Diamond Head-Kapahula-Saint Louis
Walkable to Kapahula Avenue and Kaimuki
Among the many restaurants along Kapahula Avenue, Leonard’s has been around since 1952, and it was featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” “It’s iconic, and there’ll be 50 people in line for their donuts,” says Knisley. “Tourists sometimes go there but don’t really go north or east into the housing.” Rainbow Drive-In is a fast-food place that serves traditional Hawaiian lunch. Growler Hawai’i is a pub with beer, ciders, wine and probably the longest draft list in O’ahu. While the local food scene already has a lot of variety, Kaimuki offers fresh options to the east. “Small businesses have been popping up in Kaimuki,” says Knisley. “They put in a new Italian shop so you can buy fresh pasta. They put in a butcher so you can buy fresh meat. There’s a lady who handmakes cakes and cookies. You can walk down the street now, and there’s Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, burgers, Indian and sushi all together.”Wa’ahila Ridge, Kapi’olani Park, Diamond Head and more
Wa’ahila Ridge State Recreation Area makes up the northern part of this neighborhood, and it’s walkable from homes in St. Louis Heights. “It has canopies, barbecues, cabanas and lots of parking,” says Knisley. “People like the Wa’ahila Ridge Trail because you get mountain views. Sometimes you have to use a rope to hike up.” On the west side of the neighborhood, Kapi’olani Park is a 200-acre green space that hosts the Honolulu Zoo and Waikiki Aquarium. Its fields are often used for kickball and bocce ball. Toward the middle of the park, the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell is a frequent venue for the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra and other musicians. Waikiki Beach is just west, and it’s a 2-mile stretch of sand and crystal-clear water. While often crowded with tourists, the northern and southern ends typically aren’t as busy. Diamond Head is a volcanic cone along the southern coast, and it’s popular with tourists seeking city views. Residents don’t have to hike up to the top, really, as it’s visible from almost anywhere in the neighborhood.Beachside condos, valley two-stories and hillside homes
On the neighborhood’s southern end, luxury condos butt up against the Pacific Ocean and Diamond Head. These high-rises were mostly built in the 1970s, and architectural features include banded windows and neutral tones. A renovated studio can go for $400,000 in this area, even ones under 500 square feet. For more luxurious units that are triple the size, prices can reach $5.5 million. Kapahula, or the central portion of this neighborhood, has more single-family housing. These typically have three bedrooms and more space. The second story often has a patio and hangs over the ground level, forming a carport. They’re between $1 million and $2.5 million. As elevation increases toward St. Louis Heights, hillside homes enter the mix. The first ones were built at the base of the hill in the 1930s; they get newer moving toward the top, up to the 1970s. These properties are usually a similar size to those on flat ground, but they overlook the city. They start at $1 million and reach $1.5 million. Most properties in this neighborhood can be bought outright, but renters make up most of this market. Some buildings offer traditional leases, which locals call fee-simple. Others are leasehold, where a landlord owns the unit but not the land underneath it. They transfer property rights to a tenant for the duration of their lease, and afterward, the rights transfer back.Some of the highest-rated schools in Hawai’i
The public schools in Diamond Head-Kapahula-St. Louis Heights all receive an A-minus from Niche and rank high statewide. Waikiki Elementary, on the west side of Diamond Head, ranks No. 8 of 203 for all public elementary schools in Hawai’i. The school has adopted a mindful culture that integrates Dr. Art Costa’s 16 Habits of Mind. These practices include impulse management and creativity, and research shows they correlate with success in adults. On the east side of Diamond Head, Kaimuki Middle ranks No. 5 of 78 for all public middle schools in the state. Its English, math and science scores are 25% above the state proficiency levels. Additionally, almost half of its student population is involved in clubs, sports or fine arts. Kalani High ranks No. 9 of 61 for all public high schools in the state, too. Its robotics team has qualified for many FIRST Championships, a competition that hosts the world’s highest-performing schools. In the hills of St. Louis Heights, Chaminade University of Honolulu is a private university with 25 degree programs. The University of Hawai’i at Manoa has more than 200, and it’s a half-mile north.Walking or biking around town
Like many places in Honolulu, most of the neighborhood can be explored on foot. “Diamond Head and Kapahula are super walkable,” says Knisley. “St. Louis Heights isn’t as accessible because the older areas don’t have sidewalks. But when you get up into the stuff built in the 1950s, you have sidewalks again.” Besides major thoroughfares such as Kapahula Avenue, bikers can get around quiet, trafficless streets, and Biki provides hourly or daily bike rentals. Drivers can use the H1 Freeway to access the rest of O’ahu’s southern coast; they might connect to the H2 or H3 for other sides of the island. The H1 also leads roughly 5 miles west into downtown Honolulu, and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport is about 5 miles farther. TheBus has several stops along Kapahula Avenue, and buses can take residents into Waikiki.


Agents Specializing in this Area
-
Ted Kawabata
Keller Williams Honolulu
(808) 207-9165
44 Total Sales
2 in Diamond Head-Kapahula-Saint Louis
$275K - $2.4M Price Range
-
CS
Carl Smigielski
Portfolio
(808) 582-8792
28 Total Sales
1 in Diamond Head-Kapahula-Saint Louis
$6,150,000 Price
-
Nathalie Mullinix
Nathalie Mullinix Rlty Universal Inc
(808) 201-2974
238 Total Sales
3 in Diamond Head-Kapahula-Saint Louis
$900K - $1.5M Price Range
-
Mary Begier
Mary Begier Realty
(808) 201-2261
68 Total Sales
1 in Diamond Head-Kapahula-Saint Louis
$2,100,000 Price
-
Kimi Correa
Responds QuicklyLUVA Real Estate
(808) 207-9958
57 Total Sales
1 in Diamond Head-Kapahula-Saint Louis
$645,000 Price
-
Chris Prendergast
20 Degrees North Real Estate
(808) 650-5075
38 Total Sales
1 in Diamond Head-Kapahula-Saint Louis
$830,000 Price
Schools
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to
, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Parks in this Area
Transit
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Diamond Head-Kapahula-Saint Louis | US |
---|---|---|
Homicide | 2 | 4 |
Sexual Assault | 2 | 4 |
Assault with Weapon | 3 | 4 |
Robbery | 4 | 4 |
Burglary | 4 | 4 |
Motor Vehicle Theft | 4 | 4 |
Larceny | 4 | 4 |
Crime Score | 3 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Diamond Head-Kapahula-Saint Louis Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Diamond Head-Kapahula-Saint Louis, Honolulu sell after 99 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Diamond Head-Kapahula-Saint Louis, Honolulu over the last 12 months is $435,900, down 5% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Neighborhood Facts
Open Houses
-
Saturday, Aug 22 - 5pm
-
Wednesday, Jul 3010am - 12pm
-
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to
, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Finances
Education and Workforce
Weather
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
Very Walkable
Walk Score®
Good Transit
Transit Score®
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods

Walkable, easygoing suburb of Honolulu with trendy retail and dining corridor

Honolulu suburb close to a university and the beach

Serene island community with blufftop estates, central shopping, private golf

Honolulu’s landing spot for visitors, the Manhattan of the Pacific

Trendy neighborhood next to downtown Honolulu, not as touristy

Long-term residents in condos and hillside estates, close to downtown Honolulu