Photo: Perrinville · Public domainWithin Hawaii, Kurtistown is healthier than 20% of graded towns
Kurtistown differs from Hawaii on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kurtistown. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Kurtistown
Hawaii sets a high bar
Kurtistown is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns, but only 20% of the 93 Hawaii towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Kurtistown
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.4%), vs 5.3% across Hawaii. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.7%), vs 3.7% across Hawaii. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.8%, vs 6.2% across Hawaii. In all, Kurtistown runs above Hawaii on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Kurtistown
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23%), vs 17.3% across Hawaii. No reliable transportation (10.5% vs 7.5%) and utility shut-off threats (8.1% vs 5.8%) are higher too. 18.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.2% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Kurtistown
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (15.4%), vs 11% across Hawaii. Habits ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Kurtistown’s lead shrinks
Kurtistown is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns, but 30% of the 9,152 towns with similar household incomes ($72K–$120K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
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 Kurtistown’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
What’s behind Kurtistown’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kurtistown is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns, #75 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). Kurtistown’s median household income is $96,165; among the 9,152 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$120K), it’s healthier than 30%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Kurtistown adults…
Kurtistown runs above HI on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.9% of Kurtistown adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Everyday habits, side by side with Hawaii
Share of adults, with the Hawaii figure marked.
20 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Kurtistown
No hospital or community health center in Kurtistown 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 Kurtistown; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Kurtistown adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
How Kurtistown adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Kurtistown runs above Hawaii.
1 in 3 Kurtistown 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.
Kurtistown and the towns around it
Kurtistown’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 5 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.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kurtistown | B− | 25.9% | 13.9% | 15.4% | CDC place |
| Mountain View | C+ | 30.6% | 13% | 17.4% | CDC place |
| Hawaiian Acres | C | 33.1% | 13.6% | 20.9% | CDC place |
| Orchidlands Estates | C | 30.4% | 13.9% | 19.5% | CDC place |
| Keaau | B | 22.6% | 14.7% | 14.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Kurtistown adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Kurtistown
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Kurtistown is better than Hawaii on 1 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Kurtistown’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Kurtistown | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.7%20.3–25.2 | 18.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%14–17.2 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%14–17.3 | 14.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.9%21.9–30.5 | 25.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.9%12.4–15.6 | 12.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.7%28.7–34.8 | 31.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.1%32.9–39.4 | 36.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.1%24.6–29.8 | 23.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.8–12.1 | 9.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.2%6.6–8 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%7–8.6 | 6.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.4%6.6–8.4 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10%8.3–12 | 8.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%13.4–17.7 | 11% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25%21.7–28.8 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%13.7–18 | 17.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.4%35.6–45 | 45.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%6.1–8.5 | 5.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.7%72.5–78.7 | 77.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.1%54.6–61.4 | 68.3% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.9%80–83.9 | 82.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.3%74.5–80 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.5%57.3–65.5 | 62.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.1%62.6–74.9 | 78.3% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.8%16.5–21.4 | 16% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.3%28.9–36.1 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32.6%29.2–36.2 | 30.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23%20.3–26.1 | 17.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.9%12.1–15.9 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.1%7–9.3 | 5.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.5%9.3–11.9 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.9%16.4–21.9 | 12.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.6%30.4–37.2 | 28.7% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.1%14.3–17.9 | 13.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%13.5–16.9 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.8–9.6 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7%6.3–7.7 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%8.2–10.3 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.4–5.4 | 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 Kurtistown
Is Kurtistown a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kurtistown is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #75 of 93 in Hawaii. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 30%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Kurtistown?
CDC estimates 25.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.9% and 30.5%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Kurtistown?
Hilo Benioff Medical Center in Hilo, 9.5 miles in a straight line from Kurtistown’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Kurtistown have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–8.5%), 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 Kurtistown 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 Kurtistown.
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.