Mililani – An Award-Winning Community in Central Oahu

The community of Mililani sits in the center of the island Oahu. Named one of Money Magazine’s best places to live in the U.S. in 2005, Mililani ranked as an All-America City in 1986 (the only community in Hawaii ever so designated).  According to Pacific Business News, Mililani was the third wealthiest zip code in Hawaii in 2006. 

As with so many other Hawaiian communities, Mililani is located on what used to be a plantation. Mililani community planning began in the 1960s.  In the mid 1970’s, Interstate H-2 opened and the commuting time from Mililani to Honolulu decreased by half. Mililani is a “bedroom community” with many residents who commute to work in Honolulu. However, Mililani still has its own distinctive character, and has a wide variety of amenities and services. 

Shopping in Mililani is convenient and diverse.  The Town Center of Mililani features many large retailers, including Long’s Drugs and Wal-Mart, in addition to an animal clinic, gas station, clothing retailers, a multiplex movie theatre and lot and lots of restaurants.  Another shopping area, the Mililani Shopping Center, has Foodland, Ross Dress For Less, 24-Hour Fitness, Starbucks, and Blockbuster stores in it. 

While some are shopping, others may prefer to go golfing. The Mililani Golf Club opened in 1966.  It is a par-72, 6,455-yard public course. The Mililani Golf Club sits upon a plateau surrounded by the Waianae Mountains and the Ko'olau Mountains and offers golfers some amazing vistas to complement their golf games.  After a long golf outing, there is a great restaurant right at the course -- Alonzo's at The Mililani Golf Club Restaurant.

The older part of Mililani sits on the western side of the H-2 and is called Mililani Town. The Mililani Town Association emphasizes a “family living” theme, and has succeeded in its mission with a community that has shopping centers, theaters, restaurants, health care facilities and numerous parks and walkways throughout.  Mililani Town Association also enforces covenants and design standards, and provides a number of recreational facilities, including swimming pools.  A more recently built area, Mililani Mauka, sits on the eastern side of the H-2. Its name explains where Mililani Mauka is: “mauka” means towards the land or mountain in Hawaiian.  The homes in Mililani Mauka are generously sized.  There are beautiful townhomes in addition to plenty of single-family homes.  The Launani Valley is another Mililani area community that has townhomes and single-family units plus jogging paths, a pool, basketball courts and tennis courts all within a peaceful, soothing setting in the midst of many trees. 

According to the Honolulu Board of Realtors, detached single-family homes in Mililani had a median sales price of $605,000 in 2010.  For townhomes and condominiums, the median sales price was $282,500.  There are million dollar plus homes on the market.  Many are custom built and have four or more bedrooms and multiple baths.  Some are golf course properties, sitting right on the greens of the Mililani Golf Club. At the lower end of the Mililani real estate price scale, smaller condominiums sometimes cost as little as $125,000. 

Mililani has a little bit of everything.  There are many housing options in a wide range of prices.  There is ample shopping and access to professional services.  To cap it all off, the town sits in a gorgeously wooded area in the middle of one of the most beautiful islands in the world.