Kilauea School · Photo: Joel Bradshaw · Public domainWithin Hawaii, Kilauea is healthier than 34% of graded towns
Kilauea differs from Hawaii on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kilauea. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Kilauea
Hawaii sets a high bar
Kilauea is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns, but only 34% of the 93 Hawaii towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Depression is more common in Kilauea
1 in 5 adults have been diagnosed with depression (19.1%), vs 16% across Hawaii. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 16.6%, vs 14.5% across Hawaii. Mind & connection ↓
Kilauea is behind on routine checkups
It trails Hawaii on three of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (73.2% vs 77.3%), cholesterol checks (80.3% vs 82.8%) and mammograms (70.4% vs 78.3%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Kilauea
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (14.7%), vs 11% 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 Kilauea’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Kilauea’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kilauea is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns, #62 of 93 in Hawaii. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 92% of towns); the weakest is smoking, still better than 51%.
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). Kilauea’s median household income is $91,984; among the 9,721 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 61%, about where its income would put it.
How Kilauea adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Kilauea runs above Hawaii.
3 in 10 Kilauea 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Kilauea adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
Everyday habits, side by side with Hawaii
Share of adults, with the Hawaii figure marked.
5.6 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Kilauea adults…
Kilauea runs above HI on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Kilauea
No hospital or community health center in Kilauea 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 Kilauea; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.8% of Kilauea adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Kilauea and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Kilauea adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Kilauea
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Kilauea is better than Hawaii on 1 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Kilauea’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Kilauea | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.3%16.7–22.1 | 18.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.3–15.8 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.7–18.6 | 14.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.7%22–31.8 | 25.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.6–12.7 | 12.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.9%28.7–35.3 | 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 | 26.1%23.4–29 | 23.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.4–11.9 | 9.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.2%6.5–7.9 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.8–7.4 | 6.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.8%5.7–7.9 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.9%7.3–10.8 | 8.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.7%12.2–17.3 | 11% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 21.5%18.1–25.1 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19%16.2–21.9 | 17.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.2%36.3–46.2 | 45.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.8%5.5–8.3 | 5.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.2%69.4–76.6 | 77.3% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.7%65.5–71.7 | 68.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.3%77.9–82.6 | 82.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.7%69.2–75.8 | 76.9% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.3%56.8–65.6 | 62.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.4%63.5–76.6 | 78.3% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.1%16.4–22.1 | 16% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 29.6%25.9–33.4 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.9%22.6–29.4 | 30.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19%16.3–22.2 | 17.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.8%10.1–13.8 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.7–9.1 | 5.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.8%7.7–10.1 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.8%14–19.8 | 12.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28%24.5–31.7 | 28.7% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.2%11.3–15.2 | 13.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.6%12.8–16.6 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.1–7.9 | 7.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%5–6.4 | 5.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7.1–9.3 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.5–4.6 | 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 Kilauea
Is Kilauea a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kilauea is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #62 of 93 in Hawaii. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 61%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Kilauea?
CDC estimates 26.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 22% and 31.8%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Kilauea?
Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital in Kapaa, 10.4 miles in a straight line from Kilauea’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Kilauea have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–8.3%), 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 Kilauea more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Kilauea.
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.