Photo: LittleT889 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Waikapu is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
Waikapu differs from Hawaii on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waikapu. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waikapu
Binge drinking is the habit Waikapu doesn’t win on
20.6% of adults binge drink, vs 17.4% across Hawaii, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Waikapu’s lead shrinks
Waikapu is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, but 69% of the 5,317 towns with similar household incomes ($92K–$154K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Waikapu is short on primary care and mental health care
Waikapu’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 ↓
Heart disease and stroke are less common in Waikapu
Waikapu runs below Hawaii on five chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (4.6% vs 6.2%), stroke (2.9% vs 3.7%) and diabetes (10% vs 12.4%). A young population is part of it: only 13% of residents are 65 or older (Hawaii 21%). Conditions ↓
Waikapu is an active town
Only 18.1% 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 Waikapu’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Waikapu’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waikapu is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, #14 of 93 in Hawaii. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 95% of towns); the weakest is smoking, still better than 68%.
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). Waikapu’s median household income is $122,917; among the 5,317 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($92K–$154K), it’s healthier than 69%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Hawaii
Share of adults, with the Hawaii figure marked.
Care in and near Waikapu
No hospital or community health center in Waikapu 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 Waikapu; ≈ 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 Waikapu adults…
Waikapu runs below HI on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Waikapu residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Hawaii. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Keeping up with care
Share of Waikapu adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
How Waikapu adults are doing
About the same as Hawaii on each measure.
1 in 3 Waikapu 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.
11.9% of Waikapu adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Waikapu and the towns around it
Waikapu has the best Health Grade of the 3 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 Waikapu adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waikapu
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waikapu is better than Hawaii on 10 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Waikapu’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waikapu | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.3%13.2–17.4 | 18.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.4%10–12.8 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.8–17.5 | 14.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25%20.5–29.8 | 25.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10%8.6–11.3 | 12.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25.5%22.6–28.6 | 31.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.7%28.5–35.1 | 36.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 19.8%17.5–22.2 | 23.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.2–11.6 | 9.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.7%5.2–6.3 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.6%4.1–5.1 | 6.2% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.4%3.8–5.1 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.1 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.4%7.5–11.5 | 8.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.9%10.9–15.1 | 11% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.1%15.1–21.3 | 23% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20.6%18–23.5 | 17.4% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.6%37.7–47.9 | 45.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.6%4.6–6.7 | 5.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.6%68–74.9 | 77.3% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.4%65–71.6 | 68.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83%80.7–84.9 | 82.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.1%65.4–72.3 | 76.9% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.9%54.4–63.4 | 62.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.7%72.9–83.9 | 78.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16%13.7–18.6 | 16% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.2%28.9–38 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.2%26.2–34.5 | 30.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.1%13.4–18.9 | 17.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.3%9.4–13.2 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5–7.1 | 5.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.7%6.6–8.9 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.9%9.6–14.1 | 12.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.3%21.1–27.6 | 28.7% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.8%9.3–12.3 | 13.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.2%10.7–13.9 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.7–6 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.8–4.8 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.6–7.2 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.6–3.3 | 3.4% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Waikapu
Is Waikapu a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waikapu is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health, #14 of 93 in Hawaii. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 69%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waikapu?
CDC estimates 25% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.5% and 29.8%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waikapu?
Kula Hospital in Kula, 14.5 miles in a straight line from Waikapu’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Waikapu have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.6–6.7%), 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 Waikapu 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 Waikapu.
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.