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
The 10 Most Miserable Places In Hawaii
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
/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
/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
/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
/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
/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
/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
/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
/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
/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
/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:
- Pukalani
- Wailea
- Halawa
For more Hawaii reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Hawaii
- Cheapest Places To Live In Hawaii
- Richest Cities In Hawaii
- Worst Places To Live In Hawaii
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Hawaii
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% |
I’m sorry to inform you, but Hawaiian Beaches and Hawaiian Paradise Park are not a cities. They are subdivisions of a city.