Waimea, HI

Census place 1578500 · pop 9,286

C61/ 100
😐 Meh
D−
in HI
📍 Hawaii ranks #1 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.26% · top 1%
🚽 Growth-22.0% · bottom 1%
Taxes
0.26% property · US 0.99%4.50% sales · US 7.00%up to 11.00% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Population growth (5yr)-22.0%0

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-22.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Housing cost$677,40011

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$677,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level98/10020

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

98/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time27 min30

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

27 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Poverty rate12.3%46

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

12.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Income inequality0.4446

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.44 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Adult smoking12.9%53

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

12.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Broadband access92.7%59

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

92.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Bachelor's degree or higher41.6%71

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

41.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poor mental health15.5%72

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

15.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Homeownership73.0%74

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

73.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Median household income$100,19875

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$100,198 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Physical inactivity18.6%85

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

18.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult obesity26.8%87

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

26.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Unemployment rateCounty-level2.7%89

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

2.7% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Uninsured adults5.5%89

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

5.5% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Air quality (AQI)County-level21 AQI98

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

21 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden0.26%99

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.26% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Not measured for Waimea: Crime, Property crime, Rent. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Waimea, HI a good place to live?
By the numbers, Waimea scores 61/100 — a C (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 19 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is population growth (5yr). Hawaii overall ranks #1 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Waimea, HI expensive to live in?
Waimea has a median home value of $677,400 — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Waimea, HI?
Its weakest measured area is population growth (5yr) (-22.0%) — 0/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Waimea, HI best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.26%) — 99/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.