USS ARIZONA Wreck · Photo: Robert Enrique Muller · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Waimalu is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Waimalu beats Hawaii on 4 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waimalu. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waimalu
What’s behind Waimalu’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waimalu is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #42 of 93 in Hawaii. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 96% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 40%).
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). Waimalu’s median household income is $89,232; among the 10,033 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$112K), it’s healthier than 81%, about where its income would put it.
Most Hawaii towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Waimalu is healthier than 55% of graded towns, against 78% nationally.
Care in and near Waimalu
1 hospital in Waimalu, 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 Waimalu; ≈ 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 Waimalu adults…
Waimalu runs below HI on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Hawaii
Share of adults, with the Hawaii figure marked.
0.4 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Waimalu adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
How Waimalu adults are doing
About the same as Hawaii on each measure.
1 in 3 Waimalu 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.
11.2% of Waimalu adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Waimalu and the towns around it
Waimalu’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 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.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waimalu | A− | 24.7% | 12.7% | 9.9% | CDC place |
| Aiea | A− | 21.8% | 12.6% | 8.4% | CDC place |
| Pearl City | A− | 22.4% | 13.4% | 8.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Waimalu adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waimalu
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waimalu is better than Hawaii on 4 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Waimalu’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waimalu | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.2%16.3–20 | 18.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%10.5–12.8 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.6–15.4 | 14.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.7%20.6–28.9 | 25.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.7%11.3–14.1 | 12.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32%29–34.8 | 31.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.2%34–40.2 | 36.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.9%19.7–24 | 23.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.3–10.3 | 9.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6%5.4–6.5 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.1–6.2 | 6.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.7%4.1–5.2 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.6%5.4–8 | 8.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.9%8.7–11.3 | 11% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.4%21.2–27.7 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%14.2–18.4 | 17.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 47.8%43.1–52.6 | 45.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.1%4.3–6 | 5.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%75.8–81.4 | 77.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.4%68.6–74.2 | 68.3% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.3%81.5–84.9 | 82.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.8%75.3–80 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.6%61.8–69.2 | 62.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.6%73.6–83.1 | 78.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 14.6%12.6–16.6 | 16% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.4%29.2–35.8 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.4%28.3–34.6 | 30.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.4%15.4–19.5 | 17.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.6%9.4–12 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 5.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7%6.2–7.9 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.2%9.7–13 | 12.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.8%24.9–30.8 | 28.7% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.8%11.5–14.2 | 13.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.8%10.6–13.1 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%5.9–7.3 | 7.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.6–5.5 | 5.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.6%5.9–7.2 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 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 Waimalu
Is Waimalu a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waimalu is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #42 of 93 in Hawaii. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 81%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waimalu?
CDC estimates 24.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.6% and 28.9%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waimalu?
Pali Momi Medical Center in Aiea, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Waimalu’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Waimalu have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.3–6%), 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 Waimalu 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 Waimalu.
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.