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City · 345,482 residents · Honolulu County, Hawaii

Urban Honolulu , Hawaii

In Urban Honolulu, a typical home is worth $843,400 and typical rent is $1,823 a month. Compared with all of Honolulu County, typical household income is 19% lower, typical rent is 12% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 11 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $843,400

    6% below the county

    About the same as Hawaii

    • Urban Honolulu
    • Honolulu
    • Hawaii

  • Typical rent

    $1,823a month

    12% below the county

    8% below Hawaii

    • Urban Honolulu
    • Honolulu
    • Hawaii

  • Typical household income

    $86,504a year

    19% below the county

    14% below Hawaii

    • Urban Honolulu
    • Honolulu
    • Hawaii

  • Households that own their home

    49%

    11 points below the county

    14 points below Hawaii

    • Urban Honolulu
    • Honolulu
    • Hawaii

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Urban Honolulu is in Honolulu County. The FHA loan limit ($828,000 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Honolulu County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Urban Honolulu apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Urban Honolulu has the 3rd lowest homeownership rate of the 54 cities in Hawaii with more than 5,000 people (49%).

  2. The typical household income in Urban Honolulu is $86,504, 19% less than in Honolulu County as a whole ($106,195).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Urban Honolulu

What homes there are in Urban Honolulu, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Many people here live in apartments: 6 in 10 homes; in Honolulu County, 4.

Year built

In Urban Honolulu, half of the homes were built before 1974; in Honolulu County, before 1977.

Homes in Urban Honolulu are smaller: 33% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Honolulu County, 54%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

With an FHA loan, the cap for Honolulu County is $828,000. About 49% of owner-occupied homes in Urban Honolulu are worth less than that.

Monthly rent with utilities

By rent, most homes in Urban Honolulu cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($2,542): about 77%.

With a mortgage

$3,030 a month

Honolulu County: $3,111 a month

Without a mortgage

$893 a month

Honolulu County: $783 a month

Owners with a mortgage

56%

Honolulu County: 65%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Urban Honolulu is $3,030 a month, near the figure in Honolulu County ($3,111).

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Homes in Urban Honolulu gained value more slowly than in Honolulu County: 24% since 2015–2019, against 32%.

The typical rent in Urban Honolulu rose 22% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Honolulu County (19%).

To compare: typical income in Urban Honolulu rose 21%; the home, +24%; the rent, +22%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureUrban HonoluluHonolulu CountyHawaiiUnited States
Rental vacancy 7.0%5.6%7.4%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy 1.0%0.9%0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room 10.0%8.9%8.8%3.4%
People per household 2.452.852.852.53
Drive alone 55%63%65%69%
Carpool 14%14%14%9%
Public transit 7%5%4%3%
Walk or bike 10%6%5%3%
Work from home 10%9%10%15%
Other means 4%3%2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

The rental vacancy rate in Urban Honolulu is 7.0%, higher than in Honolulu County (5.6%).

More households are short on space in Urban Honolulu: 10.0% have more than one person per room; in Honolulu County, 8.9%.

Households in Urban Honolulu are smaller: 2.45 people on average; in Honolulu County, 2.85.

More people walk or bike to work in Urban Honolulu: 10%, against 6% in Honolulu County.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Urban Honolulu?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Urban Honolulu, worth $843,400, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 91% of the typical household income in Urban Honolulu, which is $86,504 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $280,513 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Honolulu County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Urban Honolulu. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $29,519 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$6,545

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$828,124
Total interest
$1,191,476
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $14,243 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,018 a month

  • Tight

    $2,018 to $2,595 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,595 a month

    Your payment · 91%

Compared with the typical household income in Urban Honolulu ($86,504 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$6,545
Principal & interest$5,610
Property tax$211
Home insurance$351
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$373

You need at least $29,519 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Urban Honolulu and Honolulu County

Urban Honolulu is in Honolulu County, Hawaii. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Urban Honolulu's own numbers

Typical home value
$843,400
Typical monthly rent
$1,823
Typical yearly household income
$86,504
Households that own their home
49%
Effective property tax rate
0.3%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Honolulu County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$828,000
Conventional limit, one unit
$1,249,125
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,542
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+37%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
4.9%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Honolulu County.

Everything about Honolulu County

Buying

Buying a home in Urban Honolulu

A typical home in Urban Honolulu is worth $843,400: 6% below the county and about the same as Hawaii. With the typical household income in Urban Honolulu ($86,504 a year), a typical home costs 9.7 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Urban Honolulu 9.7 years
  • Honolulu 8.5 years
  • Hawaii 8.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Honolulu County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Honolulu County rose 59% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Honolulu County.

