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Honokaa People's TheatreHonokaa People's Theatre · Photo: Ross stephenson · CC BY-SA 3.0
A−Health Grade
Health in Honokaa · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Honokaa is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns

Honokaa differs from Hawaii on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 3 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Honokaa. How CDC estimates town health

Health Grade

What’s behind Honokaa’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Honokaa is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 98% of towns); the weakest is fair or poor health, still better than 58%.

BSelf-rated health18.6% · HI 18.4% · U.S. 19.4%
BPhysical distress13.4% · HI 12.3% · U.S. 13%
A−Mental distress14.9% · HI 14.5% · U.S. 15.9%
A+Obesity23.3% · HI 25.6% · U.S. 32.9%
BDiabetes11.3% · HI 12.4% · U.S. 12%
B+Smoking13.2% smoke · HI 11% · U.S. 11.8%
A−Exercise21.6% · HI 23% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 76%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $65K–$109K (10,250)Healthier than 79%

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). Honokaa’s median household income is $87,019; among the 10,250 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($65K–$109K), it’s healthier than 79%, about where its income would put it.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Honokaa could be anywhere from B− to A.

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Honokaa adults…

Honokaa runs below HI on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

28 of every 100 Honokaa adults have high blood pressure
Hawaii: 32 in 100 · better · likely 25.2–31.1%
Better than HIWorseAbout the sameHawaii
Getting care

Care in and near Honokaa

1 hospital and 1 community health center in Honokaa, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERHonoka'a Hospital and Skilled NursingHonokaa · 0.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHamakua Health CenterHonokaa · 0.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.2 mi
Hamakua Health Center
5 sites · nearest in Honokaa
Sliding-scale feesIn Honokaa
Directions to nearest
0.4 mi
Honoka'a Hospital and Skilled Nursing
Honokaa · not rated
ERRural critical accessIn Honokaa
21.3 mi
North Hawaii Community Hospital
Kamuela · ★★★★★
ER
23.4 mi
West Hawaii Community Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Waikoloa
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
24.1 mi
Kohala Hospital
Kapaau · not rated
ERRural critical access
33.8 mi
Hilo Benioff Medical Center
Hilo · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Honokaa itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Honokaa itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Honokaa itself

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 Honokaa; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Hawaii

Share of adults, with the Hawaii figure marked.

Get no exercise 21.6%HI 23%
Sleep under 7 hours 38.6%HI 45.7%
Binge drink 17.2%HI 17.4%
Smoke cigarettes 13.2%HI 11%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Honokaa, betterHonokaa, worseAbout the sameHawaii
Where Honokaa gets moving

2.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Honokaa adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.

75%Yearly checkupHI 77%
63%Dentist visitHI 68%
82%Cholesterol checkHI 83%
61%Colon screeningHI 63%
72%MammogramHI 78%
76%Taking BP medsHI 77%
1 in 16
working-age adults has no health insurance
Honokaa 6.2% · Hawaii 1 in 18 (5.6%)
Mind & connection

How Honokaa adults are doing

About the same as Hawaii on each measure.

1 in 3Honokaa adults feel lonely
32.6% · HI 32% · About the same as HI
1 in 3Honokaa adults lack social or emotional support
32.5% · HI 30.1% · About the same as HI
1 in 5Honokaa adults have been diagnosed with depression
18.3% · HI 16% · About the same as HI
1 in 7Honokaa adults are in frequent mental distress
14.9% · HI 14.5% · About the same as HI
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Honokaa adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

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
Honokaa adults worry about having enough food
18.2% · HI 17.3%
About the same as HI
1 in 9
Honokaa adults worry about keeping their housing
11.4% · HI 10.9%
About the same as HI
1 in 16
Honokaa adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.1% · HI 5.8%
About the same as HI
1 in 12
Honokaa adults lack reliable transportation
8.5% · HI 7.5%
About the same as HI

13.4% of Honokaa adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.

Around town

Honokaa and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
HonokaaA−23.3%11.3%13.2%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

29.8%

of Honokaa adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs12.8%
Thinking or memory13.6%
Hearing7.5%
Errands alone7.6%
Vision5.3%
Dressing or bathing3.6%
Hawaii

Every CDC estimate for Honokaa

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Honokaa is better than Hawaii on 2 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Honokaa’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…HonokaaHIU.S.vs HI
Overall health
Fair or poor health18.6%16.3–2118.4%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)13.4%11.9–14.912.3%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)14.9%13.3–16.614.5%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity23.3%19.4–27.725.6%32.9%About the same
Diabetes11.3%9.9–12.812.4%12%About the same
High blood pressure28.1%25.2–31.131.5%34.4%Better
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)34.2%31–37.536.1%37.1%About the same
Arthritis24.2%21.8–26.723.2%25.3%About the same
Asthma10.3%9.2–11.49.8%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer7.2%6.6–7.96.7%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease6.4%5.7–7.16.2%6.4%About the same
COPD5.9%5.1–6.85.3%6.3%About the same
Stroke3.8%3.4–4.23.7%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)9.7%8–11.68.5%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes13.2%11.2–15.211%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work21.6%18.3–25.223%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking17.2%14.9–19.617.4%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours38.6%33.8–43.245.7%36%Better
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)6.2%5.2–7.65.6%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year74.6%71.2–77.777.3%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year62.7%59.2–65.968.3%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years81.7%79.5–83.782.8%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)75.9%72.8–78.776.9%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)61.3%57.2–65.262.6%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)72.1%65.8–77.678.3%76.4%Worse
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression18.3%15.9–20.816%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely32.6%29.1–36.232%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support32.5%29.1–3630.1%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food18.2%15.9–20.617.3%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing11.4%9.9–12.910.9%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off6.1%5.3–75.8%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation8.5%7.4–9.67.5%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)13.4%11.3–15.612.2%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability29.8%26.5–33.328.7%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs12.8%11.1–14.513.2%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering13.6%12–15.412.5%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty7.5%6.6–8.47.2%6.7%About the same
Vision difficulty5.3%4.7–5.95.2%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone7.6%6.6–8.57.1%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.6%3.2–43.4%3.8%About the same

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 Honokaa

Is Honokaa a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Honokaa is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 79%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Honokaa?

CDC estimates 23.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.4% and 27.7%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Honokaa?

Honoka'a Hospital and Skilled Nursing in Honokaa, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Honokaa’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Honokaa have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 6.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–7.6%), 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 Honokaa more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Honokaa.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.