Consisting of medium-priced single and multi family homes, the residential area of Kapalama is home to a close-knit community of Hawaiians and part-Hawaiians, who settled in the early 1900’s. The area is highly populated and shares its space with various commercial and retail establishments.

Many of the businesses in Kapalama remain as small shops that are known for a variety of local products because of its long history. There are groceries and markets that you would find here have long been established and are already considered as the heart of the community. In these venues, they offer various unique cooking ingredients that are used for the island’s most popular dishes; these ingredients are not carried by mainland chain stores like Safeway. Along the Dillingham Boulevard, you would several small strip malls that offer a wide selection of multi-ethnic restaurants and local service providers. The Costco wholesale warehouse can also be found in this strip as well. Costco offers bulk purchases at great prices.

Kapalama has a full-service clinic called, the Kalihi-Palama Health Center. The center offers affordable medical services, which seeks to meet the community’s health needs. They also promote a number of educational awareness programs for the local residents.
Under the Farrington Complex school district, you would Kapalama. The district includes eight elementary schools, Kalakaua and Dole Intermediates, and Farrington High School. The ground of the Farrington High School is shared with Honolulu Community College.