East Honolulu vs Makaha

Which is the better fit for you?

East Honolulu, HI
64
Area Score
Top 32% nationally
Makaha, HI
51
Area Score
Bottom 22% nationally

Want a third or fourth place beside these? Open them in the shortlist and add more.

East Honolulu receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.

If you are moving

What the difference in prices, rent, homes and weather comes to, using the published figures for the two places. Add your income to see what it would take to keep pace.

Moving from East Honolulu to Makaha

It stays in this browser and is never sent anywhere.

Everyday prices
About the same
Regional price level 111.4 against 111.4 (US = 100). Both places sit in the same price region, so the index cannot tell them apart.
Income to keep the same purchasing power
Enter your household income to see it.
A new two-bedroom lease
−$1,406 a month
HUD benchmarks it at $2,360 in Makaha against $3,766 in East Honolulu.
The median home
67% less
$394,000 in Makaha against $1,212,000 in East Honolulu.
The weather you would swap
Winters 3°F colder
Normal January lows are 65°F in Makaha against 68°F in East Honolulu; July highs are 88°F against 83°F (summers 5°F hotter).

These are differences between published figures, not a forecast of your budget. Income and sales taxes, commuting, schools, insurance and the job you would actually get are not in them, and a price index describes a metropolitan area, so two places in one metro read the same. HUD’s rent is a benchmark for a new lease, not a listing.

Signals

East Honolulu
Makaha
Opportunity: East Honolulu is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
84 · Top 3%
vs
67 · Top 29%
Growth
46 · Bottom 41%
vs
46 · Bottom 41%
Climate: East Honolulu is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs
89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 15%
vs
21 · Bottom 15%
Housing affordability: Makaha is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
29 · Bottom 3%
vs
31 · Bottom 4%
Schools: East Honolulu is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
90 · Top 3%
vs
40 · Bottom 37%
Access: Makaha is the more favorable of the two.
Access
95 · Top 39%
vs
97 · Top 31%
Economic stability: East Honolulu is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
71 · Top 22%
vs
20 · Bottom 3%

Measured values

MetricEast HonoluluMakahaSource period
Population51,36010,0662024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income$159,518 — more favorable$64,9702024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income$71,099 — more favorable$28,0212024 ACS 5-Year
Population density2,232/sq mi3,742/sq mi2024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value$1,212,000$394,0002024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent$3,313$1,868 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Market rent, two bedroom$3,766$2,360 — more favorableFY2026
Cost of living index111.4111.42023
Homeownership rate84.5%46.4%2024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment rate2.8%2.8%July 2026
Employment change (year over year)−0.4%−0.4%July 2026
Bachelor's degree or higher59.9% — more favorable19.7%2024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate5.0% — more favorable26.3%2024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units permitted (12 months)1,6151,61512 months ending July 2026
Permits per 1,000 residents1.61.612 months ending July 2026
Permit change (year over year)+7.2%+7.2%12 months ending July 2026
Average July high83°F88°F1991-2020 Normals
Average January low68°F65°F1991-2020 Normals
Annual precipitation27.8"13.9"1991-2020 Normals
Distance to major airport13 mi8 mi — more favorableNASR current cycle
Average commute33.5 min — more favorable50.6 min2024 ACS 5-Year
Median age49.137.92024 ACS 5-Year
Students per teacher15.714.3 — more favorable2024-25 school year
Math proficiency55.9% — more favorable44.2%2018-19 school year
Reading proficiency72.1% — more favorable57.6%2018-19 school year

A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.

The number of units permitted is not marked because the larger place always permits more; the per-resident rate is the fair comparison.

Physical risk tradeoff

East Honolulu

Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, wildfire, tsunami.

Makaha

Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, wildfire, tsunami.

Your best match

Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.

East Honolulu
—
East Honolulu: Your Score
64
Area Score
Makaha
—
Makaha: Your Score
51
Area Score

Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.

Full profiles: East Honolulu, HI · Makaha, HI · How this is calculated: methodology