On CDC estimates, Pahala is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns
Pahala differs from Hawaii on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 20 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pahala. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pahala
Dental care lags in Pahala
53.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 68.3% across Hawaii. Among those 65 and older, 13.8% have lost all their teeth (Hawaii 8.5%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Pahala
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (25.8%), vs 17.3% across Hawaii. No reliable transportation (11.1% vs 7.5%) and utility shut-off threats (8.1% vs 5.8%) are higher too. 20.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.2% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Pahala
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.5%), vs 5.3% across Hawaii. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.8%), vs 3.7% across Hawaii. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.8%, vs 6.2% across Hawaii. In all, Pahala runs above Hawaii on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
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 Pahala’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
What’s behind Pahala’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pahala is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 95% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Pahala’s median household income is $71,518; among the 10,631 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$89K), it’s healthier than 50%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Pahala adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20.5% of Pahala adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Out of every 100 Pahala adults…
Pahala runs above HI on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Pahala
1 hospital in Pahala, 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 Pahala; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Pahala adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Pahala runs above Hawaii.
1 in 3 Pahala 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.
Pahala and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pahala | C+ | 25.1% | 15.1% | 15.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pahala adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pahala
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pahala is better than Hawaii on 1 and worse on 20; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Pahala’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pahala | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.8%21.1–26.9 | 18.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.9–17.4 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%14.1–17.5 | 14.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.1%21–29.6 | 25.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.1%13.4–17 | 12.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32%28.9–35.2 | 31.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.8%33.6–40.1 | 36.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26%23.5–28.7 | 23.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.3–11.6 | 9.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%7–8.7 | 6.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.5%6.5–8.5 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.4–5.3 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.8%11.4–16.3 | 8.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.9%13.7–18.4 | 11% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.5%23.7–31.8 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12.7–16.8 | 17.4% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.1%37.3–47 | 45.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.5%6.2–9.1 | 5.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.2%72–78.2 | 77.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.2%49.6–56.7 | 68.3% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80%77.9–82.2 | 82.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.9%75.2–80.3 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.4%54–62.5 | 62.6% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.6%63.2–75.5 | 78.3% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.6%15.3–20.1 | 16% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.8%30.3–37.8 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 35.2%31.6–39.2 | 30.1% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 25.8%22.6–29.4 | 17.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.5%12.6–16.7 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.1%7–9.3 | 5.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.1%9.8–12.7 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.5%17.6–23.8 | 12.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.2%30.6–38.1 | 28.7% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.4%14.5–18.6 | 13.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.3%13.5–17.2 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.6–9.6 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.3%6.5–8.2 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.4%8.3–10.6 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.3–5.4 | 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 Pahala
Is Pahala a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pahala is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns: C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 50%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pahala?
CDC estimates 25.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 21% and 29.6%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pahala?
Kau Hospital in Pahala, 0.2 miles in a straight line from Pahala’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Pahala have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.2–9.1%), 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 Pahala 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 Pahala.
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.