Makawao Union Church · Photo: Joel Bradshaw · Public domainWithin Hawaii, Paia is healthier than 42% of graded towns
Paia differs from Hawaii on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Paia. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Paia
Hawaii sets a high bar
Paia is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, but only 42% of the 93 Hawaii towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Smoking is more common in Paia
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (14.4%), vs 11% across Hawaii. Habits ↓
Paia is short on primary care and mental health care
Paia’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 ↓
Paia is an active town
Only 18.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23% 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 Paia’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Paia’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Paia is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, #54 of 93 in Hawaii. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 88% of towns); the weakest is smoking, still better than 54%.
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). Paia’s median household income is $100,559; among the 8,514 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($75K–$126K), it’s healthier than 64%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Hawaii
Share of adults, with the Hawaii figure marked.
0.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Care in and near Paia
No hospital or community health center in Paia 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 Paia; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Paia adults…
Paia runs below HI on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Paia residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Hawaii. Diabetes run low partly because the town is young.
Keeping up with care
Share of Paia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
How Paia adults are doing
About the same as Hawaii on each measure.
1 in 3 Paia 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.
14.7% of Paia adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Paia and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paia | B+ | 28.5% | 10.7% | 14.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Paia adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Paia
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Paia is better than Hawaii on 2 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Paia’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Paia | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.7%15.2–20.2 | 18.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.4–14.7 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.5–18.3 | 14.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.5%23.6–33.5 | 25.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.7%9.3–12.2 | 12.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.7%25.5–31.8 | 31.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.9%29.6–36.3 | 36.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.5%20.8–26.2 | 23.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.3 | 9.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.8–8.2 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.3–6.7 | 6.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6%5.1–6.9 | 5.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.7%7.9–11.8 | 8.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.1–17 | 11% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 18.8%15.6–22.1 | 23% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 21.7%18.8–24.9 | 17.4% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.7%35.8–46 | 45.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.6%5.3–8.1 | 5.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.1%68.6–75.5 | 77.3% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.1%61.8–68.3 | 68.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.5%80.2–84.7 | 82.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.1%67.8–74.4 | 76.9% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.2%56.8–65.4 | 62.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.8%72–83.3 | 78.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.1%15.4–20.8 | 16% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.8%27.6–36.5 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.1%23.3–31 | 30.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.3%14.4–20.3 | 17.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12%10.1–14.2 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%5.8–8.2 | 5.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.5%7.3–9.9 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.7%11.9–17.5 | 12.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28%24.2–31.6 | 28.7% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.2%11.4–15.1 | 13.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%11.8–15.5 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6–7.6 | 7.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.6–5.7 | 5.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.7–8.7 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.3–4.3 | 3.4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Paia
Is Paia a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Paia is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #54 of 93 in Hawaii. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 64%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Paia?
CDC estimates 28.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.6% and 33.5%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Paia?
Kula Hospital in Kula, 14.4 miles in a straight line from Paia’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Paia have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–8.1%), 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 Paia 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 Paia.
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.