The 10 Most Miserable Cities In Hawaii For 2023


The most miserable cities in Hawaii are Makaha and Nanakuli for 2023 based on Saturday Night Science.

Do you live in one of the most miserable places in Hawaii?

Only a third of Hawaiians say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that folks in Hawaii don’t really have it too bad in the grand scheme of things.

But, we were curious – which Hawaii cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using Saturday Night Science and data.

After analyzing the 54 largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the Aloha State.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably don’t live in one of these cities.

Oh, and by the way, Pukalani is the happiest place in Hawaii.

For more Hawaii reading, check out:

The 10 Most Miserable Places In Hawaii For 2023

Makaha, HI

Source: Wikipedia User Nicolai Edgar Andersen | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 9,710
Poverty Level: 31.2%
Median Home Price $386,900
Married Households 13.0%
Households With Kids 34.51%
More on Makaha: Data | Cost Of Living

Nanakuli, HI

Source: Flickr User AndrewEick | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 12,587
Poverty Level: 14.4%
Median Home Price $411,400
Married Households 32.0%
Households With Kids 54.9%
More on Nanakuli: Data | Cost Of Living

Iroquois Point, HI

Source: Wikipedia User Eric Guinther | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 5,737
Poverty Level: 9.7%
Median Home Price $0
Married Households 8.0%
Households With Kids 61.3%
More on Iroquois Point: Data

Source: Public Domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 7,519
Poverty Level: 6.9%
Median Home Price $520,200
Married Households 12.0%
Households With Kids 38.28%
More on Waikoloa Village: Data | Cost Of Living

Ewa Gentry, HI

Source: Wikipedia User Travis.Thurston | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 28,125
Poverty Level: 2.7%
Median Home Price $618,600
Married Households 20.0%
Households With Kids 47.01%
More on Ewa Gentry: Data | Cost Of Living

Maili, HI

Source: Wikipedia User Nicolai Edgar Andersen | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 13,245
Poverty Level: 15.2%
Median Home Price $503,300
Married Households 30.0%
Households With Kids 54.5%
More on Maili: Data | Cost Of Living

Ewa Beach, HI

Source: Wikipedia User Travis.Thurston | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 14,614
Poverty Level: 6.6%
Median Home Price $584,900
Married Households 19.0%
Households With Kids 38.2%
More on Ewa Beach: Data | Cost Of Living

Hickam Housing, HI

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 10,022
Poverty Level: 1.7%
Median Home Price $0
Married Households 1.0%
Households With Kids 61.55%
More on Hickam Housing: Data | Cost Of Living

Waianae, HI

Source: Wikipedia User Chanilim714 | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 14,152
Poverty Level: 21.2%
Median Home Price $423,300
Married Households 39.0%
Households With Kids 44.02%
More on Waianae: Data | Cost Of Living

Waipahu, HI

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 39,927
Poverty Level: 10.8%
Median Home Price $662,000
Married Households 14.0%
Households With Kids 43.47%
More on Waipahu: Data | Cost Of Living

Methodology: How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In The Aloha State

To rank the unhappiest places in Hawaii, we had to determine what criteria make people happy. It isn’t a stretch to assume that happy people earn great salaries, are relatively stress-free, and have a stable home life.

So we went to the Census’s American Community Survey 2017-2021 report for the happy criteria, flipped the list with Saturday Night Science, and it spit out the answer.

Like magic.

Here are the criteria we used to measure misery:

  • Percentage of residents with a college degree
  • Average commute times
  • Unemployment rates
  • Cost of living
  • % of married couples
  • % of families with kids
  • Poverty rate

After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 54 places in Hawaii with over 5,000 people.

We then ranked each place from one to 54 for each of the seven criteria, with a score of one being the most miserable (Any ties were given to the larger place).

Next, we averaged the seven rankings into a Miserable Index for each place with the lowest overall Miserable Index “earning” the title “Most Miserable City In Hawaii.”

If you’d like to see the complete list of states, most miserable to happiest, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the unabridged chart.

We updated this article for 2023, and it’s our tenth time ranking the most miserable cities in Hawaii.

There You Have It – The Least Happy Cities In Hawaii

As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in Hawaii is usually a subjective matter.

But if you’re analyzing cities where people are not stable, where you’re stuck in traffic, and no one spent the time to go to college, then this is an accurate list.

