Kahului-Wailuku 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
Salinas
Opportunity
79 · Top 12%
vs47 · Bottom 32%
Growth
32 · Bottom 22%
vs48 · Bottom 47%
Climate
87 · Top 1%
vs89 · Top 1%
Physical resilience
28 · Bottom 17%
vs10 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
42 · Bottom 1%
vs44 · Bottom 1%
Access
43 · Bottom 8%
vs47 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
64 · Top 34%
vs58 · Top 41%
Measured values
| Metric | Kahului-Wailuku | Salinas | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 164,589 | 437,613 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,109 | $97,230 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,622 | $40,422 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 140/sq mi | 133/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $904,700 | $781,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,914 | $2,055 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.6% | 52.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.0% | 28.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 520 | 891 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -53.6% | 48.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 71°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 64°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 16.2" | 12.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 91 mi | 85 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 27.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.2 | 35.5 | 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
Kahului-Wailuku
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding, tsunami.
Salinas
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, wildfire.
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
Salinas
49
Your Score
46
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Kahului-Wailuku, HI Metro Area · Salinas, CA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology