.
Kailua was the most populous town on the list, noted by GBR to have a population of 39,762 — although the 2024 state Data Book has differing population numbers — and a median household income of $146,615. The average home value was a little more than $1.55 million and the livability score was 83. GBR does not seemingly define the boundaries of what it considers Kailua in its analysis.
AreaVibes noted that its overall livability score of 83 out of 100 is “exceptional.” That site gives Kailua a grade of A+ for amenities, commute, crime rates, employment, and health and safety, an A for schools, a B for user ratings, a C- for housing and an F for the cost of living.
And while its LinkedIn profile notes that GBR is headquartered in Los Angeles, the company also has a Kailua mailing address listed on its website.
You can see the full list of the richest small towns in every state here.
As of Dec. 4, there were more than 80 active single-family, condominium and multi-family listings on the HiCentral MLS across all neighborhoods in the Kailua region. They range in price from $470,000 for a fee simple condo in Kailua Town to $50 million for an oceanfront estate in Kailua Beachside.
The Kailua Chamber of Commerce provides some of the community’s history here. You can find more history and historic photos of the community here.
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
