# Kauai County, Hawaii

Kauaʻi County (Hawaiian: Kalana o Kauaʻi), officially known as the County of Kauaʻi, is a county in the U.S. state of Hawaiʻi. It encompasses the islands of Kauaʻi, Niʻihau, Lehua, and Kaʻula. According to the 2020 Census, the population was 73,298. The county seat is Līhuʻe.
The Kapa'a Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Kauaʻi County.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,266 square miles (3,280 km$^2$), of which 620 square miles (1,600 km$^2$) is land and 646 square miles (1,670 km$^2$) (51.0%) is water. The Pacific Ocean surrounds the county.

### Adjacent entities

* Honolulu County, Hawaii - southeast
* Midway Atoll - northwest

### National protected areas

* Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge
* Huleia National Wildlife Refuge
* Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge

## Government and politics

Kauaʻi County operates under a mayor-council form of municipal government. The Mayor of Kauaʻi, 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

Kauaʻi 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 | 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 | Representatives | Name | Party | First Elected | Area(s) of Kauaʻi County Represented |
| | District 2 | Jill Tokuda | Democratic | 2023 | entire county |

### Hawaii Legislature
#### Hawaii Senate

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

#### Hawaii House of Representatives

| District | 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 | 2023 | 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

Kauaʻi 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, Kauaʻi 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. The island of Kauaʻi 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.
United States presidential election results for Kauai County, Hawaii :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 11,803 | 39.26% | 17,675 | 58.79% | 586 | 1.95% |
| 2020 | 11,582 | 34.58% | 21,225 | 63.36% | 690 | 2.06% |
| 2016 | 7,574 | 28.76% | 16,456 | 62.49% | 2,305 | 8.75% |
| 2012 | 6,121 | 24.13% | 18,641 | 73.47% | 610 | 2.40% |
| 2008 | 6,245 | 22.94% | 20,416 | 74.99% | 563 | 2.07% |
| 2004 | 9,740 | 39.15% | 14,916 | 59.96% | 220 | 0.88% |
| 2000 | 6,583 | 30.23% | 13,470 | 61.87% | 1,720 | 7.90% |
| 1996 | 5,325 | 25.33% | 13,357 | 63.54% | 2,338 | 11.12% |
| 1992 | 6,274 | 32.80% | 10,715 | 56.02% | 2,138 | 11.18% |
| 1988 | 8,298 | 40.95% | 11,770 | 58.08% | 198 | 0.98% |
| 1984 | 9,249 | 50.45% | 8,862 | 48.34% | 221 | 1.21% |
| 1980 | 5,883 | 35.39% | 9,081 | 54.64% | 1,657 | 9.97% |
| 1976 | 6,278 | 43.23% | 8,105 | 55.81% | 139 | 0.96% |
| 1972 | 7,571 | 58.36% | 5,401 | 41.64% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 4,140 | 36.49% | 7,051 | 62.15% | 155 | 1.37% |
| 1964 | 1,971 | 18.45% | 8,713 | 81.55% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 5,655 | 54.95% | 4,636 | 45.05% | 0 | 0.00% |

## Demographics

At the 2000 census there were 58,463 people, 20,183 households, and 14,572 families in the county. The population density was 94 people per square mile (36 people/km$^2$). There were 25,331 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile (16/km$^2$). 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%. 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, 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

Kauaʻi 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, 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

* Kapaʻa 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
* Kapaʻa 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.

## Infrastructure
### Transportation

Lihue Airport serves the island of Kauaʻi. Bus service is provided by The Kauai Bus.

   #### Major Highways

* Route 50
* Route 51
* Route 56
* Route 58
* Route 520
* Route 540
* Route 550
* Route 570
* Route 580
* Route 581
* Route 583

## Communities

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

### Census-designated places

* Anahola
* Eleele
* Haena
* Hanalei
* Hanamaulu
* Hanapepe
* Kalaheo
* Kalihiwai
* Kapa'a
* Kaumakani
* Kekaha
* Kilauea
* Koloa
* Lawai
* Lihue
* Omao
* Pakala Village
* Poipu
* Princeville
* Puhi
* Wailua
* Wailuā Homesteads
* Waimea
* Wainiha

### Other unincorporated places

* Puuwai
* Kealia

## Sister cities

Kauaʻi County's sister cities are:
* Bangued, Philippines
* Davao City, Philippines
* Ishigaki, Japan
* Iwaki, Japan
* Laoag, Philippines
* Moriyama, Japan
* Papenoo, French Polynesia
* Santa, Philippines
* Suō-Ōshima, Japan
* Urdaneta, Philippines
* Whitby, England, United Kingdom