Oahu is home to Honolulu (and Waikiki Beach.) When you live on an island you run into the same people over and over, it makes island life a bit more gentle. Although there is traffic, honking car horns is not a thing. The island has two seasons – summer or the dry season, (May to October) and winter, which is the rainy season (November to April). Temperatures are warm year-round with gentle trade winds. 85° in the summer and 75° in the winter is about what you can expect year-round. Nights are not much cooler.

Being able to combine the benefits of city living with a beach-y year-round lifestyle is a rare find.

Aggressive Type-As aren’t a great fit for laid-back, easygoing Honolulu, where everything happens at a slower pace. People walk slower. Drivers let other cars merge. Speaking of slower, traffic in Honolulu is, officially, second only to Los Angeles. Honolulu has a limited number of roads but an endless number of cars and yours will need to be shipped over. Also, living near the water means you’re going to be in traffic going to work unless you're a WFH'er. 

Hawaii often finds itself at the top of various healthiest states in America lists. It’s not surprising given the beautiful weather, easy access to the ocean, and many hiking trails around the islands. People of Hawaii truly love spending time outdoors and although they do have real lives, they manage to sneak in a pre or post-work surf or the like. Ocean water temperatures around the state of Hawaii average 82° in the summer and 77° in the winter. That’s much warmer than the ocean waters along the US west coast, including Southern California. Plus, clean air may be a good reason to start considering Honolulu as your new home. Your lungs will love you. 
Living in Honolulu, you become accustomed to seeing the ocean everywhere, yet it also never gets old and is a reminder that you’re home is paradise.

Cautionary note: Unless you’re coming from a big, expensive city like New York or San Francisco, the cost of living may astound you. Housing, food, and even the cost of shipping – it’s often called the “paradise tax.” It’s incredibly high -- 82% above the national average. 

It Never Gets Old

LookyLOO Review of Honolulu

Like any big, capital city Honolulu isn’t any one thing in terms of lifestyle but for anyone considering the city from the mainland, it feels crazy not to start with the outdoor activities. Honolulu is filled with stunning beaches, surfing, kayaking, hiking, running, golf, tennis and presumably pickleball. The city is also rich in cultural attractions, with art museums, music, dance, and theater all amazing for a relatively small city. 

While much of the culture is built around native traditions, it is important to remember that Honolulu is over 50% Asian American and Pacific Islander with the largest ethnic groups including Japanese, Filipinos, Chinese, Koreans, Native Hawaiian, and Vietnamese so the experiences are often a melting pot of Hawaiian and eastern cultures that make the city feel more international than most other U.S. cities. The food scene is incredible with all ethnicities represented in world-class dining, and while there are plenty of retirees in the area the large population of students from the University of Hawaii and young professionals give the city a younger city vibe with tons of bars and clubs available for those looking to stay out late. 



Lifestyle 

Honolulu has four major economic sectors: tourism, trade/transportation, military defense and agriculture/aquaculture. Since the city and islands are at the crossroads of the west and east it serves both tourists and business for both Asia and the United States. While the economy in the city and area is strong and in some sectors recession-proof, the cost of living is crushing for many who otherwise would consider moving here. Some of the wfh migration patterns that are driving growth in less expensive U.S. cities are hard to imagine for Honolulu. 


Worklife

Honolulu is part of the [**Hawaii State Department of Education**](https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/) (HIDOE). The entire state receives a [**"B+" on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/d/hawaii-department-of-education-hi/). 

Hawaii's public school admittance policy generally requires students to attend the school within their designated geographic area, based on residential addresses. However, there are options for geographic exceptions, where students can apply to attend a school outside their area if certain criteria are met. More information on enrolling in Hawaii public schools can be found on the [**HIDOE enrollment page**](https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/ParentsAndStudents/EnrollingInSchool/Choosingaschool/Pages/home.aspx).

There are several excellent schools in Honolulu including: 

-[**University Laboratory Public Charter**](universitylaboratoryschool.org) is the #1 rated public school in Hawaii. It receives an [**"A" on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/university-laboratory-school-honolulu-hi/?map) with very high grades for Academics, Diversity, and College Prep. The school is notable for students earning college credits, a very small student population, college prep, and excellent athletics despite its small size. 
 
-[**Myron B. Thompson Public Charter**](mbta.me) receives an [**"A" on niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/myron-b-thompson-academy-public-charter-school-honolulu-hi/) with particularly high grades for Academics and Teachers. Thompson is a K-12 public charter that has an online/hybrid structure so students throughout Hawaii have an opportunity to attend. 

Schools

Honolulu - particularly East Honolulu - has the highest livability rating in the state, and is number 29 in the nation. This is due to low crime rates, high graduation rates, lots of local amenities, and a stable housing market. It is also No. 13 on a list of the 30 happiest cities in the United States, according to Gallup’s Healthways Well-Being Index.

Honolulu is a rare place that appeals to students, millennial families and retirees. And anyone who loves a good Poke Bowl.


