PlainRelocate

Relocation profile · Federal data

Kahului-Wailuku, HI

BEA RPP 109.4 ranks #375 of 387 scored metros for higher prices (dearer third).

109.4
Cost index (US=100)
$2,492
2BR rent / mo
$72,704
Median salary
53.7
LiveAbility Score

The verdict

As of June 2026, Kahului-Wailuku ranks #155 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (53.7/100), with its strongest marks in air quality and low hazard.

#155
of 387 US metros · Above median
1,446,146
metro-area population
230
violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
295
schools in the state (NCES)

Weakest dimension: cost of living (3/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.

According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Kahului-Wailuku ranks #155 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 109.4 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $2,492/mo, median salary $72,704; LiveAbility Score 53.7/100, strongest in air quality and low hazard.

Signature: BEA RPP 109.4 ranks #375 of 387 scored metros for higher prices (dearer third).

Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP 109.4 lands in the dearer third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $2,492/mo.

LiveAbility 53.7/100 keeps Kahului-Wailuku in the middle third (#155 of 387).

BLS OEWS total employment in the Kahului-Wailuku area is 67,610.

Kahului-Wailuku vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score

Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)

54 Top 40% higher than 60% of 387 US metros

Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026

Kahului-Wailuku housing and rent

HUD Fair Market Rents for the Kahului-Wailuku MSA; housing RPP 119.2 (100 = national average); 2BR $2,492/mo.

Studio
$1,801
/month
1 Bedroom
$1,899
/month
2 Bedroom
$2,492
/month
3 Bedroom
$3,227
/month
4 Bedroom
$4,024
/month

Kahului-Wailuku wages and employment

Kahului-Wailuku posts 67,610 total employment with median salary $72,704 against a dearer-than-average RPP.

Median Salary
$72,704
Mean Salary
$77,024
Total Employment
67,610

Top Occupations by Employment

Occupation Median Salary
Waiters and Waitresses $82,550
Fast Food and Counter Workers $37,840
Retail Salespersons $39,630
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $53,030
Cooks, Restaurant $49,560

Schools & Education

State-level education data for the Kahului-Wailuku area from NCES.

Schools
295
Enrollment
166,973
Student:Teacher
14.1:1
Title I %
0%

Childcare Costs

State-average childcare costs for the Kahului-Wailuku area (DOL data).

Infant (Center)
$15,330
per year
Toddler (Center)
$10,845
per year
Preschool (Center)
$10,845
per year

Life Score Breakdown

Kahului-Wailuku's composite Life Score is 33.5/100 (F), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.

Cost
3/100
Bottom decile
Wages
82/100
Elite
Rent
4/100
Bottom decile
Crime
75/100
Strong
Schools
27/100
Weak
Childcare
16/100
Bottom decile
Environment
3/100
Bottom decile

LiveAbility Score

View full rankings →

Kahului-Wailuku ranks #155 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 53.7/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →

Strongest dimension: Air quality (99/100)

Kahului-Wailuku - dimension scores

Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)

score

What this shows Kahului-Wailuku's strongest dimensions are air quality and low hazard; its weakest among scored dims is cost of living at 3/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.

Source BEA · BLS · HUD · FBI · NCES · EPA · NOAA · FEMA As of Federal data, latest available vintage

Compare Kahului-Wailuku to

Trenton-Princeton Tucson Tulsa Tuscaloosa Twin Falls Tyler

Metros near Kahului-Wailuku on cost, LiveAbility, or wages

Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Kahului-Wailuku on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.

Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)

Similar LiveAbility score

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Kahului-Wailuku cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Kahului-Wailuku wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.

Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →

Thinking about Kahului-Wailuku?

Kahului-Wailuku runs a $72,704 median salary at a 109.4 cost index, ranking #155 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.

  • See exactly what Kahului-Wailuku's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
  • Put Kahului-Wailuku head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Kahului-Wailuku
  • Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
  • A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide

Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.