Photo: Travis.Thurston · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Kapaa is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns
Kapaa differs from Hawaii on 4 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kapaa. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Kapaa
Kapaa is short on primary care and mental health care
Kapaa’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Kapaa is an active town
Only 19.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23% across Hawaii. Habits ↓
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 Kapaa’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Kapaa’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kapaa is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns, #23 of 93 in Hawaii. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 96% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 73%.
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). Kapaa’s median household income is $89,477; among the 10,002 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$112K), it’s healthier than 89%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Kapaa
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Kapaa, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Kapaa; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Hawaii
Share of adults, with the Hawaii figure marked.
4.8 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Kapaa adults…
Kapaa runs below HI on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Kapaa adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
How Kapaa adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Kapaa does better than Hawaii.
3 in 10 Kapaa 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.1% of Kapaa adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Kapaa and the towns around it
Kapaa has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kapaa | A− | 24.4% | 10.6% | 11.8% | CDC place |
| Wailua Homesteads | A− | 25.4% | 11% | 11.7% | CDC place |
| Wailua | B+ | 24.6% | 12.6% | 12.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Kapaa adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Kapaa
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Kapaa is better than Hawaii on 3 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Kapaa’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Kapaa | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.7%14.6–18.8 | 18.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%11–13.9 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13.2–16.7 | 14.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.4%19.9–29.2 | 25.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.6%9.3–12.1 | 12.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.5%27.2–33.8 | 31.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.9%31.4–38.4 | 36.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.6%21.9–27.3 | 23.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.2%9–11.4 | 9.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.1%6.4–7.7 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 6.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.3%4.7–6 | 5.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.8%7.1–10.7 | 8.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.8%10.1–13.6 | 11% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.5%16.5–22.7 | 23% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.5%15.9–21.4 | 17.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.4%37.3–47.4 | 45.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.2%5.3–7.3 | 5.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74%70.5–77.3 | 77.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.2%67.1–73.1 | 68.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.7%80.8–84.7 | 82.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.1%69.8–76.2 | 76.9% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.9%60.6–68.9 | 62.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.5%66.9–79.2 | 78.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17%14.4–19.5 | 16% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.7%26.1–33.4 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.7%23.5–30 | 30.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.8%13.8–18 | 17.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.5%9.1–12.1 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.5–7.3 | 5.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.5%6.6–8.5 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.1%10.4–13.9 | 12.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.2%22–28.4 | 28.7% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.5%10.1–13 | 13.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.6%11.1–14.1 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.5–7 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.2 | 5.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.8%6–7.6 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%3–3.6 | 3.4% | 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 Kapaa
Is Kapaa a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kapaa is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #23 of 93 in Hawaii. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 89%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Kapaa?
CDC estimates 24.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.9% and 29.2%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Kapaa?
Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital in Kapaa, 2.4 miles in a straight line from Kapaa’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Kapaa have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–7.3%), 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 Kapaa 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 Kapaa.
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.