Livability

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**Inner_Minute197**
Lived in Honolulu
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I was stationed on Oahu from 2016-2019 and will be returning for 4 years this October.

How is living on Oahu/in Honolulu? I absolutely love it, which is why I requested orders to return. I love the culture (specifically the less fast-paced lifestyle than what I'm used to in the mainland as well as more people being overtly polite), the food, the vibe, and the weather. That said, I did have a brief stint of island fever about a year after living there my first go around. But this was overcome after I started to come back from deployments and made friends/started to expand my reach.

One thing that I highly recommend in order to help limit the chance that you get island fever is to treat the island as your home and not as some 24/7 tropical Disney location. I've long said that people who claim that "there's nothing to do" or that they run out of things to do in Hawaii have generally (in my experience) come to unrealistically view the islands as a tropical vacation setting instead of as their home. They complain about not being able to road trip on a whim or about the difficultly of traveling to certain far away places, when most of the folks I know wouldn't even be doing that stuff on the mainland. People in Hawaii do the same things as others on the mainland for the most part. Folks go to work, shop, go to the gym, hang with friends, etc. The sooner people start treating Hawaii like any other place--just with "better" weather and wonderful beaches--the sooner they'll get over this notion of there being "nothing to do" or running out of things to do. That's not to say that Hawaii/Honolulu isn't without it's problems, but what place is?

For more reviews of what living in Honolulu is like from locals check out: [**The Reviews**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/honolulu/reviews).

City Meets Beach

Reviews of Honolulu from Locals

**The Good, The Bad and The Ugly**

Oahu is home to Honolulu (and Waikiki Beach.) When you live on an island you run into the same people over and over, it makes island life a bit more gentle. Although there is traffic, honking car horns is not really a thing. The island has two seasons – summer or the dry season, (May to October) and winter, which is the rainy season (November to April). Temperatures are warm year-round with gentle trade winds. 85° in the summer and 75° in the winter is about what you can expect year round. Nights are not much cooler.


**The Best Thing About Honolulu?** 

Being able to combine the benefits of city living with a beachy year-round lifestyle is a rare find.

Aggressive Type-As aren’t a great fit for laid-back, easygoing Honolulu, where everything happens at a slower pace. People walk slower. Drivers let other cars merge. Speaking of slower, traffic in Honolulu is, officially, second only to Los Angeles. Honolulu has a limited number of roads but an endless number of cars and yours will need to be shipped over. Also, living near the water means you’re going to be in traffic going to work. 

Hawaii often finds itself at the top of various healthiest states in America lists. It’s not surprising given the beautiful weather, easy access to the ocean, and many hiking trails around the islands. People of Hawaii truly love spending time outdoors and although they do have real lives, they manage to sneak in a pre or post work surf or the like. Ocean water temperatures around the state of Hawaii average 82° in the summer and 77° in the winter. That’s a lot warmer than the ocean waters along the US west coast, including Southern California. Plus, clean air may be a good reason to start considering Honolulu as your new home. Your lungs will love you. 
Living in Honolulu, you become accustomed to seeing the ocean everywhere, yet it also never gets old and is a reminder that you’re home is paradise.

**The Worst Thing About Honolulu?** 

Unless you’re coming from a big, expensive city like New York or San Francisco, the cost of living may astound you. Housing, food, and even the cost of shipping – it’s often called the “paradise tax.” It’s incredibly high -- 82% above the national average. 

**How You Living?** 

Honolulu is high-density living but options range from new condos (high HOAs), waterfront homes to luxury estates. Housing for UH students is better searched for out toward Kahala, Diamond Head, and Hawaii Kai. Prices compared to many areas in the continental US, will generally be higher, and that should be no surprise to anyone. Oahu is, after all, an island, and space is limited since demand is high. If you’re going to UH, look on Craigslist for off-the-beaten track, less luxurious rentals. Accessible neighborhoods include Makiki, but also look at Manoa, Kalihi, Diamondhead, and Moili'ili. Waikiki is extra pricey. 
Homes located on any of the ridges, like the popular Hawaii Loa Ridge, are not only centrally located and close to many of the Honolulu amenities, but also have beautiful ocean views. In fact, many of the homes and condos in Honolulu have amazing views. 

**Why You Should Move Here Now?** 

Honolulu - particularly East Honolulu - has the highest livability rating in the state, and is number 29 in the nation. This is due to low crime rates, high graduation rates, lots of local amenities, and a stable housing market. It is also No. 13 on a list of the 30 happiest cities in the United States, according to Gallup’s Healthways Well-Being Index.

Honolulu is a rare place in that appeals to students, millennial families and retirees. And anyone who loves a good Poke Bowl.


