Health · Hilo
Hilo, HI health
Hilo differs from Hawaii on 12 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults sleeping under 7 hours (38.8% vs 45.7%). Where it trails the state: more adults without reliable transportation (9.7% vs 7.5%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for HiloTownTapestry Health GradeNew
B+
Hilo’s Health Grade: B+
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Hilo is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns.
B-Self-rated healthB-Physical distressA-Mental distressA+ObesityC+DiabetesBSmokingB+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 66%
Less healthyHealthier
Hawaii towns we grade (125)Healthier than 35%
Towns with similar incomes, $61K–$102K (9,713)Healthier than 71%
About what its income would suggest. Hilo does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Hilo could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
How the Health Grade works
- Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Hawaii ranking.
- Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
- Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Hilo with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
- Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Hilo uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card
How Hilo compares with Hawaii
Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.
Chronic conditions
25.2% have obesity
0 better8 close4 worse
Habits
22.6% get no exercise
1 better2 close1 worse
Care & screenings
75.4% had a checkup
0 better6 close1 worse
Mind & connection
31.7% feel lonely
0 better4 close1 worse
Everyday needs
20.3% face food insecurity
0 better1 close4 worse
Disability
31.3% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Hilo adults…
30 of every 100 Hilo adults have high blood pressure
Hawaii: 32 in 100 · too close to call · margin 27.1–32.8%
Bars show Hilo; the black tick is Hawaii. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Hilo, betterHilo, worseToo close to callHawaii
Get no exerciseshare of adults
22.6% Hilo
HI 23%
HI 23%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
38.8% Hilo
HI 45.7%
HI 45.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults
16.7% Hilo
HI 17.4%
HI 17.4%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
13.3% Hilo
HI 11%
HI 11%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Hilo adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
Yearly checkup
HI 77%Dentist visit
HI 68%Cholesterol check
HI 83%Colon screening
HI 63%Mammogram
HI 78%Taking BP meds
HI 77%1 in 16
working-age adults has no health insurance
Hilo 6.4% · Hawaii 1 in 18 (5.6%)
Mind & connection
How Hilo adults are doing
1 in 3Hilo adults feel lonely
31.7% · Hawaii 32% · too close to call
1 in 5Hilo adults have been diagnosed with depression
18.6% · Hawaii 16% · worse
1 in 3Hilo adults lack social or emotional support
31% · Hawaii 30.1% · too close to call
1 in 7Hilo adults are in frequent mental distress
15.2% · Hawaii 14.5% · too close to call
Everyday needs
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
1 in 5
Hilo adults worry about having enough food
20.3% · HI 17.3% · worse
1 in 8
Hilo adults worry about keeping their housing
12.8% · HI 10.9% · worse
1 in 13
Hilo adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.5% · HI 5.8% · worse
1 in 10
Hilo adults lack reliable transportation
9.7% · HI 7.5% · worse
16.6% of Hilo adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Disability
Living with a disability
31.3%
of Hilo adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs14.1%
Thinking or memory14.1%
Hearing8%
Errands alone8.4%
Vision6.2%
Dressing or bathing4.2%
Black tick: Hawaii. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Hilo
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Hilo, plus the nearest just outside it.
HNearest ERHilo Benioff Medical CenterHilo · 2.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careWest Hawaii Community Health CenterHilo · 1.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1.5 mi
West Hawaii Community Health Center
8 sites · nearest in Hilo
Hilo Family Health CenterHilo · 1.5 mi
Hilo Family Dental CenterHilo · 1.6 mi
Hilo PediatricsHilo · 2.1 mi
Hilo Woman's Health CenterHilo · 2.2 mi
Wailuku Family Health CenterHilo · 2.6 mi
Kea'au Family Health and DentalKeaau · 5.5 mi
Pahoa Women and Children's Health CenterPahoa · 16 mi
Pahoa Family Health CenterPahoa · 16 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careHilo's county is a federal shortage area.Hawaii County · need score 15 of 25
! Dental careHilo's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Hawaii County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthHilo's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Hawaii County · need score 16 of 25
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Hilo. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Hilo
| Measure | Hilo | Margin | Hawaii | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 29.9% | 27.1–32.8% | 31.5% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 34.9% | 31.7–38.2% | 36.1% | about the same |
| Obesity | 25.2% | 21.1–29.7% | 25.6% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 25.2% | 22.8–27.6% | 23.2% | about the same |
| Depression | 18.6% | 16.2–21.2% | 16% | worse |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 9.6% | 8–11.4% | 8.5% | about the same |
| Asthma | 10.6% | 9.5–11.8% | 9.8% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 7% | 6.4–7.6% | 6.7% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8% | 11.5–14.4% | 12.4% | about the same |
| COPD | 6.3% | 5.6–7% | 5.3% | worse |
| Heart disease | 7.1% | 6.4–7.7% | 6.2% | worse |
| Stroke | 4.2% | 3.9–4.6% | 3.7% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3% | 11.7–15% | 11% | worse |
| Binge drink | 16.7% | 14.6–19.1% | 17.4% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 22.6% | 19.7–25.8% | 23% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.8% | 34.2–43.4% | 45.7% | better |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 75.4% | 72.4–78.4% | 77.3% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 62.5% | 59.2–65.7% | 68.3% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 81.7% | 79.9–83.5% | 82.8% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 61.9% | 57.8–65.9% | 62.6% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 72.9% | 67–78.3% | 78.3% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 76.8% | 74.3–79.4% | 76.9% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 6.4% | 5.5–7.4% | 5.6% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 31.7% | 28.4–35.5% | 32% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 31% | 27.8–34.4% | 30.1% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 15.2% | 13.7–16.8% | 14.5% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 20.1% | 18.2–22.2% | 18.4% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 14% | 12.6–15.4% | 12.3% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 20.3% | 18.4–22.5% | 17.3% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 12.8% | 11.4–14.4% | 10.9% | worse |
| Utility shut-off threat | 7.5% | 6.6–8.5% | 5.8% | worse |
| No reliable transportation | 9.7% | 8.7–10.9% | 7.5% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 16.6% | 14.7–18.7% | 12.2% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.3% | 28.2–34.4% | 28.7% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 14.1% | 12.7–15.6% | 13.2% | |
| Thinking or memory | 14.1% | 12.6–15.5% | 12.5% | |
| Hearing | 8% | 7.2–8.9% | 7.2% | |
| Vision | 6.2% | 5.7–6.7% | 5.2% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.2% | 3.8–4.5% | 3.4% | |
| Errands alone | 8.4% | 7.6–9.2% | 7.1% | |
About these numbers
How CDC estimates town health
They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Hilo door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Hawaii figure falls inside it, we don't call Hilo better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Hilo directly, so these are its own figures.
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Hawaii figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.