Jobs, pay and daily life in Kapaa, 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 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Kapaa is a city in Hawaii with 11,094 residents. The median household earns $89,477 a year and the median rent is $2,020 a month, which is 27.1% 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 Kapaa compares. Among the 40 largest places in Hawaii, Kapaa is #29 by population, #31 for remote work (#1 = most), #28 for college degrees (#1 = most), #27 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Kauai County, is #3 of 4 counties for average pay ($59,731).
Kapaa has 11,094 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of Hawaii. It covers 10 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,106 people per square mile. The median age is 48.4, 18% older than the state median (48.4 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 $2,020 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($2,020 against $1,971). Over a year that is 27.1% 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 $861,300, which is 9.6 times the median household income ($89,477); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 69.0% of households own their home, 10% above the state average (69.0% against 63.0%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Kauai County was 5.1%. 64.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Kauai County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 71.4% drive alone, 0.8% use public transit, 0.6% walk, 5.6% work from home. 16.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, about the same as the state average (16.3% against 16.7%).
29.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 18% below the state share (29.7% against 36.1%). 15.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 13% below the state share (15.6% against 17.9%). The poverty rate is 7.5%, 25% below the state rate (7.5% against 10.0%).
The warmest month is Sep, averaging 79°F (26.3°C), and the coolest is Feb at 72°F (22.5°C). About 825 mm (32 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Mar is the wettest month (125 mm) and Jul the driest (41 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: Makaha (85 miles, rent 8% lower); Waianae (87 miles, rent 37% lower); Maili (89 miles, rent 20% higher); Nanakuli (91 miles, rent 16% lower). Rent differences are against Kapaa; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Hawaii (384) →State guide: HawaiiCountry guideKauai 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 384 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 14.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 12.7% |
| Public administration | 10.1% |
| Retail trade | 8.0% |
| Construction | 7.4% |
| Other services | 7.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.6% |
| Information | 1.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.0% |
| Manufacturing | 1.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Kapaa 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kauai County | 73,731 | $5,552 million | $75,306 | 32,830 | 3,468 | $59,731 | +1.6% | 5.1% | 38,646 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 2,673 | 24.4% | $70,813 | 0.57 |
| Construction | 2,105 | 19.2% | $83,249 | 1.22 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,926 | 17.6% | $48,373 | 1.00 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,186 | 10.8% | $51,613 | 1.20 |
| Professional and technical services | 878 | 8.0% | $102,596 | 0.38 |
| Real estate and rental | 692 | 6.3% | $63,376 | 1.36 |
| Wholesale trade | 482 | 4.4% | $70,498 | 0.37 |
| Finance and insurance | 391 | 3.6% | $70,435 | 0.29 |
| Educational services | 278 | 2.5% | $49,163 | 0.41 |
| Information | 189 | 1.7% | $158,616 | 0.31 |
| Management of companies | 138 | 1.3% | $109,296 | 0.25 |
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 | 71.4% |
| Public transit | 0.8% |
| Walk | 0.6% |
| Work from home | 5.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 16.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $89,477 |
| Income per person | $41,091 |
| Median gross rent per month | $2,020 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 27.1% |
| Median home value | $861,300 |
| Homeowners | 69.0% |
| Poverty rate | 7.5% |
| 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 | 48.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 29.7% |
| Born abroad | 15.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 64.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23.0 | 73 | 68 |
| Feb | 22.5 | 72 | 84 |
| Mar | 22.6 | 73 | 125 |
| Apr | 23.4 | 74 | 57 |
| May | 24.3 | 76 | 49 |
| Jun | 25.2 | 77 | 43 |
| Jul | 25.7 | 78 | 41 |
| Aug | 26.1 | 79 | 47 |
| Sep | 26.3 | 79 | 51 |
| Oct | 25.9 | 79 | 76 |
| Nov | 24.9 | 77 | 84 |
| Dec | 23.8 | 75 | 100 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makaha | HI | 85 mi | 10,066 | $64,970 | $1,868 |
| Waianae | HI | 87 mi | 12,918 | $81,733 | $1,277 |
| Maili | HI | 89 mi | 11,570 | $111,542 | $2,420 |
| Nanakuli | HI | 91 mi | 12,383 | $86,597 | $1,690 |
| Schofield Barracks | HI | 92 mi | 16,270 | $80,388 | $3,230 |
| Wahiawa | HI | 95 mi | 17,996 | $87,143 | $1,546 |
| Makakilo | HI | 96 mi | 20,735 | $118,550 | $2,276 |
| Mililani Town | HI | 97 mi | 27,668 | $127,363 | $2,384 |
| Mililani Mauka | HI | 97 mi | 21,278 | $138,942 | $2,350 |
| Royal Kunia | HI | 97 mi | 13,555 | $135,361 | $2,921 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
11,094 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$2,020 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 27.1% of the median household income.
$89,477 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
5.1% (BLS county, Kauai County (latest month 2026M09)).
Hawaii. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.