Jobs, pay and daily life in Waimea, 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.
Waimea is a city in Hawaii with 9,286 residents. The median household earns $100,198 a year and the median rent is $1,867 a month, which is 22.4% 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 Waimea compares. Among the 40 largest places in Hawaii, Waimea is #36 by population, #1 for remote work (#1 = most), #8 for college degrees (#1 = most), #31 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Hawaii County, is #4 of 4 counties for average pay ($57,868).
Waimea has 9,286 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.6% of the population of Hawaii. It covers 39 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 236 people per square mile. The median age is 42.5, 4% older than the state median (42.5 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 $1,867 a month (rent plus utilities), 5% below the state median ($1,867 against $1,971). Over a year that is 22.4% 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 $677,400, which is 6.8 times the median household income ($100,198); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 73.0% of households own their home, 16% above the state average (73.0% against 63.0%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Hawaii County was 3.5%. 64.2% 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, 67.2% drive alone, 0.4% use public transit, 0.5% walk, 18.9% work from home. 29.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 75% above the state average (29.3% against 16.7%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
41.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 15% above the state share (41.6% against 36.1%). 9.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 46% below the state share (9.7% against 17.9%). The poverty rate is 12.3%, 23% above the state rate (12.3% against 10.0%).
The warmest month is Aug, averaging 72°F (22.4°C), and the coolest is Feb at 67°F (19.2°C). About 1,609 mm (63 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Mar is the wettest month (189 mm) and Jun the driest (92 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 (30 miles, rent 36% lower); Kailua (35 miles, rent 6% lower); Hilo (42 miles, rent 24% lower); Hawaiian Paradise Park (52 miles, rent 30% lower). Rent differences are against Waimea; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Hawaii (384) →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 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 | 27.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 17.8% |
| Construction | 11.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.2% |
| Retail trade | 7.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.7% |
| Public administration | 6.1% |
| Other services | 4.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.5% |
| Manufacturing | 2.4% |
| Information | 2.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Waimea 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 | 67.2% |
| Public transit | 0.4% |
| Walk | 0.5% |
| Work from home | 18.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 29.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $100,198 |
| Income per person | $44,761 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,867 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 22.4% |
| Median home value | $677,400 |
| Homeowners | 73.0% |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% |
| 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 | 42.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 41.6% |
| Born abroad | 9.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 64.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19.6 | 67 | 124 |
| Feb | 19.2 | 67 | 143 |
| Mar | 19.6 | 67 | 189 |
| Apr | 20.1 | 68 | 165 |
| May | 20.9 | 70 | 122 |
| Jun | 21.4 | 71 | 92 |
| Jul | 22.0 | 72 | 110 |
| Aug | 22.4 | 72 | 125 |
| Sep | 22.3 | 72 | 106 |
| Oct | 22.1 | 72 | 129 |
| Nov | 21.1 | 70 | 153 |
| Dec | 20.1 | 68 | 151 |
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 | 30 mi | 11,465 | $110,560 | $1,202 |
| Kailua | HI | 35 mi | 21,818 | $88,211 | $1,754 |
| Hilo | HI | 42 mi | 50,404 | $81,779 | $1,427 |
| Hawaiian Paradise Park | HI | 52 mi | 13,203 | $88,348 | $1,310 |
| Pukalani | HI | 73 mi | 8,679 | $102,976 | $1,608 |
| Kihei | HI | 74 mi | 21,567 | $87,772 | $2,045 |
| Haiku-Pauwela | HI | 77 mi | 9,178 | $101,396 | $2,538 |
| Kahului | HI | 80 mi | 28,288 | $98,077 | $1,488 |
| Wailuku | HI | 83 mi | 16,926 | $102,942 | $1,762 |
| Waihee-Waiehu | HI | 85 mi | 10,988 | $126,735 | $2,191 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
9,286 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,867 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 22.4% of the median household income.
$100,198 (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.