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Kailua () is a
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
(CDP) in
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, one of five counties in the state. The city-county includes both Urban Honolulu ( ...
, United States. It lies in the Koolaupoko District of the island of
Oahu Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...
on the
windward In geography and seamanship, windward () and leeward () are directions relative to the wind. Windward is ''upwind'' from the point of reference, i.e., towards the direction from which the wind is coming; leeward is ''downwind'' from the point ...
coast at Kailua Bay. It is in the judicial district and the ahupua'a named Ko'olaupoko. It is northeast of
Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
– over Nu‘uanu Pali. In the
Hawaiian language Hawaiian (', ) is a critically endangered Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family, originating in and native to the Hawaiian Islands. It is the native language of the Hawaiian people. Hawaiian, along with English, is an offi ...
''Kailua'' means "two seas" or "two currents", a contraction of the words ''kai'' (meaning "sea" or "sea water") and ''elua'' (meaning "two"); it is so named because of the two former
fishponds Fishponds is a suburb in the north-east of the English city of Bristol, about from Bristol city centre, the city centre. It is mainly residential, and housing is typically terraced Victorian. It has a small student population from the presence ...
in the district ( Kawainui and Kaelepulu) or the two currents that run through Kailua Bay. Kailua is primarily a residential community, with a centralized commercial district along Kailua Road. The population was 50,000 in 1992. In 2017 census, the population had dropped to 38,000. The population was 40,514 at the 2020 census. Places of note in Kailua include Kailua Beach Park, Kaōhao or Lanikai Beach, Kawainui Marsh, Maunawili Falls, and Marine Corps Base Hawaii. It was home to
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
’s winter White House.


History


Early history

During the reign of King Kākuhihewa and his successors, Kanekapu, Kahoowaha, Kauakahiakahoowaha, and Kualiʻi, Kailua replaced Waikiki as the residential seat of the Oʻahu Rulers ( ''aliʻi nui'' of Oʻahu). Many ancient temple ruins, such as those at Ulupo Heiau State Historic Site, are in the area. After the Oʻahu army's defeat by King Kamehameha the Great at the Battle of Nuʻuanu in 1795, the political capital and residential seat of the aliʻi nui of Oʻahu was relocated from Kailua to
Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
.


Beach

Kailua Beach is crescent-shaped, about long, and ranging between wide. The ocean bottom fronting the beach slopes gently to overhead depths without any coral heads. Light to medium waves support
surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...
and
bodysurfing Bodysurfing is the sport of riding a wave without the assistance of any buoyant device such as a surfboard or bodyboard. Bodysurfers often equip themselves with a pair of swimfins that aid propulsion and help the bodysurfer catch, ride, and kick ...
. The steady
trade winds The trade winds or easterlies are permanent east-to-west prevailing winds that flow in the Earth's equatorial region. The trade winds blow mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere ...
make Kailua Beach a top
windsurfing Windsurfing is a wind-propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the Californian aerospace and surf culture. Windsurfing gain ...
and
kitesurfing Kiteboarding or kitesurfing is a sport that involves using wind power with a large power kite to pull a rider across a water, land, snow, sand, or other surface. It combines the aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snow ...
destination. Robby Naish, first World Champion of windsurfing and Professional Windsurfers Association Hall of Fame inductee, grew up in Kailua. Sea
kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...
and stand-up paddleboarding to the protected
seabird Seabirds (also known as marine birds) are birds that are adaptation, adapted to life within the marine ecosystem, marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent ...
sanctuaries Flat Island and the Nā Mokulua, popularly known as "the Mokes", have become increasingly popular water activities at the beach.


Geography

Kailua is located at (21.397370, −157.739515). Nearby towns include Kāneohe, Maunawili, and Waimānalo. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the CDP has an area of , of which is land and (26.62%) is water. A significant portion of the water area is Kawainui Marsh, the largest
wetland A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...
in the
Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands () are an archipelago of eight major volcanic islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the Pacific Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii in the south to nort ...
and a
Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar site, Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on We ...
site.