If you’re curious enough, here are the happiest cities in Hawaii, according to science:

  1. Pukalani
  2. Wailea
  3. Halawa

For more Hawaii reading, check out:

Miserable Cities In Hawaii For 2023

Rank City Population Poverty Level Median Home Value % Married % Kids
1 Makaha, HI 9,710 31.2% $386,900 13.0% 34.51%
2 Nanakuli, HI 12,587 14.4% $411,400 32.0% 54.9%
3 Iroquois Point, HI 5,737 9.7% $0 8.0% 61.3%
4 Waikoloa Village, HI 7,519 6.9% $520,200 12.0% 38.28%
5 Ewa Gentry, HI 28,125 2.7% $618,600 20.0% 47.01%
6 Maili, HI 13,245 15.2% $503,300 30.0% 54.5%
7 Ewa Beach, HI 14,614 6.6% $584,900 19.0% 38.2%
8 Hickam Housing, HI 10,022 1.7% $0 1.0% 61.55%
9 Waianae, HI 14,152 21.2% $423,300 39.0% 44.02%
10 Waipahu, HI 39,927 10.8% $662,000 14.0% 43.47%
11 Schofield Barracks, HI 18,255 8.5% $0 2.0% 63.53%
12 Hawaiian Paradise Park, HI 11,942 5.1% $330,600 23.0% 34.07%
13 Ocean Pointe, HI 16,676 4.4% $698,700 16.0% 53.87%
14 Makakilo, HI 20,862 6.6% $670,100 20.0% 38.42%
15 Ewa Villages, HI 6,657 19.0% $620,300 10.0% 54.78%
16 Waimanalo, HI 5,371 9.6% $605,100 24.0% 49.0%
17 Royal Kunia, HI 14,390 5.0% $648,500 24.0% 35.34%
18 Kapolei, HI 23,248 6.1% $625,000 26.0% 48.21%
19 Waipio Acres, HI 5,618 4.5% $462,100 24.0% 30.92%
20 Kahului, HI 27,938 8.4% $621,600 15.0% 39.14%
21 Haiku-Pauwela, HI 9,347 7.4% $849,900 17.0% 37.19%
22 Waihee-Waiehu, HI 11,059 7.0% $609,600 23.0% 41.06%
23 West Loch Estate, HI 6,239 2.7% $665,200 26.0% 35.65%
24 Lahaina, HI 13,261 11.8% $720,500 11.0% 43.91%
25 Napili-Honokowai, HI 6,762 7.0% $669,300 6.0% 28.48%
26 Waimalu, HI 13,818 6.4% $466,900 22.0% 19.86%
27 Kihei, HI 22,840 8.4% $643,600 10.0% 28.91%
28 Wahiawa, HI 17,357 17.3% $578,900 23.0% 29.8%
29 Kailua Cdp (Hawaii County), HI 21,460 9.8% $524,300 11.0% 28.88%
30 Laie, HI 6,436 11.3% $937,000 11.0% 51.49%
31 Waimea Cdp (Hawaii County), HI 10,422 9.6% $540,300 26.0% 35.64%
32 Waipio, HI 10,989 4.6% $523,800 28.0% 26.74%
33 Kahaluu, HI 5,006 7.0% $968,600 26.0% 29.42%
34 Wailuku, HI 15,670 6.6% $599,900 26.0% 29.75%
35 Kapaa, HI 11,516 7.4% $593,100 19.0% 26.09%
36 Makawao, HI 7,670 10.6% $634,800 29.0% 34.95%
37 Kailua Cdp (Honolulu County), HI 40,402 4.3% $1,065,500 21.0% 31.3%
38 Waikele, HI 7,495 5.4% $570,800 27.0% 30.24%
39 Hilo, HI 46,559 16.1% $364,100 30.0% 28.89%
40 Wailua Homesteads, HI 6,634 6.5% $729,100 17.0% 23.83%
41 Mililani Mauka, HI 21,657 2.8% $766,000 31.0% 39.38%
42 Kahaluu-Keauhou, HI 7,236 12.4% $647,000 10.0% 25.25%
43 East Honolulu, HI 50,076 3.3% $970,800 29.0% 30.23%
44 Pearl City, HI 45,941 4.1% $728,500 31.0% 29.33%
45 Kula, HI 7,495 10.4% $1,061,000 22.0% 32.72%
46 Lihue, HI 8,371 5.0% $646,900 23.0% 31.81%
47 Urban Honolulu, HI 351,554 11.0% $726,000 16.0% 23.7%
48 Kaneohe, HI 34,509 5.5% $829,900 32.0% 28.73%
49 Aiea, HI 9,527 3.3% $867,100 37.0% 30.06%
50 Mililani Town, HI 27,974 5.3% $731,000 33.0% 27.89%
51 Ahuimanu, HI 8,943 4.1% $728,400 34.0% 28.46%
52 Halawa, HI 14,990 7.8% $857,500 24.0% 26.97%
53 Wailea, HI 6,546 12.4% $1,122,000 5.0% 17.47%
54 Pukalani, HI 7,315 14.4% $754,400 17.0% 17.57%
About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.

One thought on “The 10 Most Miserable Cities In Hawaii For 2023

  1. I’m sorry to inform you, but Hawaiian Beaches and Hawaiian Paradise Park are not a cities. They are subdivisions of a city.

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