Welcome to
Pearl City
A large, well established Central Oahu town with a mixture of old and new. The “new” being almost exclusively commercial and public infrastructure upgrades including roads and the infamous Honolulu Rail Transit system. Its residential market is dominated by single-family homes built in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s and offers a few condo/townhome options. Its combination of proximity to Honolulu, slightly lower prices, and excellent public school system make Pearl City a popular choice.
Key Details
Other Considerations
- The majority of Pearl City residential areas do not have associations. However, there are a few including single-family homes in Pacific Palisades.
- Like a lot of Oahu, Pearl City is an area that was developed over decades without a real central plan. As such, there’s an eclectic feel with old sections bordering “newer” ones.
Around the Neighborhood
Pearl City is definitely one of the larger Central Oahu neighborhoods.
It’s located just North of Pearl Harbor and consists of a packed town area built around Kamehameha Hwy (sort of along the coastline) and the residential areas above town. The main residential areas are Pearl City-Upper, Pacific Palisades, Momilani and Waiau. Overall the majority of Pearl City homes are single wall construction with mid-century architecture. Over the years, a lot of the homes have been renovated and large additions are fairly common. Most of the additions are functional and add square footage but will normally create a choppy layout. Pearl City isn’t known for it’s curb appeal but it definitely has its own charm and will appeal to buyers that value proximity to Honolulu, Pearl Harbor and the Airport.
Shopping
Pearl City has a few main shopping centers all within a couple hundred yards of each other. There’s more than enough to cover all the basics of normal, everyday shopping needs. Wal-Mart, Foodland Farms (a spin-off of a local grocery chain designed to compete with Whole Foods), Sam’s Club, Home Depot and a handful of specialty stores. And if that’s not enough, Pearl City’s neighboring hoods include Waikele Premium Outlets (in Waikele) and Pearlridge Center (in Aiea).
Dining
For a larger area with a population over 40,000, you’d think there would be at least one or two nice restaurants for sit-down dining. Don’t get me wrong, there are a number of really good restaurants but none of which I’d consider really nice or fancy. The highlights for Pearl City dining tend to be small hole in the wall type places that serve ethnic Asian dishes and local favorites.
Schools
The Pearl City School district might be the best overall public school district in the state. There are seven elementary schools, all of which ranking well above average. And the middle and high school consistently rank high as well. The rankings below are done by Honolulu Magazine and are for 2019 state wide. For a more detailed breakdown and explanation of the rankings, please visit HonoluluMagazine.com
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- Pearl City Elementary #16 of 170
- Highlands Elementary #20 of 170
- Manana Elementary #9 of 170
- Waiau Elementary #26 of 170
- Momilani Elementary #2 of 170
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- Lehua Elementary #57 of 170
- Palisades Elementary #6 of 170
- Highlands Intermediate #20 of 51
- Pearl City High School #11 of 49
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Market Attributes
Trending
Due to lack of inventory, low-interest rates, and high demand Pearl City is currently a HOT market.
Date of Builds
The majority of homes in Pearl City were built in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s.
Days on the Market
Transportation Dynamics
Getting around Pear City can be a challenge at times…especially during the peak traffic hours. The majority of traffic is concentrated in and around the shopping centers in Pearl City and on Kamehameha Hwy due to what feels like endless construction. Once you’re in the residential areas the roads are pretty clear and easy to navigate. And if you’re a Pearl City expert, you can avoid busy intersections by taking side streets as many of them connect. Once the rail is complete that should also provide some relief. And it will be a realistic option as one of the main stations will be in Pearl City.
Car Dependent ➔ Yes
Bicycle Friendly ➔ No
Uber ➔ 2 to 5 drivers in the area
City Bus ➔ Yes
Common Commutes by Car:
- Downtown Honolulu – 15 minutes without traffic; 40 minutes with traffic
- Schofield Barracks – 15 minutes without traffic; 30 minutes with traffic
- Honolulu Inter. Airport – 10 minutes without traffic; 25 minutes with traffic
- Grocery Store – 5 minutes
- Costco – 5 minutes