Waikoloa, HI · standard
ZIP Code 96738
Hawaii County, Hawaii — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,609
- 29/sq mi
- $80,928
- Median income
- $813,800
- Median home value
- 32.5%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Waikoloa pairs an above-median household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 37%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 4%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 29
- people per sq mi
- 70%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 96738 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 96738 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 231.9 square miles in Waikoloa, Hawaii County, Hawaii. The area is home to 6,609 residents, producing a population density of 29 people per square mile, and falls within the Pacific/Honolulu time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 96738 against Hawaii and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 96738 sits at $80,928 (13% below the Hawaii average), while per-capita income is $35,251. The poverty rate stands at 13.0% and the unemployment rate at 8.3%. On housing, the median home value is $813,800 (5% above the state average) with median rent at $2,184 per month, and 69.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 96738 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 32.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.3, and the average commute is —. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Hawaii County, so you can benchmark 96738 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 96738
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 96738.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
46 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
29 establishments
- Construction
Construction
25 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
25 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
23 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 96738, Waikoloa, HI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
6,609
Population
231.9
Area (sq mi)
29
People / sq mi
Pacific/Honolulu
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 96738?
40.3
Median Age
50.2%
Male
49.8%
Female
22.8%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$80,928
Median Household Income
-13% vs state
$35,251
Per Capita Income
13.0%
Poverty Rate
8.3%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 96738 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$80,928 Top 37% higher than 63% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
4,884
Total Housing Units
2,703
Occupied Units
2,181
Vacant Units
2.91
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$813,800
Median Home Value
+5% vs state
$2,184
Median Rent
1996
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+21.1%
YoY Change (2022)
324
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+224%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 96738 have increased 21.1% over the past year (2022). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +224% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +2.0% | 206 |
| 2018 | +15.5% | 238 |
| 2020 | — | 246 |
| 2021 | +8.9% | 268 |
| 2022 | +21.1% | 324 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2022. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 226 business establishments in ZIP 96738, employing approximately 2,941 people with a combined annual payroll of $160,779,000.
226
Businesses
2,941
Employees
$160.8M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 46 | 20.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 29 | 12.8% |
| Construction | 25 | 11.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 25 | 11.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 23 | 10.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 23 | 10.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 21 | 9.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7 | 3.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 7 | 3.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 2.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 1.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 1.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 96738 vs 96743 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96743 | Kamuela, HI | 12,160 | 7.8 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Hawaii County
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Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 96738 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 96738? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 96738? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 96738? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 96738? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 96738? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 96738? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 96738? ▼
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What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 96738? ▼
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Waikoloa, HI
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.