Signals
James Island
Waihee-Waiehu
Opportunity
89 · Top 1%
vs75 · Top 15%
Climate
81 · Top 15%
vs87 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 25%
vs27 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 42%
vs65 · Bottom 27%
Access
47 · Bottom 3%
vs36 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
71 · Top 27%
vs72 · Top 26%
Measured values
| Metric | James Island | Waihee-Waiehu | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,198 | 10,988 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,217 | $126,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,756 | $35,555 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,520/sq mi | 2,577/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $508,600 | $777,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,695 | $2,191 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.5% | 83.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.5% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 6.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 88°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 64°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.3" | 16.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 85 mi | 95 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 39.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Physical risk tradeoff
James Island
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane, earthquake.
Waihee-Waiehu
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding, tsunami.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
James Island
66
Your Score
—
Area Score
Waihee-Waiehu
60
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: James Island, SC · Waihee-Waiehu, HI · How this is calculated: methodology