Kaʻōhao/Lanikai

Kaʻōhao () is the earliest known Hawaiian name for the place known as "Lanikai." Kaʻōhao means "the tying" and is derived from an old story in which "two women were tied together here with a loincloth after being beaten in a kōnane game". Kaʻōhao was commercially developed in the 1920s and renamed "Lanikai." It is now an
unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...
in Kailua on the windward coast at Kailua Bay. Lanikai Beach was rated one of the world's top ten beaches by ''Sherman's Travel Magazine''. The area is known for its white, powder-like sandy beach and its hiking trail along the Kaiwa Ridge to the
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
military bunkers commonly known as the "Lanikai Pillboxes". Because of its small community and easy access to its famous beach, Lanikai has one of Hawaii's most expensive real estate markets. It is served by Kailua's zip code, 96734.


Climate

Kailua has a
tropical savanna climate Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry "winter") and ''As'' (for a dry "summer"). The driest month has less than ...
.


Demographics

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
, there were an estimated 40,514 people and 12,387 households with an average of 3.04 people per household in Kailua. The population density was , which was less dense than that of Honolulu (5842.0 per square mile or 2255.6/km2). There were 4,322 housing units in Kailua at an average density of . The racial makeup of Kailua was 44.8%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.9%
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.2% Native American, 19.3% Asian, 4.4%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.4% from other races, and 29.0% from two or more races. The Kailua population had a greater percentage of White residents and a lower percentage of Asian residents than the state in aggregate (25.3% and 38.6% respectively). 8.6% of the Kailua population were
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race. 12.7% of Kailua residents reported having a language other than English spoken at home, less than the state average of 26.1%. The age of the population in Kailua was varied, with 5.8% of inhabitants being under the age of 5, 21.6% being under the age of 18, and 19.3% being above the age of 65. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males. The median annual household income in Kailua was $122,706, and the per capita annual income was $51,260. 5.0% of the population in Kailua was estimated to be below the poverty line, which was below the state average of 11.2%. Approximately 35.0% of businesses in Kailua were minority-owned, a rate nearly double that of the national average of 18.7%.


Government and infrastructure

The
Honolulu Police Department The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) is the principal law enforcement agency of the Honolulu County, Hawaii, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, headquartered in the Alapa'i Police Headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaii, Honolulu CDP. Officially re ...
operates the Kailua Substation in Kailua. The
United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
operates the Kailua Post Office. The Hawaii Department of Public Safety operates the Women's Community Correctional Center; it was defined in the Maunawili CDP as of the 2000 U.S. Census,2000 Map:
2010 Map: - Maunawili Elementary, Kailua High, and the prisons were in the CDP in 2000, but in 2010 were no longer in the CDP.
but was redefined as being in the Kailua CDP as of the 2010 U.S. Census.
2000 boundaries: - Page
1
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2
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NBC News NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Media Group, a division of NBCUniversal, which is itself a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's various operations r ...
stated that the prison was in Kailua. The Hawaii Department of Human Services operates the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility (HYCF), which was defined as Maunawili by the Census Bureau in 2000, and as Kailua by the same organization in 2010. The
United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the U.S. government that oversees the domestic enforcement of Law of the Unite ...
also stated the facility was in Kailua.


Tourism

Historically, most tourism on the island of O'ahu has centered around Waikiki and other tourism-designated areas. But tourism has also been a major economic force in Kailua, and tourism-related jobs have historically made up roughly one-third of total employment in Hawaii. The Obama family vacations, as well as coverage from various social media and travel sites, sparked new interest in Kailua as a tourist destination and led to an influx of tourists to Kailua. This influx led to pushback from some Kailua residents, prompting proposals of legislation to limit tourist activity there.


Winter White House

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
vacationed in Kailua between 2008 and 2012. In 2010, 2011, and 2012, the Obama family stayed in the rented, ocean-front house Plantation Estate in the Paradise Point Estates. The house was built by developer Harold Kainalu Long Castle, who also lived there. Obama also took a vacation break in August 2008 at a different house in Kailua, Oahu Lani, during the
2008 United States presidential election Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 4, 2008. The Democratic ticket of Barack Obama, the junior senator from Illinois, and Joe Biden, the senior senator from Delaware, defeated the Republican ticket of John Mc ...
.


