Favorite Oahu Neighborhoods for Seniors

“By 2020, 1 in 4 residents of Hawaii will be 60 years or older,” according to the State of Hawaii’s Plan on Aging, published in 2017.  Baby boomers coming of age coupled with Hawaii’s appealing climate and lifestyle are resulting in a rapidly expanding senior population across our state.

Those born and raised here also contribute to Hawaii’s robust aging population and community. Hawaii residents enjoy the longest life expectancy of any state in the nation. It’s no wonder, then, that seniors love Hawaii for its active, healthy lifestyle and year-round warm weather.

Seniors have unique considerations when it comes to where to live. Our team recognizes that there’s no formula that works for every person. The term ‘seniors’ covers a broad demographic.

Whether you’re over 50, 60, 70, 80 or 90, Oahu has a neighborhood to fit your current lifestyle and align with your hopes and plans for your next decades, too. Here are a few Oahu neighborhoods that seniors are choosing to call home:

The dormant Koko Head crater and Hawai Kai’s Koko Marina in East Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii.

Hawaii Kai

Located in East Honolulu, this Oahu neighborhood is popular with seniors for its easy access to grocery stores, shopping, dining, walking paths, boating, nearby golf courses, a movie theater, medical buildings, a Costco, and so much more. With easy access to downtown Honolulu and Kailua, Hawaii Kai features single-family homes, condos, high-rise apartments, townhomes and senior communities.

The Koko Marina lends itself well to an active, outdoor lifestyle, with plenty of townhomes and single-family homes located along the marina front. Boating is a way of life here, and many residents get to enjoy outings from the marina into the calm waters of MaunaluaBay.

Kailua Beach on the Windward Coast of Oahu, Hawaii.

Kailua

This quiet beachside town on the Windward Coast of Oahu is a favorite neighborhood for seniors. Kailua and the neighboring oceanfront enclave of Lanikai are a peaceful haven of mostly single-family homes, with tons of amenities at your doorstep. Seniors have easy access to multiple grocery stores, a Target and Whole Foods, plus plenty of small, accessible shops, a walkable small town of concentrated conveniences and amenities, and one of Oahu’s most beautiful private golf clubs.

Kailua is a tight-knit community centered around a charming small town and a beautiful stretch of sand at Kailua Beach. Kailua residents love it for long beach walks, Kailua Beach Park and its walking paths, golf, tennis, swimming, easy shopping, and lots of delicious, casual restaurants.

The private, oceanfront neighborhood of Lanikai, on Oahu’s Windward side.

Lanikai

With all the same conveniences of Kailua, the private, exclusive Lanikai neighborhood located within the Kailua zip code offers immediate access to Lanikai Beach, one of the most beautiful stretches of white sand on Oahu.

Manoa Falls is one of Oahu’s most popular destinations, with easy parking and flat walking trails leading to the waterfalls.

Manoa

The beautiful, historic hillside neighborhood stretches from the beautiful Manoa Falls at the top of the valley, downslope past the University of Hawaii’s Manoa campus, all the way to King Street. Just 3 miles from downtown Honolulu and Waikiki, Manoa is home to beautiful Victorian homes and tree-lined streets since it’s one of the oldest neighborhoods in Honolulu.

Incredible oceanview condo from the Anaha in Kakaako.

Kakaako

Nestled between downtown Honolulu and the many attractions of Waikiki, the Kakaako district of Honolulu has seen considerable development in recent years. For seniors looking for the convenience and low-maintenance of high-rise living, Kakaako offers many appealing options and new construction. Enjoy sweeping Pacific Ocean views, rooftop pool lounges, private on-site health and wellness facilities, and an easy walkable lifestyle with shopping, the Whole Foods flagship store, and great dining all in the neighborhood.

A Nuuanu home recently sold at auction.

Nuuanu

Tucked above downtown Honolulu on the upslope of the Koolau Mountains, Nuuanu is a beautiful, cool and quiet neighborhood with easy access to all the conveniences of the city. Intersected by the Pali highway, with lush forests and quiet, winding roads that dead-end at the mountain ridges on either side, it’s one of the oldest neighborhoods in Honolulu. Single-family homes make up most of this almost entirely residential neighborhood.

Kahala

Located between Diamond Head to the west and Waialae Country Club to the east, this exclusive beachfront Honolulu neighborhood is a favorite for seniors. It’s centered around Kahala Mall, with its many restaurants, shops, and conveniences, including a pharmacy, a medical building, and a Whole Foods grocery store. Enjoy wide avenues for walking, easy access to ocean swimming, public tennis courts, walking paths around Kapiolani Park — all just minutes from both Waikiki and downtown Honolulu.

Diamond Head crater, with the Gold Coast in the foreground, and Kaimuki, Hawaii Kai, Kahala and Black Point behind it.

Diamond Head & Gold Coast

There are plenty of posh, exclusive homes along the front slopes of Diamond Head crater. However, the area surrounding Kapiolani Park, situated at the foot of Diamond Head, has so much to offer seniors. The Gold Coast fronts the Pacific Ocean and sits just east of bustling Waikiki, yet it feels worlds away. Sixties-era high-rise apartments and condos offer convenience, ocean views, and easy access to the walking paths and public tennis courts in Kapiolani Park. Pualei Circle is another quiet street along the slopes of Diamon Head that features lower buildings also constructed in the 1960s. Along Monserrat Avenue and the streets that intersect it, you’ll find single-family homes stretching from Diamond Head into Kaimuki.

The coastline of Honolulu, Hawaii, with the base of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach in the foreground.