KalapanaHI
A town of 76, settled in 1900.
Is Kalapana a good place to live?
40% of residents live below the poverty line in Kalapana, against 9.7% in Hawaii’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. No town among the 94 in Hawaii we compare has a higher share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Kalapana. Kalapana’s trail network density is 1.5 miles per square mile, where Hawaii’s towns sit at 0.6 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Kalapana has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
76 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Kīlauea and 14 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Kalapana. Close and well known come first.
Big draw21 mi MountainKīlauea
3 mi National ParkHawai'i Volcanoes National Park1.9M visitors a year
36 mi MountainKama‘ehuakanaloa Seamount
12 mi CaveKazumura Cave
38 mi BeachPunalu'u Beach
27 mi WaterfallRainbow FallsPhoto credits
Kīlauea: Hawaii Land Cover Analysis project, NOAA Coastal Services Center, Public domain · Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park: Jos-uit-boston at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kama‘ehuakanaloa Seamount: John Smith and Brooks Bays, Public domain · Kazumura Cave: Dave Bunnell / Under Earth Images, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Punalu'u Beach: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rainbow Falls: Kyle Hawton, CC BY-SA 3.0
Moving to Kalapana: who provides what
Kalapana is unincorporated, so Hawaii County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Kalapana.
The biggest natural risk in Kalapana is earthquakes, at a very high overall level
Of the losses FEMA expects in Kalapana, 61% come from earthquakes and 25% from inland flooding. Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 100% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
A larger share of adults say their health is fair or poor in Kalapana than in most of Hawaii or the rest of the country
16% of Kalapana adults have diabetes. Only one of the 94 Hawaii towns we compare has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Kalapana. This Hawaii town beats the Hawaii average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 23.
| Kalapana | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 12% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 18% | 19% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 18% | 14% |
| What stands out | Kalapana | HI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults sleeping under 7 hours | 38.1% | 45.7% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.7% | 5.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
In Kalapana, the median rent runs lower than in the typical Hawaii or U.S. town
In Kalapana, 76% of households live in a home they own.
| Kalapana | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $825 a month | $2,015 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 76% | 71% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Everything we know about Kalapana
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Kalapana; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Kalapana residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Hawaii.
About Kalapana
Town in Hawaii, United States
Kalapana (Hawaiian for 'announce noted place') is a town and a region in the Puna District on the Island of Hawaiʻi in the Hawaiian Islands. The town was the original location of the Star of the Sea Painted Church. In 1990, lava flows from the Kūpaʻianahā vent of Kīlauea destroyed and partly buried most of the town, as well as Kalapana Gardens and nearby Royal Gardens subdivisions. The lava flow that destroyed Kalapana erupted from the southeast rift zone of Kīlauea. Along with the destruction of Kalapana were those of the nearby town of Kaimū and Kaimū Bay, both of which now lie buried beneath more than 50 feet (15 meters) of lava. The lava flow created a new coastline. In July 2010, lava …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Elevation
- 13 ft
Questions about Kalapana
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Kalapana, HI a good place to live?
Kalapana has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.