Controversy

Although tourism is the primary driver of Kailua's economy, it remains a contentious issue among the town's residents. On several occasions, residents have successfully introduced legislation to discourage tourism in the town. One such example is Bill 41, introduced to the Honolulu City Council in October 2021. In 2022, Honolulu County Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed Bill 41 into law at a press conference held on Kailua beach. The bill places additional limits and restrictions on short-term rental units. These include requiring a permit to rent living space in a residential area for less than 90 days, as well as requiring hosting platforms (such as
Airbnb Airbnb, Inc. ( , an abbreviation of its original name, "Air Bed and Breakfast") is an American company operating an online marketplace for short-and-long-term homestays, experiences and services in various countries and regions. It acts as a ...
) to report all listings in Honolulu County (which includes Kailua town) to the county government. Proponents of Bill 41 expect its passage to dramatically reduce the volume of tourists in Kailua.


Education


Public schools

The Hawai'i Department of Education operates the public schools. Elementary schools in the CDP include Aikahi, Enchanted Lake, Kaelepulu, Kailua, Kainalu, Keolu, and Maunawili. Kailua Intermediate School, Kalaheo High School, and Kailua High School are also in the CDP. Kailua High and Maunawili Elementary were defined as being in the Maunawili CDP as of the 2000 Census, but in Kailua CDP as of the 2010 Census. Kaōhao Public Charter School was previously known as Lanikai Elementary Public Charter School and opened in 1964. It became a charter school in 1996, and it received its current name in 2017. Mokapu Elementary School is on the nearby Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH), outside of the CDP but with a Kailua address.


Area private schools

Catholic schools of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu: * St. Anthony School * St. John Vianney School Others: * Trinity Christian School * Redemption Academy * Windward Adventist School * Le Jardin Academy (Kailua address but not in the CDP) * Huakailani School for Girls (K-8) ( Kaneohe CDP)


Films

Movies and TV shows filmed in Kailua include: #'' Hawaii Five-O'' (1968): "King of the Hill" – TV episode #''Waikiki'' (1980) (TV) #''Mädchengeschichten'' (1998): Shea – "Surfer girl" – TV episode #'' Lost'' (2004–10) – TV episodes #'' Magnum, P.I.'' (1980–88) – TV episodes # ''Hawaii Five-0'' (2010)- TV episodes


Community

Kailua hosts various events throughout the year, from block parties to
fireworks Fireworks are Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large numbe ...
.


Notable people

* Mike Akiu, American football player * Wally Amos, founder of the " Famous Amos" cookie brand * Alpha L. Bowser,
Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
, U.S. Marine Corps, decorated for actions during the battles of
Iwo Jima is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands, which lie south of the Bonin Islands and together with them make up the Ogasawara Subprefecture, Ogasawara Archipelago. Together with the Izu Islands, they make up Japan's Nanpō Islands. Although sout ...
and Chosin Reservoir * Lynne Boyer, former World Champion professional surfer * Pete Cabrinha (windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing), professional windsurfer, Peahi tow-in pioneer * Emily Chang, Bloomberg news anchor * Henry Ian Cusick, Peruvian-British actor * Kaʻimi Fairbairn, professional football player * Scott Feldman, Major League Baseball pitcher * Sid Fernandez, former Major League Baseball pitcher * Russ Francis, former professional football player * Derek Ho (surfing), former World Champion professional surfer, Kailua High Alumni * Michael Ho, professional surfer, Kailua High Alumni * David Hughes, former professional American football player * Kila Ka'aihue, Major League Baseball player * Les Keiter, sportscaster * Allan J. Kellogg, Medal of Honor recipient * Buzzy Kerbox, professional surfer, windsurfer, Ralph Lauren model * Evangeline Lilly, Canadian actress * Denise Michele, model * Chris Naeole, professional football player * Robby Naish (windsurfing, kitesurfing), former World Champion professional windsurfer * B. J. Penn, former
Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
welterweight and lightweight champion and world Brazilian jiu-jitsu Champion * Albert Pyun, film director * Jonah Ray, comedian and actor * Samson Satele, professional football player * Jesse Smith, water polo player * Bobby Webster, NBA General Manager of Toronto Raptors


References


External links


Kailua Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control Census-designated places in Honolulu County, Hawaii Populated coastal places in Hawaii