PaukaaHI
450 residents make their home in this town in Hawaii.
Is Paukaa a good place to live?
Paukaa’s January low is 64°F, against 64°F in Hawaii’s towns and 22°F across U.S. towns. Only 3 of the 94 Hawaii towns we compare have a higher midpoint age than Paukaa. Paukaa has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
450 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Mauna Kea and 15 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Paukaa. Close and well known come first.
Big draw25 mi MountainMauna Kea
Big draw27 mi MountainKīlauea
Big draw38 mi MountainMauna Loa
25 mi National ParkHawai'i Volcanoes National Park1.9M visitors a year
3 mi WaterfallRainbow Falls
7 mi State parkAkaka Falls State ParkPhoto credits
Mauna Kea: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kīlauea: Hawaii Land Cover Analysis project, NOAA Coastal Services Center, Public domain · Mauna Loa: Gordon Joly, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park: Jos-uit-boston at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rainbow Falls: Kyle Hawton, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Akaka Falls State Park: Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
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Moving to Paukaa: who provides what
Paukaa is unincorporated, so Hawaii County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Paukaa.
The biggest natural risk in Paukaa is inland flooding, at a very high overall level
Paukaa’s FEMA hazard score stands at 100 of 100. Expected losses in Paukaa break down as 67% from inland flooding and 28% from earthquakes.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Older than Hawaii overall
The share of adults 25 and older in Paukaa who hold a bachelor’s degree or more: 38%. People 65 and older are 39% of residents (20% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 9% of residents (21% statewide).
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.6 points. Across Hawaii, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Paukaa | HI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.8% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.1% | 9.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 1.3% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.8% | 13.3% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.1% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10% | 12.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 16.7% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 22.2% | 9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.7% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 22.8% | 26.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.9% | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.8% | 10.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 26.4% | 22.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.4% | 13.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 500, single groups can be off by several points
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
About one in three of Paukaa’s working residents commute to Hilo
Paukaa had 65 jobs in 2023, up 57 from 2013. Commuting out is the norm here: 2% of working residents work locally. For residents locally, the share who live below the poverty line is 4.7%. The top destinations are Hilo (34%), Urban Honolulu (15%) and Waipahu (3%).
| Paukaa | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.7% | 3.7% | 8% |
| Median household income | $93,000 | $100,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
How healthy Paukaa is
In Paukaa, 15% of adults report frequent physical distress. CDC measures, 32 in all: Paukaa beats Hawaii on 3 and trails on 7. Among adults locally, 14% report frequent mental distress and 25% have obesity.
| Paukaa | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 45% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 27% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| What stands out | Paukaa | HI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults sleeping under 7 hours | 35.2% | 45.7% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 86.2% | 82.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.6% | 6.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Homes in Paukaa sell for about $545K
In Paukaa, the midpoint rent is $1,393 a month. Among households locally, 78% are owner-occupiers.
| Paukaa | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,393 a month | $2,015 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 71% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Everything we know about Paukaa
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Paukaa
About 1 of every 100 Paukaa residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Hawaii.
About Paukaa
Census-designated place in Hawaii, U.S.
Paukaʻa is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 434 at the 2020 census, down from 467 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 96720.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 243 ft
- Area code
- 808
Questions about Paukaa
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Paukaa, HI a good place to live?
Paukaa has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.