White House: Waianae Among Hawaii’s Poorest Areas
Editor’s Note: This is the second of two Fact Checks on a White House statement about first lady Michelle Obama’s visit to Waianae next week during APEC. The other Fact Check examines its claim that the Waianae area is the largest Native Hawaiian community in the world.
How bad are these tough economic times on the Waianae Coast?
A White House press release said it is “one of the most economically challenged communities in the state.”1
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an excellent source of economic data. The ACS is a survey of a section of the population rather than a detailed count of every resident. So the data is extrapolated, and there’s a margin of error, unlike with the decennial Census.
The 2010 ACS recently released three-year estimates, but those only cover geographies with populations larger than 20,000. Many of Hawaii’s towns don’t have 20,000 residents, including Waianae. The most recent economic data comparing towns across Hawaii is found in the 2009 American Community Survey’s five-year estimates.
Percent of residents in poverty and median household income are two good measures of the economic challenges a community faces.
By both metrics, using the ACS, the five towns along the Waianae Coast are below average for Hawaii.
Percent In Poverty
| Town | Percent Below Poverty Level | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Maunaloa | 68.5% | 1 |
| Eden Roc | 39.3% | 2 |
| Makaha Valley | 32.8% | 3 |
| Pepeekeo | 32.3% | 4 |
| Fern Forest | 29.8% | 5 |
| Naalehu | 28.9% | 6 |
| Hawaiian Beaches | 28.8% | 7 |
| Paia | 27.1% | 8 |
| Pahala | 26.4% | 9 |
| Makaha | 26.1% | 10 |
| Leilani Estates | 25.6% | 11 |
| Orchidlands Estates | 24.1% | 12 |
| Fern Acres | 23.8% | 13 |
| Hawaiian Paradise Park | 23.3% | 14 |
| Mountain View | 23.0% | 15 |
| Nanawale Estates | 22.4% | 16 |
| Maili | 22.1% | 17 |
| Paauilo | 21.5% | 18 |
| Kualapuu | 18.8% | 19 |
| Princeville | 18.4% | 20 |
| Ainaloa | 18.1% | 21 |
| Nanakuli | 18.0% | 22 |
| Kapaa | 17.7% | 23 |
| Hawaiian Ocean View | 17.1% | 24 |
| Anahola | 16.7% | 25 |
| Kaunakakai | 16.7% | 26 |
| Hawaiian Acres | 16.4% | 27 |
| Waianae | 15.7% | 28 |
Source: Civil Beat analysis of U.S. Census data
In terms of poverty rate, all five Waianae coast towns are in the bottom quarter in the state, led by Makaha Valley, which ranks third-worst of the 131 towns covered by the 2009 ACS.
Median Household Income
| Town | Median Household Income | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Heeia | $120,444 | 1 |
| Kapalua | $118,125 | 2 |
| Maunawili | $112,542 | 3 |
| … | … | … |
| Waianae | $60,250 | 73 |
| Papaikou | $59,427 | 74 |
| Kapaa | $59,399 | 75 |
| Maili | $59,091 | 76 |
| … | … | … |
| Nanakuli | $48,444 | 107 |
| … | … | … |
| Makaha | $39,068 | 120 |
| Pakala Village | $38,750 | 121 |
| Makaha Valley | $38,583 | 122 |
| … | … | … |
| Fern Forest | $31,894 | 129 |
| Maunaloa | $27,888 | 130 |
| Pepeekeo | $26,031 | 131 |
Source: Civil Beat analysis of U.S. Census data
For median household income, both Makaha and Makaha Valley are in the bottom dozen in the state, though Waianae itself is actually in the middle of the pack.
Let’s look at the entire Waianae community, including the rural areas around the towns.
Median Household Income
| County Division | Median Household Income | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Spreckelsville | $122,159 | 1 |
| Koolaupoko | $83,157 | 2 |
| Waihee-Waikapu | $79,659 | 3 |
| … | … | … |
| Kekaha-Waimea | $57,437 | 28 |
| Waianae | $55,741 | 29 |
| Kahului | $55,465 | 30 |
| … | … | … |
| Kau | $41,911 | 40 |
| Keaau-Mountain View | $40,567 | 41 |
| Pahoa-Kalapana | $36,914 | 42 |
Source: Civil Beat analysis of U.S. Census data
In the the 2009 ACS, Waianae ranked 29th out of 42 Census County Divisions2 that had median household income data.
Percent In Poverty
| County Division | Percent Below Poverty Level | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Pahoa-Kalapana | 26.4% | 1 |
| Kau | 25.4% | 2 |
| West Molokai | 21.7% | 3 |
| Keaau-Mountain View | 20.3% | 4 |
| Waianae | 18.8% | 5 |
| Kapaa | 17.1% | 6 |
| Papaikou-Wailea | 16.8% | 7 |
| Hilo | 15.2% | 8 |
| East Molokai | 15.1% | 9 |
| South Kona | 12.7% | 10 |
Source: Civil Beat analysis of U.S. Census data
Waianae had the fifth-highest poverty rate of the 42 Census County Divisions.
Bottom Line: The White House is correct: The Waianae Coast is among the most economically disadvantaged communities in the state.
Reporter-host Chad Blair contributed to this report.
