Most affordable counties to rent in Hawaii
Ranked by how much of the typical renter household's income the typical rent takes. Kauai County is the most affordable at 31.9%; Honolulu County the least affordable at 33.8%.
| County | Rent-to-income | Median gross rent | Median renter income | Renters paying 30%+ | 2 BR FMR FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Kauai County | 31.9% | $1,870 | $70,359 | 52% | $2,105 |
| 2. Maui County | 32.7% | $1,916 | $70,296 | 56% | $2,656 |
| 3. Hawaii County | 33.1% | $1,510 | $54,668 | 52% | $2,081 |
| 4. Honolulu County | 33.8% | $2,083 | $74,033 | 58% | $2,542 |
Rent-to-income = median gross rent × 12 ÷ median household income of renters. Both are medians of different households, so this is an area comparison, not the burden of any one household. 1 of 5 county is left out because they have fewer than 500 renter households, a Census margin of error is too large (coefficient of variation above 15%) or a figure is not published.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2020–2024 and 2015–2019 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070). ± = margin of error at 90% confidence. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation. FMR: HUD FY2027.
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