On CDC estimates, Waikele is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns
Waikele beats Hawaii on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waikele. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waikele
COPD and heart disease are less common in Waikele
Waikele runs below Hawaii on five chronic conditions, most of all COPD (3.6% vs 5.3%), heart disease (4.3% vs 6.2%) and stroke (2.7% vs 3.7%). A young population is part of it: only 14% of residents are 65 or older (Hawaii 21%). Conditions ↓
Fewer Waikele adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Hawaii. 1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Waikele’s likely range.
What’s behind Waikele’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waikele is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, #6 of 93 in Hawaii. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 98% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 70%.
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). Waikele’s median household income is $120,525; among the 5,672 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($90K–$151K), it’s healthier than 83%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Waikele adults…
Waikele runs below HI on 8 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.
8.2% of Waikele adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Care in and near Waikele
No hospital or community health center in Waikele 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 Waikele; ≈ 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.
0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Waikele adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
How Waikele adults are doing
About the same as Hawaii on each measure.
1 in 3 Waikele 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.
Waikele and the towns around it
Waikele 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 Waikele adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waikele
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waikele is better than Hawaii on 17 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Waikele’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waikele | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.2%13.4–17.2 | 18.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.2%9.1–11.4 | 12.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%12–14.9 | 14.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 22.8%18.9–26.7 | 25.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.6–12.1 | 12.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28%25.2–30.8 | 31.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.3%32.2–38.4 | 36.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 18.8%16.7–20.8 | 23.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9%8–9.9 | 9.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5%4.6–5.5 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.3%3.9–4.8 | 6.2% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.6%3.2–4.1 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–2.9 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.3%3.5–5.3 | 8.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.7%7.4–10.2 | 11% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 21.2%18.1–24.4 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.3%15.2–19.5 | 17.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 48.3%43.4–53 | 45.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.2%3.4–4.9 | 5.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.9%75–80.7 | 77.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.7%71–76.3 | 68.3% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84%82.2–85.8 | 82.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.5%72.8–78.1 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.7%61.8–69.3 | 62.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.4%73.3–82.9 | 78.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 14.2%12.3–16.3 | 16% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.5%29.2–36 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.7%28.5–35.3 | 30.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.5%12.4–16.7 | 17.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.2%8–10.7 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.5%3.8–5.1 | 5.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.9%5.2–6.7 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.2%6.8–9.8 | 12.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.6%20.8–26.5 | 28.7% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.1%8.8–11.4 | 13.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.7%9.4–12.1 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.1%4.5–5.7 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.6–4.4 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2.2–2.7 | 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 Waikele
Is Waikele a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waikele is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns: A for health, #6 of 93 in Hawaii. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 83%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waikele?
CDC estimates 22.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.9% and 26.7%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waikele?
Pali Momi Medical Center in Aiea, 4.6 miles in a straight line from Waikele’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Waikele have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.4–4.9%), 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 Waikele more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Waikele.
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.