Manoa is where the main campus of the UofH is located. Tons of apartments, cafes, cars and restaurants make it and nearby Makiki the centers of off-campus living. While nothing is cheap in Honolulu these neighborhoods have the best options for rentals. Also consider Kahala/DiamondHead although options in this fancier neighborhood are harder to come by. 
- Manoa
- Makiki
- Kahala/Diamond Head


College Students

Manoa

Downtown Honolulu is an obvious first stop for young professionals looking for a place to live. Tons of condo and apartment options within a walk to work from the professional center of the city alongside plenty of food options means an easy work/life balance. Ala Moana is the best option for young professionals who want to be close to downtown but who favor more social options than downtown provides. It’s 10 minutes to Downtown and just 5 minutes to Waikiki Beach but you are also located along Ala Moana Beach Park for daytime play and tons of restaurants and bars for nighttime play. 
- Downtown 
- Ala Moana
- Waikiki
- Moilili


Young Professionals

Downtown

Waikiki is the center of the LGBTQ+ community in the Honolulu area. Just 15 minutes from the big city it’s not only where the community lives but also home to Queen’s Surf Beach, the unofficial gay seashore. Daytime brings gay locals and travelers to the beach and the nearby LGBTQ+ bars are a short walk away. Within the city proper the neighborhoods of Hawaii Kai and Makiki draw LGBTQ+ community looking for beautiful homes but without the noise of Waikiki. 
- Waikiki
- Hawaii Kai
- Makiki


LGBTQ+

Waikiki

One of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Honolulu is Kahala. Massive single-family homes on huge lots, line wide beautiful blocks sit on white sand beaches. It isn’t a touristy area so everything is chill here. More modest homes are available off-beach but even these are in great quiet blocks, perfect for raising kids. Add in three beautiful parks with plenty of room for hiking, running, riding and general kid play and you’ve got a premier option for those with the $$$ to spend. 
- Kahala
- Manoa
- Hawaii Kai


Families

Kahala

Honolulu

**Inner_Minute197**
Lived in Honolulu
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I was stationed on Oahu from 2016-2019 and will be returning for 4 years this October.

How is living on Oahu/in Honolulu? I absolutely love it, which is why I requested orders to return. I love the culture (specifically the less fast-paced lifestyle than what I'm used to in the mainland as well as more people being overtly polite), the food, the vibe, and the weather. That said, I did have a brief stint of island fever about a year after living there my first go around. But this was overcome after I started to come back from deployments and made friends/started to expand my reach.

One thing that I highly recommend in order to help limit the chance that you get island fever is to treat the island as your home and not as some 24/7 tropical Disney location. I've long said that people who claim that "there's nothing to do" or that they run out of things to do in Hawaii have generally (in my experience) come to unrealistically view the islands as a tropical vacation setting instead of as their home. They complain about not being able to road trip on a whim or about the difficultly of traveling to certain far away places, when most of the folks I know wouldn't even be doing that stuff on the mainland. People in Hawaii do the same things as others on the mainland for the most part. Folks go to work, shop, go to the gym, hang with friends, etc. The sooner people start treating Hawaii like any other place--just with "better" weather and wonderful beaches--the sooner they'll get over this notion of there being "nothing to do" or running out of things to do.

That's not to say that Hawaii/Honolulu isn't without it's problems, but what place is?

**Impressive_Piano573**
Living in Honolulu
4mo ago
🦉🦉

I’m 67, retired, married, and we just moved to Honolulu from NYC ( after 40 years there) to be closer to our kids and a new grandchild. So my situation is different from yours, but I can tell you the culture shock is real. The cost of living is no problem… if anything Hawaii may be cheaper than NYC. But Honolulu has very little to offer in terms of museums, theater, live music, nightlife, etc. (at least compared to NYC) My main thought is that if you love hiking and the ocean, you will probably be fine. If not, you may get serious island fever.

**HawaiiStockguy**
Living in Honolulu
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉

As a military assignment, most everyone either loves it or hates it. They love the great weather, clean air, ocean activities, hiking, overall beauty, friendly people from all over the world, and being far from family. Or they hate being out in the sun, no change of season, all the tourists, high cost of everything, no winter sports, driving more than 2 hours gets you back where you started, and being so far from loved ones.

Try to not only visit most of the outer islands, but remember you may never live closer to asia, australia and new zealand, so vacation eastward

Military people fight both hardest to get Hawaii posting and hardest to not get Hawaii postings. Most other military assignments are in generally desirable or generally undesirable places

**ReviveOurWisdom**
Living in Honolulu
2mo ago
🦉🦉

Beautiful island with a lot to do in a little space. Don Quijote is lovely, I also like the convention center which hosted some cons like animecon and astronomycon etc. hiking at Manoa Falls or relaxing in Kailua Beach… therapy.

Within the city tho, it’s definitely one of the more walkable cities in the country. Walking, biking, scooters, it’s quite nice not needing a car to go everywhere. The beaches and weather in Hawaii are really like paradise

Butttt on the flip side, living there has its cons. You practically have to be a multimillionaire to live a comfortable lifestyle, even if it’s just a condo or an apartment. Homelessness will seemingly never get solved because of the corruption, and there has been a slight increase in shootings and gun violence in the state, just a tiny bit. Overall I miss my time there, but I wouldn’t move back. Much better to visit as a tourist and avoid the issues

Honolulu, Hawaii

The Big Pineapple

Looklyloo Score: 93