Kalawao is a county in Hawaii, United States, occupying the isolated Kalaupapa Peninsula on the north shore of the island of Molokaʻi. It had a population of 82 at the 2020 census and covers 53 square miles (140 km2) — 12 square miles (31 km2) of land and 41 square miles (110 km2) of water — centred near 21°12′N 156°58′W.
Kalawao has no elected county government and no county seat in the ordinary sense: the Director of the Hawaii Department of Health serves as the county’s mayor, and the entire county is administered as a special judicial district of Maui County. Its lone settlement is Kalaupapa, whose postal code is 96742. There are no incorporated cities or towns, no civil townships, and the county sits in the Hawaii–Aleutian time zone. Its FIPS county code is 15005.
Towns & Villages in Kalawao County
Kalawao County has only one inhabited place, Kalaupapa, plus the abandoned historic village of Kalawao on the peninsula’s eastern shore. Neither is an incorporated municipality — both are administered directly by Hawaii’s health department.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kalaupapa | Unincorp. · state-administered | 82 | 96742 |
| Kalawao (historic, abandoned 1932) | Unincorp. · historic site | — | — |
Kalawao village, on the peninsula’s windward side, was the original 1866 landing site for patients sent to the settlement; it was abandoned in favor of Kalaupapa by 1932 and today survives only as a cluster of historic structures within Kalaupapa National Historical Park.
ZIP Codes
- 96742 — Kalaupapa (the only ZIP code assigned within the county)
Every address in the county, including the historic Kalawao site, is served through the Kalaupapa post office.
Geography
The county consists of the flat Kalaupapa (Makanalua) Peninsula and the sea cliffs, called the pali, that rise more than a quarter mile behind it, cutting the peninsula off from the rest of Molokaʻi. Water — the surrounding Pacific — makes up more than three-quarters of the county’s area, one of the highest such shares of any US county. The only land route down from the top of the pali is a switchback mule trail; the county otherwise depends on small aircraft and an annual supply barge.
Kalawao County lies entirely on Molokaʻi and is surrounded, above the cliffs, by Maui County, which administers the rest of the island.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 82 residents, nearly all of them at Kalaupapa — making it the second-least-populous county in the United States after Loving County, Texas. The population includes state health-department staff and a small number of remaining former Hansen’s disease patients who chose to stay after the settlement’s quarantine laws were lifted in 1969. Because the county’s population is so small and largely institutional, the Census Bureau does not publish a separate median household income figure for Kalawao; for comparison, the Hawaii median is $95,322. Population density works out to roughly 7 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Kalawao’s economy is almost entirely public-sector: the Hawaii Department of Health, the National Park Service (Kalaupapa National Historical Park), and the US Postal Service are the county’s principal employers. There is no private commercial district; supplies arrive by air and by the once-a-year barge. Access to the settlement is tightly restricted to protect the privacy of remaining residents and requires an advance permit.
History
Hawaii’s Board of Health established the Kalaupapa settlement in 1866 to isolate people with Hansen’s disease (leprosy), landing the first patients at Kalawao village before the settlement shifted to the more sheltered Kalaupapa side by 1932. Forced isolation continued until Hawaii repealed its quarantine law in 1969, though many patients chose to remain in the only home they had known. Kalawao was organized as its own county in 1905, and in 1980 the site became Kalaupapa National Historical Park, jointly overseen by the National Park Service and Hawaii’s Department of Health. Father Damien and Mother Marianne Cope, both later canonized, are remembered for their care of the settlement’s patients in the 19th century.
Getting There
There are no public roads connecting Kalawao County to the rest of Molokaʻi.
- Kaunakakai (Molokaʻi) — about 13 miles east by air, above the pali
- Honolulu, Oʻahu — about 55 miles east by air
- Lahaina, Maui — about 25 miles southeast across the Pailolo Channel
Kalaupapa Airport handles scheduled small-plane service to Molokaʻi and Honolulu; there is no commercial airport within the county itself, and the historic mule trail down the pali has been closed to visitors since a 2018 landslide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kalawao County?
It occupies the Kalaupapa Peninsula on the north coast of Molokaʻi, Hawaii, cut off from the rest of the island by tall sea cliffs.
What is the population of Kalawao County?
82 people at the 2020 census, making it the second-least-populous county in the United States.
How big is Kalawao County?
53 square miles (140 km2) total, with only 12 square miles (31 km2) of land — the smallest land area of any county in the 50 states.
Does Kalawao County have a county seat?
No. It has no elected county government; the Director of the Hawaii Department of Health serves as its mayor, and it functions as a judicial district of Maui County.
How many towns are in Kalawao County?
One inhabited settlement, Kalaupapa, plus the abandoned historic village of Kalawao.
What ZIP codes are in Kalawao County?
96742, covering Kalaupapa and the whole county.
Can visitors go to Kalawao County?
Access to the Kalaupapa settlement is restricted and requires an advance permit, out of respect for the privacy of remaining residents; there is no general public entry.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Hawaii.