Housing decision brief
Kauai County, HI Housing Market
Kauai County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
2nd lowest home value out of 4 Hawaii counties with data | 3rd lowest rent out of 5
Median home value
$873,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,870/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,854/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
8.9x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
31.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$16/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$873,200 median home value is 1% below Hawaii county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $16/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.21% effective property-tax rate is No Hawaii county median comparison available
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Kauai County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $873,200 | $885,350 | $281,900 | Near state median1% below Hawaii county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,870 | $1,870 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the Hawaii county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,854 | $1,945 | $1,672 | 5% favorable5% below Hawaii county median |
Median household income | $97,668 | $97,161 | $74,755 | Near state median1% above Hawaii county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.21% | 0.00% | 1.02% | Needs dataNo Hawaii county median comparison available |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 31.00% | 31.00% | N/A | Near state median31.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$22,868
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$18,211
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Kauai County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $1,810/month , about 23.2% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
At $1,810/month rent versus $1,834/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $24/month cheaper , a 1% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $72,400/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $78,600/year. With a median household income of $93,612, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 29.0% of renter households in Kauai County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Maui County where rent averages $1,863/month, Kauai County is approximately 3% less expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maui County, HI | $904,700 | $1,916/mo | Same-state comparison near $904,700 home value and $1,916/mo rent. |
| Honolulu County, HI | $897,500 | $2,083/mo | Same-state comparison near $897,500 home value and $2,083/mo rent. |
| San Luis Obispo County, CA | $824,700 | $1,992/mo | Out-of-state peer near $824,700 home value and $1,992/mo rent. |
| Routt County, CO | $854,700 | $1,917/mo | Out-of-state peer near $854,700 home value and $1,917/mo rent. |
| Los Angeles County, CA | $834,200 | $1,954/mo | Out-of-state peer near $834,200 home value and $1,954/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Kauai County
Is Kauai County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Kauai County?
How much income do you need for housing in Kauai County?
What should I double-check before moving to Kauai County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.