In short
The median value of owner-occupied homes in Honolulu is $850,100 (Census ACS 2024; owner estimates, not sale prices). The FHFA House Price Index shows Hawaii prices up 5.8% between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026, against 2.1% for the nation. Hawaii charges a state transfer tax (Conveyance tax (HRS chapter 247)) whose rule Payotte does not reduce to a single formula: $0.10 to $1.00 per $100 of full consideration by price bracket; $0.15 to $1.25 per $100 for condos and single-family homes when the buyer is ineligible for a county homeowner's exemption. Selling a main home you owned and lived in for 2 of the last 5 years, the first $250,000 of gain ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly) is excluded from federal income tax (IRS Publication 523).
Calculate for Honolulu
In short
The median value of owner-occupied homes in Urban Honolulu is $850,100, and $920,600 in Honolulu County (all of Oahu), according to the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey. The state’s price limit for the Hale Kamaʻāina first-time buyer loan in Honolulu County is $866,346 ($1,058,867 in targeted areas), as of June 13, 2026, according to HHFDC.
How much homes cost in Honolulu
The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) asks owners how much they think their home would sell for. The median of those answers is a useful benchmark, but it is not a sale price: it covers every owner-occupied home, including homes bought long ago. Our page on Hawaii home prices explains the method in detail.
| Area | Median value, 2024 (ACS) | Margin of error (90%) |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu CDP | $850,100 | ±$40,453 |
| Honolulu County (the Urban Honolulu metro area) | $920,600 | ±$16,470 |
| Hawaii | $875,900 | ±$14,013 |
| United States | $360,600 | ±$618 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-Year Estimates 2024, table B25077. The 2025 estimates are scheduled for October 29, 2026.
“Urban Honolulu CDP” is the Census Bureau’s name for the city core; Honolulu County covers the whole island. The county median is $70,500 above the city-core median.
Are Honolulu prices rising?
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) tracks repeat sales of the same single-family homes. Its purchase-only index does not include a series for the Urban Honolulu metro area, so we show the state series, published August 25, 2026:
| Area | 1-year change (Q2 2025 to Q2 2026) | 5-year change (Q2 2021 to Q2 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | +5.8% | +38.0% |
| United States | +2.1% | +33.4% |
Source: FHFA House Price Index, quarterly purchase-only files. Changes calculated by Payotte from the published index values.
Closing costs, transfer tax and property tax
On top of the price, buyers and sellers pay closing costs, and the county collects property tax. These figures are covered in full, and sourced, in our Hawaii guides, so we do not repeat them here:
To see how property tax can be paid through your monthly mortgage payment, read our guide to escrow accounts.
Help for first-time buyers in Honolulu County
Honolulu County has its own limits under the state’s Hale Kamaʻāina Mortgage Program, run by HHFDC. As of June 13, 2026:
| Limit | Non-targeted area | Targeted area |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase price | $866,346 | $1,058,867 |
| Household income, 1-2 people | $154,805 | $184,800 |
| Household income, 3 or more people | $178,025 | $215,600 |
Source: HHFDC, eligibility page as of September 4, 2026.
The City and County of Honolulu’s housing department uses a 2026 median family income of $133,400 for its own income guidelines. Our first-time buyer programs page explains who qualifies, how to apply and what other programs exist.
Natural hazards in Honolulu
The City’s Department of Emergency Management (DEM) publishes hazard information for Oahu. Facts you should know before you buy:
- Tsunami. DEM says waves from a local tsunami could reach Oahu in as little as 30 minutes. It maps a Primary Tsunami Evacuation Zone and a larger Extreme Tsunami Evacuation Zone, and offers an address lookup.
- Hurricane. DEM says a hurricane will affect all of Oahu, with risk varying by flooding, storm surge and wind exposure. It also says that, because many older homes were not built or retrofitted to withstand hurricanes, “even a Category 1 storm could leave thousands homeless on Oʻahu.”
- Flood. DEM says Hawaii averages about 11 flood events a year, mostly from October to May, and that flash flooding can hit urban areas, valleys and streams.
Standard homeowners policies do not cover all of these. Our guide to natural hazards and insurance in Hawaii explains hurricane, flood and tsunami coverage, and the flood insurance guide covers the federal program.
Hawaii guides for Honolulu buyers
Frequently asked questions
What is the median home price in Honolulu?
The Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey puts the median value of owner-occupied homes in Urban Honolulu at $850,100 (±$40,453) and in Honolulu County at $920,600 (±$16,470). These are owners’ estimates, not the median sale price of recent sales.
Are home prices in Honolulu going up?
The FHFA purchase-only index has no series for Urban Honolulu alone. For Hawaii as a whole, it shows a 5.8% rise between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026, and 38.0% over five years.
What is the maximum home price for a Hale Kamaʻāina loan in Honolulu?
HHFDC lists $866,346 in non-targeted areas and $1,058,867 in targeted areas of Honolulu County, as of June 13, 2026.
Is Honolulu a tsunami risk area?
DEM maps tsunami evacuation zones on Oahu and says local tsunami waves could arrive in as little as 30 minutes. Use the City’s address lookup to see whether a home is inside a zone.
Where can I find the other costs of buying?
Our Hawaii pages on closing costs, transfer tax and property tax cover them, with sources.
More Hawaii guides
- Closing costs in Hawaii: what buyers and sellers pay
- Hawaii conveyance tax: rates, who pays and an example
- Honolulu property tax: the $3.50 rate and the home exemption
- What must a home seller disclose in Hawaii?
- Do you need a real estate attorney to close in Hawaii?
- Foreclosure process in Hawaii
- Home prices in Hawaii and Honolulu: median value and trend
- First-time home buyer programs in Hawaii: HHFDC and Honolulu
- How to verify a real estate license in Hawaii
- Hurricane, flood and lava insurance in Hawaii: what buyers need
Sources
- Table B25077, Median Value (Dollars), ACS 1-Year Estimates 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- 2025 ACS Data Release Schedule (U.S. Census Bureau) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- U.S. House Prices Rise 2.1 Percent Year over Year, Up 0.3 Percent Quarter over Quarter (FHFA, August 25, 2026) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- FHFA House Price Index datasets, quarterly purchase-only indexes (state, metro) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- Hale Kamaʻāina Mortgage Program, Eligibility, Income and Purchase Price Requirements, as of September 4, 2026 (Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- Tsunami (City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- Hurricane (City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- Flood (City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- Income Guidelines (City and County of Honolulu, Department of Housing and Land Management) (consulted October 13, 2026)