Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fern Forest is healthier than 90%
Fern Forest differs from Hawaii on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 20 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fern Forest. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fern Forest
COPD, depression and cancer run high in Fern Forest
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.7%), vs 5.3% across Hawaii. 1 in 5 adults have been diagnosed with depression (22.1%), vs 16% across Hawaii. Cancer is also above the state: 9%, vs 6.7% across Hawaii. In all, Fern Forest runs above Hawaii on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Fern Forest
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (17.6%), vs 11% across Hawaii. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Fern Forest
1 in 11 adults were threatened with a utility shut-off (8.9%), vs 5.8% across Hawaii. Food insecurity (21.7% vs 17.3%) and no reliable transportation (10.4% vs 7.5%) are higher too. 20.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.2% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Fern Forest is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fern Forest is healthier than 44%. Against the 3,322 towns with similar household incomes ($32K–$54K), it’s healthier than 90%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Hawaii figure falls outside Fern Forest’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Fern Forest’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fern Forest is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 79% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 17%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Fern Forest’s median household income is $42,917; among the 3,322 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($32K–$54K), it’s healthier than 90%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Fern Forest adults…
Fern Forest runs above HI on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Hawaii
Share of adults, with the Hawaii figure marked.
0.7 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20.5% of Fern Forest adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Care in and near Fern Forest
No hospital or community health center in Fern Forest itself. These are the nearest.
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 Fern Forest; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Keeping up with care
Share of Fern Forest adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
How Fern Forest adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Fern Forest runs above Hawaii.
3 in 10 Fern Forest adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Fern Forest and the towns around it
Fern Forest has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fern Forest | C+ | 31.3% | 12.7% | 17.6% | CDC place |
| Mountain View | C+ | 30.6% | 13% | 17.4% | CDC place |
| Royal Hawaiian Estates | — | — | — | — | |
| Eden Roc | C+ | 32.7% | 12.5% | 17.9% | CDC place |
Royal Hawaiian Estates: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fern Forest adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fern Forest
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fern Forest is better than Hawaii on 1 and worse on 20; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Fern Forest’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fern Forest | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23%20.1–26.5 | 18.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.6–18.7 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.8–18.6 | 14.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.3%26.3–36.5 | 25.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.7%11–14.4 | 12.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.6%29.4–36 | 31.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35%31.7–38.5 | 36.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.6%26.7–32.4 | 23.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.3–12.9 | 9.8% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9%8.1–9.8 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.3%7.3–9.3 | 6.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.7%7.4–10.3 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.4%10.3–14.7 | 8.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.6%14.9–21 | 11% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 22.5%19–26.4 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.4%16.8–22.1 | 17.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.2%32.6–41.8 | 45.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%5.8–9 | 5.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.7%71.5–77.9 | 77.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.3%60–66.5 | 68.3% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.5%79.2–83.7 | 82.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.9%72.6–78.8 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.9%61.8–69.8 | 62.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.8%64.6–76.4 | 78.3% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.1%19.2–25.1 | 16% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 29.4%26.1–33.1 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.7%24.3–31.2 | 30.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.7%18.5–25.1 | 17.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.9%11.9–16.1 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.9%7.6–10.3 | 5.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.4%8.9–12 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.5%17.1–24.4 | 12.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.4%30.5–38.6 | 28.7% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.3%14–18.8 | 13.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.9%13.9–18.2 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.1%8–10.2 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%6–7.8 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.4–11.1 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.6–6.1 | 3.4% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Hawaii figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Fern Forest
Is Fern Forest a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fern Forest is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fern Forest?
CDC estimates 31.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.3% and 36.5%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fern Forest?
Hilo Benioff Medical Center in Hilo, 17.5 miles in a straight line from Fern Forest’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fern Forest have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–9%), against 5.6% across Hawaii.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Fern Forest more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fern Forest.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Hawaii figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.