Kauai County, Hawaii Income Statistics
Kauai County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Kauai County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Kauai County | Hawaii Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $96,900 | $100,437 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $56,380 | $61,841 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.5% | 4.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.9% | 14.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 15.4% | 18.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Kauai County is about 4% lower than in Hawaii. Income has been growing faster in Kauai County (4.5%/yr) than in Hawaii (4.2%/yr).
About 12% of adults in Kauai County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Hawaii average of 15%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Kauai County, Hawaii grew by 52.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $96,900 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.5% per year.
Kauai County has stayed well above the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never fallen below it. It came closest in 2013, at 18% higher. The gap has narrowed from 24% in 2009 to 20% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Kauai County
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 11,482 households (48.6% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 16.3% of households in Kauai County had an income under $35,000 and 27.5% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Kauai County has a larger share of households earning $100,000 to $149,999 (21.1% vs 17.4%) and a smaller share earning $35,000 to $49,999 (6.7% vs 10.1%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 969 | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 459 | 1.9% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,047 | 4.4% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,380 | 5.8% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,581 | 6.7% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 4,020 | 17.0% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 2,694 | 11.4% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 4,988 | 21.1% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 2,856 | 12.1% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 3,638 | 15.4% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 23,632 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 7,194 residents (11.9% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 13.2% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 10.1% of Kauai County residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 27.6% had some income but less than $25,000, and 20.6% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Kauai County has a larger share of residents earning $50,000 to $74,999 (17.2% vs 14.3%) and a smaller share with no personal income (10.1% vs 12.8%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 6,158 | 10.1% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 6,039 | 9.9% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 3,336 | 5.5% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 7,352 | 12.1% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 6,421 | 10.6% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 8,420 | 13.9% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 10,467 | 17.2% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 5,317 | 8.8% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 7,194 | 11.9% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 60,704 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 10.1% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Kauai County
| Metric | Kauai County | Hawaii Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.515 | 0.529 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $68,662 | $70,324 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $54,270 | $58,751 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 21.0% | 16.5% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Kauai County, it is 0.515, lower than Hawaii's 0.529, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 27% more than women's income in Kauai County, Hawaii. Over a 35-year career, a 27% wage gap accumulates to roughly $503,720 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Kauai County, Hawaii has widened from about 14% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 22% in 2023, and was narrowest at 13% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $8,276 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Kauai County widened by 6.6 points while Hawaii's narrowed by 3.0 points.
Employment
| Metric | Kauai County | Hawaii Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.6% | 9.6% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 1,471 people are unemployed in Kauai County, Hawaii.
The average commute time in Kauai County is 21 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Hawaii.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Kauai County, Hawaii has fallen from 6.6% to 3.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.2% in 2012 and fell as low as 3.5% in 2020.
Kauai County has stayed well below the U.S. unemployment rate in every year from 2011 to 2024 and has never risen above it. It came closest in 2021, at 1.1 points lower. The gap has narrowed from 2.1 points in 2011 to 1.4 points in 2024.
Kauai County, HI Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Kauai County, HI is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 73,731 residents against a local median of 164,522. The measure that sets Kauai County, HI apart most is unemployment: 3.8%, 30% below the local median of 5.5%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $96,900 against a local median of $79,154, 22% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Kauai County, HI is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 7.3% on unemployment, so Kauai County, HI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Kauai County, HI has the 2nd lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kauai County, HI | 73,731 | $96,900 #3/6 | 4.5%/yr #2/6 | 3.8% #2/6 | 0.515 #3/6 |
| Kalawao County, HI | 67 | $75,000 | 2.0%/yr | 1.0% | 0.429 |
| Maui County, HI | 164,522 | $97,704 | 4.5%/yr | 5.5% | 0.516 |
| Hawaii County, HI | 204,351 | $79,154 | 4.9%/yr | 6.0% | 0.546 |
| Honolulu County, HI | 997,376 | $106,569 | 4.1%/yr | 4.3% | 0.527 |
| Aleutians East Borough, AK | 3,491 | $69,642 | 1.0%/yr | 8.3% | 0.487 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Kauai County, Hawaii has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it about on par with Hawaii, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Kauai County, Hawaii.
How Rich Is Kauai County, Hawaii?
Kauai County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $96,900, about 4% lower than the Hawaii average of $100,437.
Are incomes growing in Kauai County, Hawaii?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Kauai County, Hawaii rose 53%, from $63,413 to $96,900. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Hawaii as a whole: +53% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Kauai County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Kauai County, Hawaii was $94,192, up 5% from $89,583 in 2022. The Hawaii median that year was $98,432.
What was the median household income in Kauai County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Kauai County, Hawaii was $81,962. By 2024 it had risen 18% to $96,900.
What is the Gini coefficient in Kauai County, Hawaii?
The Gini coefficient in Kauai County is 0.515. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Kauai County, Hawaii?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Kauai County, Hawaii has widened from about 14% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 22% in 2023, and was narrowest at 13% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $8,276 since 2009.
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