Period County Hawaii U.S.
Last year (2025) +1.4% +2.9% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +37% +46% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +59% +73% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Urban Honolulu next to Honolulu County, Hawaii and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Urban Honolulu $843,400
  • Honolulu $897,500
  • Hawaii $839,100
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Urban Honolulu $1,823
  • Honolulu $2,083
  • Hawaii $1,971
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Urban Honolulu $86,504
  • Honolulu $106,195
  • Hawaii $100,389
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Urban Honolulu next to Honolulu County and Hawaii
Measure Urban Honolulu Honolulu County Hawaii U.S.
Typical home value $843,400 $897,500 $839,100 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,823 $2,083 $1,971 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $86,504 $106,195 $100,389 $80,734
Households that own their home 49% 60% 63% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,491 $2,553 $2,239 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.3% 0.28% 0.27% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 55% 58% 57% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Honolulu County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Urban Honolulu

For a typical $843,400 home in Urban Honolulu, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Urban Honolulu's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $6,545a month

    Above the FHA limit for Honolulu County ($828,000)
    Down payment
    $29,519
    Cash to close
    $54,821
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $373

  • Conventional, 5% down $6,391a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $42,170
    Cash to close
    $67,472
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $401

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $5,133a month

    Down payment
    $168,680
    Cash to close
    $193,982
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $5,913a month

    Down payment
    $126,510
    Cash to close
    $151,812
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is Conventional, 5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Urban Honolulu and for Honolulu County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Urban Honolulu

0.3%of the home’s value each year

$2,491 a year for the typical owner in Urban Honolulu.

  • Urban Honolulu 0.3%
  • Honolulu 0.28%
  • Hawaii 0.27%

What Hawaii publishes Each county runs its own property tax (Hawaii Department of Taxation)

Exemptions and deadlines in Hawaii

Flood risk in Honolulu County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Honolulu County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
4.9%
8,317
Of those, with NFIP insurance
54%
County Hawaii U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 4.9% 2.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 54% 88% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Urban Honolulu

Typical rent in Urban Honolulu is $1,823 a month: 12% below the county. In Urban Honolulu, 55% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Honolulu County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,542 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $48.88 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Honolulu County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,836 $35.31 $73,440
1 bedroom $1,951 $37.52 $78,040
2 bedrooms $2,542 $48.88 $101,680
3 bedrooms $3,520 $67.69 $140,800
4 bedrooms $4,249 $81.71 $169,960

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Urban Honolulu

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Urban Honolulu has 13 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $2,200 in 96813 to $3,190 in 96815.

2 of the 13 are above the fair market rent for Honolulu County ($2,542).

A ZIP code counts for Urban Honolulu when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Urban Honolulu

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 9 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Honolulu County; 2 say they serve in Spanish.

An older woman smiles in front of her apartment building.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Urban Honolulu

1 program is for Urban Honolulu or Honolulu County, by its own record: they come first, each with what its official page says about being open. The ones below are statewide in Hawaii: they work in Urban Honolulu the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Hawaii

  • Down Payment Loan Program

    For Honolulu County

    City and County of Honolulu loan, with federal HOME funds, of up to $40,000 at 0% and with no fees, for the down payment only, repaid over 20 years; for first-time buyers on Oʻahu with incomes up to 80% of the area median who put down at least 5% of the price. Offered by City and County of Honolulu Department of Community Services (DCS).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

  • Hale Kamaʻāina Mortgage Program

    Statewide in Hawaii

    Hawaii state corporation 30-year fixed mortgage for first-time buyers, with optional down payment assistance whose terms the agency has not yet published. Offered by Hawaiʻi Housing Finance & Development Corporation (HHFDC).

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Urban Honolulu

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Urban Honolulu, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Hawaii Homeownership Center

    1259 Aala St Ste 201, Honolulu · 1 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (808) 523-9500

  • Legal Aid Society of Hawaii

    924 Bethel Street, Honolulu · 1 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    (808) 536-4302

  • Money Management International - Honolulu

    500 Ala Moana Blvd Ste 7400, Honolulu · 2 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (866) 232-9080

Every agency in Honolulu County All counseling agencies in Hawaii

Help in Spanish near Urban Honolulu

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Urban Honolulu

HUD’s record names them for Urban Honolulu or Honolulu County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

2 other authorities have an office in Honolulu County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Honolulu County

These cities are also in Honolulu County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Honolulu County Housing in Hawaii
See 24 more cities in Honolulu County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Urban Honolulu, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Honolulu County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Urban Honolulu.

All guides
Three generations of a family gather on the porch of their home.

Questions

Housing questions about Urban Honolulu

Short answers with the numbers for Urban Honolulu and all of Honolulu County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Urban Honolulu?

The typical home value in Urban Honolulu is $843,400, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Honolulu County it is $897,500.

How much does it cost to rent in Urban Honolulu?

Typical rent in Urban Honolulu is $1,823 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Honolulu County is $2,542.

What is the FHA loan limit in Urban Honolulu?

Urban Honolulu uses the FHA limit for all of Honolulu County (2026): $828,000 for a one-unit home and $1,592,350 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Urban Honolulu?

The typical homeowner in Urban Honolulu pays $2,491 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.3% of the home’s value; in Honolulu County, the rate is 0.28%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Urban Honolulu?

There are 9 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Honolulu County. 2 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).