Jobs, pay and daily life in Kailua, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Kailua is a city in Hawaii with 21,818 residents. The median household earns $88,211 a year and the median rent is $1,754 a month, which is 23.9% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Kailua compares. Among the 40 largest places in Hawaii, Kailua is #12 by population, #6 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #31 for household income (#1 = highest), #11 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Hawaii County, is #4 of 4 counties for average pay ($57,868).
Kailua has 21,818 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.5% of the population of Hawaii. It covers 14 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,581 people per square mile. The median age is 41.6, about the same as the state median (41.6 against 40.9). It is a census-designated place: a community the Census Bureau counts as a unit, without a city government of its own, so services such as police, roads and zoning usually come from the county.
The median gross rent is $1,754 a month (rent plus utilities), 11% below the state median ($1,754 against $1,971). Over a year that is 23.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $667,400, which is 7.6 times the median household income ($88,211); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 67.0% of households own their home, 6% above the state average (67.0% against 63.0%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Hawaii County was 3.5%. 61.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Hawaii County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 62.1% drive alone, 0.4% use public transit, 2.1% walk, 10.2% work from home. 8.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 47% below the state average (8.9% against 16.7%).
33.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 7% below the state share (33.6% against 36.1%). 19.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 10% above the state share (19.6% against 17.9%). The poverty rate is 14.3%, 42% above the state rate (14.3% against 10.0%).
The warmest month is Aug, averaging 80°F (26.4°C), and the coolest is Feb at 75°F (24.0°C). About 938 mm (37 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Mar is the wettest month (134 mm) and Sep the driest (49 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Kaiminani (8 miles, rent 31% lower); Waimea (35 miles, rent 6% higher); Hilo (60 miles, rent 19% lower); Hawaiian Paradise Park (67 miles, rent 25% lower). Rent differences are against Kailua; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Hawaii (382) →State guide: HawaiiCountry guideHawaii CountyHawaii rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 382 federal postings open in Hawaii (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 22.3% |
| Education and health care | 18.6% |
| Retail trade | 14.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 13.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.8% |
| Construction | 6.3% |
| Public administration | 5.0% |
| Other services | 3.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.2% |
| Information | 2.8% |
| Manufacturing | 1.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Kailua lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii County | 205,769 | $12,193 million | $59,256 | 74,029 | 7,367 | $57,868 | +2.0% | 3.5% | 93,661 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 13,305 | 23.3% | $47,065 | 1.98 |
| Retail trade | 10,106 | 17.7% | $41,022 | 1.37 |
| Health care and social assistance | 7,914 | 13.9% | $56,739 | 0.75 |
| Construction | 4,022 | 7.0% | $77,524 | 1.04 |
| Administrative and waste services | 3,836 | 6.7% | $45,322 | 0.88 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,841 | 5.0% | $56,599 | 0.91 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,374 | 4.2% | $46,539 | 1.07 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,964 | 3.4% | $83,599 | 0.38 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,838 | 3.2% | $66,986 | 0.63 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,762 | 3.1% | $44,510 | 1.42 |
| Manufacturing | 1,716 | 3.0% | $50,530 | 0.28 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,423 | 2.5% | $60,849 | 1.24 |
| Educational services | 1,354 | 2.4% | $54,809 | 0.88 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,160 | 2.0% | $75,984 | 0.39 |
| Information | 609 | 1.1% | $99,845 | 0.44 |
| Utilities | 556 | 1.0% | $131,746 | 1.98 |
| Management of companies | 357 | 0.6% | $78,071 | 0.29 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 62.1% |
| Public transit | 0.4% |
| Walk | 2.1% |
| Work from home | 10.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $88,211 |
| Income per person | $45,971 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,754 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.9% |
| Median home value | $667,400 |
| Homeowners | 67.0% |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 11.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 41.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 91.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 33.6% |
| Born abroad | 19.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24.3 | 76 | 81 |
| Feb | 24.0 | 75 | 88 |
| Mar | 24.0 | 75 | 134 |
| Apr | 24.4 | 76 | 85 |
| May | 24.8 | 77 | 66 |
| Jun | 25.3 | 78 | 50 |
| Jul | 25.9 | 79 | 53 |
| Aug | 26.4 | 80 | 74 |
| Sep | 26.3 | 79 | 49 |
| Oct | 26.4 | 80 | 67 |
| Nov | 25.9 | 79 | 93 |
| Dec | 25.0 | 77 | 98 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiminani | HI | 8 mi | 11,465 | $110,560 | $1,202 |
| Waimea | HI | 35 mi | 9,286 | $100,198 | $1,867 |
| Hilo | HI | 60 mi | 50,404 | $81,779 | $1,427 |
| Hawaiian Paradise Park | HI | 67 mi | 13,203 | $88,348 | $1,310 |
| Kihei | HI | 82 mi | 21,567 | $87,772 | $2,045 |
| Pukalani | HI | 85 mi | 8,679 | $102,976 | $1,608 |
| Kahului | HI | 90 mi | 28,288 | $98,077 | $1,488 |
| Haiku-Pauwela | HI | 90 mi | 9,178 | $101,396 | $2,538 |
| Wailuku | HI | 92 mi | 16,926 | $102,942 | $1,762 |
| Waihee-Waiehu | HI | 94 mi | 10,988 | $126,735 | $2,191 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
21,818 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,754 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.9% of the median household income.
$88,211 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.5% (BLS county, Hawaii County (latest month 2026M09)).
Hawaii. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.