Kailua HI vs Salem OR — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Kailua, HI

Hawaii · Population: N/A

  • Median HH IncomeN/A
  • Median Home Price$1,530,716
  • UnemploymentN/A
  • Bachelor's+N/A

Salem, OR

Oregon · Population: 176,666

  • Median HH Income$71,900
  • Median Home Price$438,754
  • Unemployment5.3%
  • Bachelor's+31.4%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Kailua
N/A
Salem
176,666
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Kailua
N/A
Salem
N/A
Median Age
Kailua
N/A
Salem
35.7
Foreign Born
Kailua
N/A
Salem
12.2%
White
Kailua
N/A
Salem
69.8%
Black
Kailua
N/A
Salem
1.6%
Asian
Kailua
N/A
Salem
3.5%
Hispanic
Kailua
N/A
Salem
23.4%
Spanish at Home
Kailua
N/A
Salem
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Kailua
N/A
Salem
$71,900
Per Capita Income
Kailua
N/A
Salem
$36,477
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Kailua
$63,296
Salem
$63,691
Salem +
Unemployment Rate
Kailua
N/A
Salem
5.3%
Poverty Rate
Kailua
N/A
Salem
14.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
Kailua
N/A
Salem
31.4%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Kailua
$1,530,716
Salem
$438,754
Salem +
Homeownership Rate
Kailua
N/A
Salem
55.7%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Kailua
276
Kailua +
Salem
355
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Kailua
2592
Kailua +
Salem
3001

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Kailua
26.5%
Kailua +
Salem
41.4%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Kailua
9.8%
Kailua +
Salem
11.7%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Kailua
15.8%
Kailua +
Salem
18.8%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Kailua
3.7%
Kailua +
Salem
11.6%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Kailua
18.3%
Salem
16.2%
Salem +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Kailua
14.9%
Salem
12.4%
Salem +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Kailua
69.3°F
Salem
53.0°F
Salem +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Kailua
107.9 in
Salem
39.7 in
Salem +

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Kailua
3.3 µg/m³
Kailua +
Salem
9.0 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Kailua
75.0%
Kailua +
Salem
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Kailua
N/A
Salem
24.5 min

Which City is Right for You?

Salem offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $438,754. On public safety, Kailua is safer with a violent crime rate of 276 per 100,000 residents, compared to 355 in Salem. Kailua has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 3.3 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Kailua scores better with a lower obesity rate of 26.5%.

Compare More Cities

About Kailua & Salem