| Official Name: | Kōloa, Hawaii |
| Settlement Type: | Census-designated place |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Hawaii |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Kauai |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 3.24 |
| Area Land Km2: | 3.24 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 1.25 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 1.25 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 2231 |
| Population Density Km2: | 688.26 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 1781.95 |
| Timezone: | Hawaii-Aleutian |
| Utc Offset: | -10 |
| Coordinates: | 21.9072°N -159.4658°W |
| Elevation M: | 65 |
| Elevation Ft: | 213 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 96756 |
| Area Code: | 808 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 15-39200 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 0361395 |
Kōloa is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Kauaʻi County, Hawaiʻi, United States. The population was 2,231 at the 2020 census,[2] up from 1,942 at the 2000 census. The first successful sugarcane plantation in the Hawaiian Islands was started here in 1835. It became a part of Grove Farm in 1948.
Kōloa means "a long cane with a crook."[3] [4] The "native duck" is the correct translation for the similar-looking koloa (without the macron).[5] According to one account, the district of Kōloa was named for a steep rock called Pali-o-kō-loa which was found in Waikomo Stream.
Kōloa is located on the southern side of the island of Kauai at 21.9072°N -159.4658°W (21.907137, -159.465877).[6] It is bordered to the northwest by Omao and to the south by Poipu.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 3.2km2, all of it recorded as land. Waikomo Stream passes through the center of the community.
As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 1,942 people, 693 households, and 507 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1629.5sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 748 housing units at an average density of 627.6sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the CDP was 20.2% White, 0.4% African American, 0.3% Native American, 43.8% Asian, 7.8% Pacific Islander, 1.2% from other races, and 26.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.4% of the population.
There were 693 households, out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the CDP the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.3 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $34,786, and the median income for a family was $43,393. Males had a median income of $31,125 versus $25,938 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,224. About 16.7% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.5% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
The Old Sugar Mill of Koloa was the first major sugarcane plantation in Hawaii in 1835.[8] [9] Missionary Daniel Dole and his family opened a boarding school for English-speaking children, sometimes called the Koloa Academy, in 1855.[10] [11]