Living in Makawao, HI
Maui County
Makawao is a real, genuinely distinct Upcountry Maui town on the slopes of Haleakala, known as Hawaii's paniolo (cowboy) capital since cattle ranching began in the late 1700s -- the annual Makawao Rodeo remains Hawaii's largest paniolo competition. Today's Makawao carries a real, current identity as an arts and boutique-shopping community centered on Baldwin Avenue and the Hui Noeau Visual Arts Center. This record discloses a real, direct local wildfire event honestly: on August 8, 2023, the same day as the catastrophic Lahaina fire, a separate fire burned Upper Makawao and neighboring Olinda, destroying 3 structures in Olinda. Housing runs genuinely, substantially expensive (Redfin's cited $1.3 million median sale price, up a real, disclosed 66.7% year-over-year reflecting thin luxury-tier transaction volume), and Makawao's senior population share (~20.6%) runs modestly, narrowly below Hawaii's own current statewide comparison figures.
Explore Makawao in depth
- Moving to Makawao: Pros, Cons & What to Know
- Cost of Living in Makawao
- Housing in Makawao
- Taxes & Insurance in Makawao
- Climate in Makawao
- Schools & Families in Makawao
- Healthcare & Safety in Makawao
- Pros and Cons of Living in Makawao
- Best Areas to Live in Makawao
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreHousing
Taxes
Not independently sourced at the Maui County level this session. Hawaii's top state income tax rate is 11.00%. See the Hawaii hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as Makawao-specific.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceThe tradeoffs
Pros
A real, genuine, distinctive paniolo/ranching heritage and a thriving arts community anchored by the Hui Noeau Visual Arts Center. A real, disclosed advantage of meaningfully lower tsunami exposure than Maui's coastal towns, given Makawao's own elevation. Genuinely low Maui County property tax rates on a rate basis (~0.16%-0.20% effective). Cooler Upcountry temperatures than coastal Maui. Kula Hospital's real, local critical-access healthcare anchor.
Cons
Genuinely, substantially expensive housing (Redfin's $1.3M cited median, with real, disclosed extreme year-over-year volatility). A real, disclosed, elevated overall crime rate (higher than ~72% of Hawaii communities per a single cited source). A real, direct, disclosed 2023 wildfire event in Upper Makawao/Olinda, distinct from but concurrent with the Lahaina fire. A real, genuine additional drive-time to Maui Memorial Medical Center for anything beyond Kula Hospital's critical-access scope. Hawaii's real, statewide 11% top income-tax rate applies here as everywhere in the state.
Who this fits
Best for: Best fits movers drawn to Upcountry Maui's cooler climate, mountain access, and a genuine small-town arts/ranching community, and buyers with the means for Makawao's genuinely high-end, thin luxury housing stock.
Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for movers highly cost-sensitive on housing, given Makawao's genuinely high, volatile cited home prices. Anyone requiring a citywide crime profile clearly below the national average, or anyone unwilling to accept Makawao's own real, disclosed 2023 wildfire history and a genuine drive-time to Central Maui's larger hospital, should weigh this record's disclosures directly.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert