Key takeaway: Kāneʻohe costs less than neighboring Kailua: HUD’s 2026–27 one-bedroom benchmark for ZIP 96744 is $2,150 (Kailua’s is $2,810), and the median single-family sale was $1,272,500 for the first half of 2026. Commutes over the Likelike or H-3 average 28.5 minutes, and the new 2026 flood maps put more windward homes into high-risk zones. Numbers checked October 31, 2026.
Kāneʻohe is the windward side’s larger and somewhat less expensive town, with a one-bedroom running about $1,900 to $2,150 a month. ZIP 96744 covers Kāneʻohe, Kahaluʻu and Āhuimanu, with 57,620 residents (ACS 2020–2024).
How much is rent in Kāneʻohe?
| Measure | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| HUD Small Area FMR, ZIP 96744 | $2,150 | $2,800 | FY2027 (from Oct 1, 2026) |
| Zumper average | $1,875 | $2,800 | Sep 30, 2026 |
HUD figures: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). These are 40th-percentile rents including utilities, a voucher benchmark rather than an asking price. Listing figures are averages of current listings and move a lot month to month.
We left out one listing site’s Kāneʻohe figures (about $1,150 for a one-bedroom) because they appear to be skewed by subsidized or senior units.
What do homes cost in Kāneʻohe?
The median single-family sale in Kāneʻohe was $1,272,500 for January–June 2026, and the median condo $640,000 (Honolulu Board of REALTORS). Zillow’s home value index was $1,081,692 at the end of September 2026, up 4.0% in a year (Zillow). Property tax at Honolulu’s owner-occupant rate is about $4,000 a year on a $1.27 million house ($3.50 per $1,000 after the $120,000 exemption).
What do Kāneʻohe households earn?
The median household income in ZIP 96744 is $131,653 (±$6,608) (ACS 2020–2024). At HUD’s $2,150 benchmark, a one-bedroom takes 20% of that income.
How long is the commute from Kāneʻohe?
Kāneʻohe workers average 28.5 minutes one way (ACS 2020–2024), driving into Honolulu over the Likelike Highway or H-3. TheBus runs express routes via the Likelike (TheBus). There is no rail on the windward side.
What costs are specific to Kāneʻohe?
- New flood maps. FEMA’s updated Oʻahu flood maps took effect June 10, 2026, moving more than 8,000 properties into higher-risk zones (Hawaii News Now). Owners with a federally backed mortgage who are newly in a high-risk zone must buy flood insurance, estimated at about $1,200 a year inland and up to $9,000 oceanfront (Hawaiʻi Public Radio, Apr 2026). Check any address on the city’s flood map page before you buy or rent. An updated stream study added 3,492 Oʻahu parcels to the high-risk flood area; we found no Kāneʻohe-only count, so look up the specific address.
- Vacation-rental limits. Outside resort zones, Oʻahu bans rentals shorter than 30 days, and a 2022 ordinance raised the minimum to 90 days; a December 2023 federal court ruling lets rentals that were already operating keep the 30-day minimum (Courthouse News via VRMA).
- Rain. The windward side is wetter than Honolulu, which means more upkeep for roofs, gutters and yards, but most homes manage without air conditioning.
How does Kāneʻohe compare with other Oʻahu towns?
| Town | 1BR rent, HUD benchmark | Median single-family sale | Mean commute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu (Waikīkī 96815) | $2,450 | $1,395,000 (Kapahulu–Diamond Head, YTD) | 22 min |
| Kailua (96734) | $2,810 | $1,685,000 (Kailua–Waimānalo, YTD) | 26 min |
| Kāneʻohe (96744) | $2,150 | $1,272,500 (YTD) | 29 min |
| Kapolei–ʻEwa (96707 / 96706) | $2,400 / $2,460 | $950,000 (ʻEwa Plain, YTD) | 33–35 min |
| Mililani (96789) | $2,160 | $1,100,000 (YTD) | 30 min |
Rent: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). These are 40th-percentile rents including utilities, a voucher benchmark rather than an asking price. Sales: Honolulu Board of REALTORS Local Market Update (HiCentral MLS data), June 2026 and year to date through June, by MLS region; the newest regional report we could reach. Commute: American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, via Census Reporter (ZIP). Honolulu commute shown for 96815.
More: Oʻahu cost of living · homeowners insurance · rent vs. buy calculator.
Sources
- HUD: FY2027 Small Area FMRs, Urban Honolulu (ZIP 96744)
- Zumper: Kāneʻohe
- Honolulu Board of REALTORS: Local Market Update, June 2026
- Zillow: Kāneʻohe home values
- Census Reporter: ZIP 96744
- TheBus
- Hawaii News Now: Oʻahu flood map changes (June 2026)
- Hawaiʻi Public Radio: flood maps (Apr 2026)
- City and County of Honolulu: flood maps
- VRMA / Courthouse News (Dec 2023)