Kauaʻi County, Hawaii: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 02:14, 18 May 2025

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county

KauaTemplate:Okinai County (Template:Langx), officially known as the County of KauaTemplate:Okinai, is a county in the U.S. state of [[Hawaii|HawaiTemplate:Okinai]]. It encompasses the islands of [[Kauai|KauaTemplate:Okinai]], [[Niʻihau|NiTemplate:Okinaihau]], Lehua, and [[Kaʻula|KaTemplate:Okinaula]]. According to the 2020 Census, the population was 73,298.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat is [[Lihue, Hawaii|LīhuTemplate:Okinae]].<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref>

The Kapa'a Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of KauaTemplate:Okinai County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (51.0%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> The Pacific Ocean surrounds the county.

Adjacent entities

Honolulu County, Hawaii - southeast
Midway Atoll - northwest

National protected areas

Government and politics

KauaTemplate:Okinai County operates under a mayor-council form of municipal government. The [[Mayor of Kauai|Mayor of KauaTemplate:Okinai]], elected by the voters on a nonpartisan basis, holds executive authority for a four-year term. Meanwhile, legislative authority is vested in the seven-member County Council. Members of the County Council are elected on a nonpartisan, at-large basis to two-year terms.

United States Congress

KauaTemplate:Okinai County, like the rest of Hawaii, is represented entirely by Democrats in both the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives.

Senators		Name	Party	First Elected	Level
	Senate Class 1	Mazie Hirono	Democratic	2013	Junior Senator
	Senate Class 3	Brian Schatz	Democratic	2012	Senior Senator
Representatives		Name	Party	First Elected	Area(s) of KauaTemplate:Okinai County Represented
	District 2	Jill Tokuda	Democratic	2023	entire county

Hawaii Legislature

Hawaii Senate

District		Name	Party	First Elected	Area(s) of Kauaʻi County Represented
	8	Ron Kouchi	Democratic	2010	entire county

Hawaii House of Representatives

	Name	Party	First Elected	Area(s) of Kauaʻi County Represented
15	Nadine Nakamura	Democratic	2016	Hā‘ena, Wainiha, Hanalei, Princeville, Kīlauea, Anahola, Keālia, Kāpa‘a, portion of Wailuā, Kawaihau
16	Luke Evslin	Democratic	2023Template:Efn	Wailuā, Hanamāʻulu, Kapaia, Līhuʻe, Puhi, portion of ʻŌmaʻo
17	Dee Morikawa	Democratic	2011	Niʻihau, portion of ʻŌmaʻo, Kōloa, Po‘ipū, Lāwa‘i, Kalāheo, ‘Ele‘ele, Hanapēpē, Kaawanui Village, Pākalā Village, Waimea, Kekaha

Elections

Federal

KauaTemplate:Okinai County has traditionally been a solid Democratic stronghold. The county has not voted Republican since the 1984 federal election, when it narrowly voted in favor of Ronald Reagan. In 2024, while it still voted majority Democratic, KauaTemplate:Okinai County cast the highest percentage of its vote for the Republican candidate out of any county in the state, a record that has generally been held by Honolulu County. This was the first time since 1960 that the county held this distinction.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The island of KauaTemplate:Okinai leans majority Democratic overall. The island of Ni'ihau, while it has a very small population, tends to vote almost entirely Republican, by far the strongest such leaning of all major Hawaiian islands.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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Demographics

Template:US Census population

At the 2000 census there were 58,463 people, 20,183 households, and 14,572 families in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 25,331 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 36.0% Asian, 29.5% White, 23.8% from two or more races, 9.1% Pacific Islander, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American and 0.9% from other races. 8.2%.<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 20,183 households 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 21.4% of households were one person and 7.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.34.

The age distribution was 26.4% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.50 males.

Economy

Top employers

According to the county's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the top non-government employers in the county are the following:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Wilcox Health (Wilcox Medical Center)	846
2	Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa	810
3	Ohana Pacific Management Co.	371
4	Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital	275
5	Kauai Beach Resort	160
6	Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital	148
7	Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative	140
8	Kauai Nursery & Landscaping Inc.	97
9	Gather FCU	88
10	The Parrish Collection	85

Education

Higher education

[[KauaTemplate:Okinai Community College]] is the county's only institution of higher education. One of the ten branches of the University of Hawaiʻi system, it offers a range of 2-year degrees and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Primary and Secondary Education

Public schools in the county are operated by the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education,<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref> and the county is represented by Maggie Cox on the state's Board of Education. There are 10 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 3 high schools, and 5 K-12 schools in the county.

High schools

[[Kapaa High School|KapaTemplate:Okinaa High School]]
Kauaʻi High School
Waimea High School

Middle schools

Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School
Kapa'a Middle School
Waimea Canyon Middle School

Elementary schools

Alakaʻi O Kauaʻi Public Charter School
Eleele Elementary School
Hanalei Elementary School
Kalaheo Elementary School
KapaTemplate:Okinaa Elementary
Kaumualii Elementary School
Kekaha Elementary School
Kilauea Elementary School
Kōloa Elementary School
Wilcox Elementary School

K-12 Schools

Kanuikapono Public Charter School
Kawaikini New Century Public Charter School
Ke Kula Niʻihau O Kekaha Learning Center
Kula Aupuni Niʻihau A Kahelelani Aloha
Niʻihau High & Elementary

Private schools

There are four private schools in the county: Island School, Kahili Adventist School, St. Theresa's Elementary School, and ʻŌlelo Christian Academy. St. Catherine's School used to operate, but closed its doors on June 7, 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Infrastructure

Transportation

Lihue Airport serves the island of [[KauaTemplate:Okinai]]. Bus service is provided by The Kauai Bus.

Major Highways

Communities

There are no incorporated communities in KauaTemplate:Okinai County, or in any other county of Hawaii. The county is the only form of local government in the State of Hawaii.