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Kalawao County, HI

Rent vs Own in Kalawao County, Hawaii

A rent-versus-buy breakdown for Kalawao County, built from Census property tax records and HUD Fair Market Rent data.

What This Data Tells Us About Renting vs Owning in Kalawao County

Primary driver

HUD moved the rent benchmark up

HUD raised its 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Kalawao County from $1,797/mo in FY2025 to $2,492/mo in FY2026: it increased by $695/mo (+38.7%). A rising rent benchmark widens the gap in favour of owning over time, because the mortgage share of the ownership cost below is fixed at origination while the rent it is compared against reprices every year.

Methodology & disclaimer

This calculator is for informational purposes only and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Property tax figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates and rent figures come from HUD Fair Market Rents; both describe area medians, not individual transactions. Insurance is estimated at 0.35% of home value annually and closing costs, maintenance, HOA, and PMI are not included. Consult a licensed mortgage, tax, or real-estate professional before making a buy-or-rent decision based on these numbers.

Monthly Cost Breakdown

Estimated Monthly Ownership
$1,604
Mortgage (P&I) $1,517
Property Tax N/A
Insurance (est.) $88

Current property tax data is not yet published for this county; the total above is mortgage + insurance only. See county details.

Rent data not available for this county. See methodology for HUD FMR coverage notes.

Adjust Your Scenario

Affordability Context

Median Household Income
$73,750
$6,146/mo
Tax-to-Income Ratio
N/A
National benchmark: 2-4%

Nearby Counties

Honolulu County
Home: $897,500 Tax: $2,553/yr
Hawaii County
Home: $519,300 Tax: $1,459/yr
Maui County
Home: $904,700 Tax: $1,466/yr
Kauai County
Home: $873,200 Tax: $1,866/yr

Frequently Asked Questions

Is rent going up or down in Kalawao County? ▼
HUD's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent figure has risen 38.7% between the FY2025 and FY2026 publications, the two most recent years tracked here.
What is the average rent in Kalawao County? ▼
HUD prices a 2-bedroom unit at $2,492/mo here. Sizing up matters: going from a studio to a 4-bedroom adds about $2,223/mo, so the per-bedroom jump is worth checking against your actual space needs before assuming the 2-BR figure applies to your situation.
How much house can you afford in Kalawao County? ▼
On the common 3x-income guideline, a $73,750 household here can afford up to $221,250, which comfortably covers this county's N/A median home price -- a healthier affordability picture than many of the counties tracked on this site.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainPropertyTax

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Government Finances State and local property tax revenue by jurisdiction · 2025

Verify with HUD →