Photo: Polihale at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Hawaii, Kekaha is healthier than 21% of graded towns
Kekaha trails Hawaii on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kekaha. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Kekaha
Hawaii sets a high bar
Kekaha is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, but only 21% of the 93 Hawaii towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Kekaha
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (22.6%), vs 17.3% across Hawaii. Utility shut-off threats (8.4% vs 5.8%) and no reliable transportation (10.2% vs 7.5%) are higher too. 18.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.2% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Kekaha
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.1%), vs 5.3% across Hawaii. 1 in 22 adults have had a stroke (4.6%), vs 3.7% across Hawaii. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.7%, vs 6.2% across Hawaii. In all, Kekaha runs above Hawaii on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Kekaha is behind on routine checkups
It trails Hawaii on three of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (73.9% vs 77.3%), cholesterol checks (80.2% vs 82.8%) and mammograms (69.8% vs 78.3%). Checkups ↓
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 Kekaha’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
What’s behind Kekaha’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kekaha is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, #74 of 93 in Hawaii. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 94% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 24%).
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). Kekaha’s median household income is $84,375; among the 10,442 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$105K), it’s healthier than 44%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.3% of Kekaha adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Out of every 100 Kekaha adults…
Kekaha runs above HI on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Kekaha adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
Care in and near Kekaha
No hospital or community health center in Kekaha 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 Kekaha; ≈ 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.
0.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Kekaha adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Kekaha runs above Hawaii.
1 in 3 Kekaha 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.
Kekaha and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Kekaha adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Kekaha
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Kekaha is better than Hawaii on 0 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Kekaha’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Kekaha | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.1%19.5–25 | 18.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.3–16.8 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.6–18.3 | 14.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.9%21.4–30.9 | 25.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.9%12.2–15.8 | 12.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.7%31.4–38.3 | 31.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.3%33.8–40.9 | 36.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27%24.2–29.9 | 23.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–12.1 | 9.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.7%6.1–7.4 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.7%6.9–8.5 | 6.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.1%6.2–8.1 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.2–5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.7%8.6–13 | 8.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.7%12.6–17 | 11% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.1%21.4–29.2 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.4%14–19 | 17.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44.2%39.2–49.3 | 45.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.2%6.8–9.9 | 5.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.9%70.3–77.2 | 77.3% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.6%63.3–69.7 | 68.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.2%77.9–82.3 | 82.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75%71.9–77.7 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.3%57.9–66.5 | 62.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.8%62.8–76 | 78.3% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.8%14.4–19.6 | 16% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32%28.2–35.7 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.3%26.7–33.8 | 30.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.6%19.6–25.9 | 17.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.9%11.9–15.9 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%7.2–9.7 | 5.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.2%8.9–11.6 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.3%15.6–21.3 | 12.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31%27.5–35 | 28.7% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.5%13.7–17.6 | 13.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.2%13.4–17.2 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7.1–8.9 | 7.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%6.1–7.5 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%8–10.2 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4.1–5.1 | 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 Kekaha
Is Kekaha a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kekaha is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #74 of 93 in Hawaii. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 44%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Kekaha?
CDC estimates 25.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.4% and 30.9%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Kekaha?
Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waimea, 3.0 miles in a straight line from Kekaha’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Kekaha have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–9.9%), 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 Kekaha 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 Kekaha.
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.