Bellingham receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Kahului-Wailuku
Bellingham
Opportunity
79 · Top 12%
vs63 · Top 35%
Growth
32 · Bottom 22%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
87 · Top 1%
vs72 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
28 · Bottom 17%
vs51 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
42 · Bottom 1%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Access
43 · Bottom 8%
vs42 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
64 · Top 34%
vs64 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Kahului-Wailuku | Bellingham | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 164,589 | 230,503 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,109 | $81,784 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,622 | $45,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 140/sq mi | 109/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $904,700 | $585,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,914 | $1,555 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.6% | 63.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.0% | 39.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 12.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 520 | 1,071 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 4.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -53.6% | -18.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 64°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 16.2" | 83.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 91 mi | 93 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.2 | 38.4 | 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
Kahului-Wailuku
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding, tsunami.
Bellingham
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Kahului-Wailuku
54
Your Score
55
Area Score
Bellingham
57
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Kahului-Wailuku, HI Metro Area · Bellingham, WA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology