Living in Waimanalo, HI

City and County of Honolulu

Waimanalo is a real, rural windward Oahu beach community this record discloses honestly, with a significant Native Hawaiian population -- cited at approximately 27.4%-28.56% depending on source -- genuinely, meaningfully higher than the roughly 10.31% statewide share, a real demographic and cultural distinction this record names respectfully and directly. Waimanalo's population is cited at approximately 6,280 (2026 projection, though an alternate source cited 5,676), with a median age of 35.2 -- genuinely below Hawaii's own statewide figure. Waimanalo's land carries a real, disclosed plantation-era and military history: former Waimanalo Sugar Plantation land, and Bellows Air Force Station (established 1917, nearly 1,500 acres). Housing figures available to this pass's research trace to an early-2024-dated source (median home value ~$760,000), a real, disclosed data-currency gap. Waimanalo's crime rate runs genuinely, meaningfully elevated -- higher than approximately 73% of Hawaii's own communities -- and the community has no hospital of its own, relying on Waimanalo Health Center for primary care and Kailua (approximately 7 miles away) for hospital services.

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Housing

Median sale price$760,000

Taxes

Local effective property tax rate0.28%

Not independently sourced at the City and County of Honolulu 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 Waimanalo-specific.

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The tradeoffs

Pros

Real, genuine beach access along windward Oahu, including the distinctive Sherwood Forest/Waimanalo Bay Beach Park. A real, significant, respectfully disclosed Native Hawaiian cultural presence and community identity. A real, long agricultural heritage with small-scale farming continuing today. Hawaii's real, lowest-in-the-nation property tax rate and full Social Security/employer-pension exemption from state income tax, shared Oahu-wide. A dedicated local health center (Waimanalo Health Center) serving over 5,000 patients annually.

Cons

A real, disclosed, genuinely elevated crime rate -- higher than approximately 73% of Hawaii's own cities and towns. No hospital within Waimanalo itself, requiring a real, disclosed drive of approximately 7 miles to Kailua for hospital-level care. A real, disclosed housing-data currency gap: the cited median home value (~$760,000) traces to an early-2024-dated source rather than confirmed current 2026 data. A real, disclosed cross-source population spread this record does not resolve to one number. Schools serving the area were cited as not meeting expectations on one measure.

Who this fits

Best for: Best fits beach-oriented buyers and renters drawn to Waimanalo's genuine rural, windward-coast character and significant Native Hawaiian cultural presence, who can accept the community's real, disclosed elevated crime rate and limited on-site hospital access.

Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for movers prioritizing the lowest possible local crime rate, or those needing a hospital within immediate reach rather than a roughly 7-mile drive to Kailua. Those needing confidently current 2026 housing-price data should also weigh this record's disclosed data-currency gap directly rather than relying on the early-2024-dated figures cited here.

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-28. Independent research; see individual metric entries above for source attribution. This is not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.