Lihue, HI · standard

ZIP Code 96766

Kauai County, Hawaii — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

14,683
67/sq mi
$100,678
Median income
$793,000
Median home value
29.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lihue pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 19%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 5%
home value, US ZIPs
67
people per sq mi
68%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 96766 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 96766 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 219.8 square miles in Lihue, Kauai County, Hawaii. The area is home to 14,683 residents, producing a population density of 67 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 96766 against Hawaii and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 96766 sits at $100,678 (8% above the Hawaii average), while per-capita income is $38,886. The poverty rate stands at 7.0% and the unemployment rate at 2.6%. On housing, the median home value is $793,000 (2% above the state average) with median rent at $1,942 per month, and 68.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 96766 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 29.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.2, and the average commute is 17 minutes. We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Kauai County, so you can benchmark 96766 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 96766

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 96766.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 96766, Lihue, 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

14,683

Population

219.8

Area (sq mi)

67

People / sq mi

Pacific/Honolulu

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 96766?

40.2

Median Age

49.5%

Male

50.5%

Female

21.7%

Foreign-Born

White 15.9%
African American 1.3%
Asian 48.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 7.7%
Two or More Ethnicities 25.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.7%

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?

$100,678

Median Household Income

+8% vs state

$38,886

Per Capita Income

7.0%

Poverty Rate

2.6%

Unemployment Rate

17.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 96766 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$100,678 Top 19% higher than 81% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 57.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

5,739

Total Housing Units

5,086

Occupied Units

653

Vacant Units

3.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 68.1%
Renter 31.9%

$793,000

Median Home Value

+2% vs state

$1,942

Median Rent

1986

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+2.2%

YoY Change (2024)

448

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+348%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 96766 have increased 2.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +348% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.6% 273
2021 +11.0% 303
2022 +17.2% 355
2023 +23.5% 438
2024 +2.2% 448

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 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 773 business establishments in ZIP 96766, employing approximately 11,390 people with a combined annual payroll of $586,708,000.

773

Businesses

11,390

Employees

$586.7M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 112 14.5%
Health care and social assistance 107 13.8%
Accommodation and food services 78 10.1%
Other services (except public administration) 76 9.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 64 8.3%
Construction 52 6.7%
Transportation and warehousing 52 6.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 49 6.3%
Wholesale trade 44 5.7%
Finance and insurance 43 5.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 35 4.5%
Information 16 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 16 2.1%
Manufacturing 14 1.8%
Educational services 9 1.2%
Utilities 5 0.7%

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 96766 vs 96756 →

ZIP 96766 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 96766 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 96766 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 96766 ranks #3 of 5 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
96756 Koloa, HI 5,190 6.6 mi
96746 Kapaa, HI 18,319 6.9 mi
96741 Kalaheo, HI 5,929 7.1 mi
96765 Lawai, HI 553 7.2 mi
96751 Kealia, HI 175 10.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Kauai County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 96766 in?
ZIP code 96766 (Lihue) is located in Kauai County, Hawaii. Kauai County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/kauai-hi.
What is the population of ZIP code 96766?
ZIP code 96766 in Lihue, HI has a population of 14,683 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 96766?
The median household income in ZIP 96766 is $100,678, which is 32% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 96766?
The median home value in ZIP 96766 is $793,000, which is 185% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 96766?
The largest racial group in ZIP 96766 is Asian at 48.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 96766?
ZIP code 96766 has 773 business establishments employing approximately 11,390 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 96766?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 96766 are: Retail trade (112), Health care and social assistance (107), Accommodation and food services (78). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 96766?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 96766 increased by 2.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 348%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 96766?
In ZIP code 96766, 57.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 96766?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 96766 is 17.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 96766?
In ZIP code 96766, approximately 68.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 96766?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 96766 is 7.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Lihue, HI

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.