Kauai County ( haw, Kalana o Kauaʻi) (officially known as the County of Kauai) is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the U.S. state of

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

. It consists of the islands of

Kauai Kauai, () anglicized as Kauai ( ), is geologically the second-oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands (after Niʻihau). With an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), it is the fourth-largest of these islands and the 21st largest islan ...

Niihau Niihau ( Hawaiian: ), anglicized as Niihau ( ), is the westernmost main and seventh largest inhabited island in Hawaii. It is southwest of Kauaʻi across the Kaulakahi Channel. Its area is . Several intermittent playa lakes provide wetland ha ...

Lehua Lehua Island is a small, crescent-shaped island in the Hawaiian islands, north of Niihau, due west of Kauai. The uninhabited, barren island is a tuff cone which is part of the active Niihau volcano. Lehua was one of the first five isl ...

, and

Kaula Kaula may refer to: People * Prithvi Nath Kaula (1924–2009), Indian librarian * William J. Kaula (1871–1953), American watercolor painter * William M. Kaula (1926–2000), Australian-born American geophysicist Other uses * USS ''Kaula'' (AG- ...

. As of the 2020 Census the population was 73,298. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

is Līhue. The Kapa'a Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Kauai County.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (51.0%) is water. The

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...

surrounds the county.

Adjacent entities

Honolulu County, Hawaii Honolulu County (officially known as the City and County of Honolulu, formerly Oahu County) is a consolidated city–county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The city–county includes both the city of Honolulu (the state's capital and largest ci ...

- southeast *

Midway Atoll Midway Atoll (colloquial: Midway Islands; haw, Kauihelani, translation=the backbone of heaven; haw, Pihemanu, translation=the loud din of birds, label=none) is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. Midway Atoll is an insular area of the Unit ...

- northwest

National protected areas

* Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge * Huleia National Wildlife Refuge *

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge on the northwest coast of the island of Kauai in Hawaii. History Kīlauea Lighthouse was built in 1913. In 1976, the Coast Guard deactivated the lighthouse and replaced it wit ...

Government and politics

Kauai County has a mayor-council form of municipal government. Executive authority is vested in the

Mayor of Kauai The Mayor of Kauai is the chief executive officer of the County of Kauai in the state of Hawaii. The mayor has municipal jurisdiction over the islands of Kauai and Ni’ihau. Derek Kawakami was elected on November 6, 2018, as the mayor of Kauai ...

, elected by the voters on a nonpartisan basis to a four-year term. Legislative authority is vested in the seven-member County Council. All members of the County Council are elected on a nonpartisan, at-large basis to two-year terms.

United States Congress

Kauai County, like the rest of Hawaii, is represented entirely by Democrats in both the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and po ...

and the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

Hawaii Legislature

Hawaii Senate

Hawaii House of Representatives

Elections

Federal

Kauai 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 Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

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/km²). There were 25,331 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile (16/km²). The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

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 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top non-government employers in the county are:

Education

Higher education

Kauai Community College is the county's only institution of higher education. One of the ten branches of the

University of Hawaiʻi The University of Hawaiʻi System, formally the University of Hawaiʻi and popularly known as UH, is a public college and university system that confers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through three universities, seven com ...

system, it offers a range of 2-year degrees and is accredited by the

Western Association of Schools and Colleges The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) was an organization providing accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in California and Hawaii, the territories of Guam, American Sam ...

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

* Kapa'a High School * Kauaʻi High School *

Waimea High School Waimea High School is a public high school in Waimea on the island of Kauai in the state of Hawaii. It was established in 1881 and serves grades 9 through 12. It is the westernmost high school in the United States of America. The school masco ...

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 * Kapa'a 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 * Ni'ihau High & Elementary

Private schools

There are two private schools in the county: Island School, and the Kahili Adventist School. Four private schools, including St. Catherine's School and St. Theresa's Elementary School (Catholic schools) and the Charter Schools on the island...

Infrastructure

Transportation

Lihue Airport serves the island of

. Bus service is provided by The Kauai Bus. ;;Major Highways * * * * * * * * * * *

Communities

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

State of Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

Census-designated places

* Anahola * Eleele * Haena * Hanalei * Hanamaulu *

Hanapepe Hanapepe or Hanapēpē is a historic, unincorporated community in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States. The name means "crushed bay" in Hawaiian, which may refer to landslides in the area. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Burea ...

* Kalaheo * Kalihiwai * Kapa'a * Kaumakani *

Kekaha Kekaha (literally, "the place" in Hawaiian) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 3,715 at the 2020 census, up from 3,175 at the 2000 census. History For most of the 20th century, the K ...

* Kilauea * Koloa * Lawai *

Lihue Lihue or Līhue is an unincorporated community, census-designated place (CDP) and the county seat of Kauai County, Hawaii, United States. Lihue (pronounced ) is the second largest town on the Hawaiian island of Kauai after Kapaa. As of the ...

* Omao * Pakala Village * Poipu * Princeville * Puhi * Wailua * Wailuā Homesteads * Waimea * Wainiha

Other unincorporated places

* Puuwai * Kealia

Sister cities

Kauai County's sister cities are: * Bangued, Philippines *

Davao City Davao City, officially the City of Davao ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Dabaw; ), is a first class highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, Philippines. The city has a total land area of , making it the largest city in the Philippines in terms of land ...

, Philippines * Ishigaki, Japan * Iwaki, Japan *

Laoag Laoag, officially the City of Laoag ( ilo, Siudad ti Laoag; fil, Lungsod ng Laoag), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 111,651 people. ...

, Philippines *

Moriyama 270px, Lake Biwa from Moriyama is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 85,485 in 34366 households and a population density of 1533.63 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography M ...

, Japan *

Papenoo Papenoo is an associated commune located in the commune of Hitiaa O Te Ra on the island of Tahiti, in French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = " Ia Ora 'O ...

, French Polynesia * Santa, Philippines * Suō-Ōshima, Japan * Urdaneta, Philippines *

Whitby Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a maritime, mineral and tourist heritage. Its East Cl ...

, England, United Kingdom

References

{{coord, 22, 04, N, 159, 39, W, region:US-HI_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki, display=title Hawaii counties 1905 establishments in Hawaii Populated places established in 1905