Holy Ghost Catholic Church · Photo: Joel Bradshaw · Public domainWithin Hawaii, Kula is healthier than 47% of graded towns
Kula differs from Hawaii on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kula. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Kula
Cancer, COPD and arthritis run high in Kula
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.1%), vs 6.7% across Hawaii. 1 in 14 adults have COPD (6.9%), vs 5.3% across Hawaii. Arthritis is also above the state: 28.7%, vs 23.2% across Hawaii. In all, Kula runs above Hawaii on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Hawaii sets a high bar
Kula is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, but only 47% of the 93 Hawaii towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Kula is short on primary care and mental health care
Kula’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 ↓
Smoking is more common in Kula
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (13.4%), vs 11% across Hawaii. Habits ↓
Kula is an active town
Only 18.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23% across Hawaii. The town has 17 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve. 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 Kula’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Kula’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kula is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, #49 of 93 in Hawaii. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 90% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 49%).
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). Kula’s median household income is $100,433; among the 8,526 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($75K–$126K), it’s healthier than 65%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Kula adults…
Kula runs above HI on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Kula
No hospital or community health center in Kula 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 Kula; ≈ 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.
17 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Kula adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
How Kula adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Kula does better than Hawaii.
3 in 10 Kula 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.
12.4% of Kula adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Kula and the towns around it
Kula’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Kula adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Kula
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Kula is better than Hawaii on 6 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Kula’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Kula | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.6%15.3–20.1 | 18.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%12–15.2 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%13.1–16.3 | 14.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.7%23–32.7 | 25.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.1%10.6–13.7 | 12.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.2%29.9–36.6 | 31.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.2%33.6–40.9 | 36.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.7%25.8–31.7 | 23.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.7–12.1 | 9.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.1%9.2–11.1 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.5–8.2 | 6.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.9%6–7.9 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.7%6.2–9.4 | 8.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.4%11.4–15.5 | 11% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 18.9%16–22.2 | 23% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19%16.4–21.7 | 17.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.4%33.6–43.5 | 45.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.4%4.5–6.5 | 5.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.1%72.7–79.2 | 77.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.1%66–72.2 | 68.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.4%84.6–88 | 82.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.4%72.9–79.3 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.5%63.3–71.7 | 62.6% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79%73.2–84.1 | 78.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.4%15–20 | 16% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.7%25.6–34.1 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.1%21.5–28.7 | 30.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.4%12.1–16.8 | 17.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.6%8–11.1 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.6%4.7–6.6 | 5.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6.1–8.1 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.4%10.2–14.7 | 12.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29%25.7–32.5 | 28.7% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15%13.2–17.1 | 13.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.2%10.8–13.8 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.2–9.1 | 7.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.5–5.7 | 5.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.4%6.5–8.3 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 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 Kula
Is Kula a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kula is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #49 of 93 in Hawaii. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 65%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Kula?
CDC estimates 27.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 23% and 32.7%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Kula?
Kula Hospital in Kula, 5.1 miles in a straight line from Kula’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Kula have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.5–6.5%), 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 Kula 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 Kula.
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.