Kapaa is a medium-sized coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Hawaii. With a population of 11,652 people and four associated neighborhoods, Kapaa is the 18th largest community in Hawaii.

Housing costs in Kapaa are among some of the highest in the nation, although real estate prices here don't compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in Hawaii.

Kapaa is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities.

The overall education level of Kapaa citizens is substantially higher than the typical US community, as 33.03% of adults in Kapaa have at least a bachelor's degree, and the average American community has 21.84%.

The per capita income in Kapaa in 2022 was $40,931, which is middle income relative to Hawaii, and upper middle income relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $163,724 for a family of four.

Kapaa is an extremely ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Kapaa home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Kapaa residents report their race to be Asian, followed by White. Important ancestries of people in Kapaa include German, Irish, English, European, and Italian.

The most common language spoken in Kapaa is English. Other important languages spoken here include Tagalog and Pacific Island languages.