Photo: Bonus Onus · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Waimea is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Waimea differs from Hawaii on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waimea. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waimea
Depression runs high in Waimea
1 in 5 adults have been diagnosed with depression (20.2%), vs 16% across Hawaii. Conditions ↓
Waimea is an active town
Only 18.6% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23% across Hawaii. The town has 16 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Waimea has a community health center but no hospital
Hamakua Health Center is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Honoka'a Hospital and Skilled Nursing in Honokaa, 11 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Waimea’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Waimea’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waimea is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #37 of 93 in Hawaii. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 92% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 65%.
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). Waimea’s median household income is $100,198; among the 8,570 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($75K–$125K), it’s healthier than 73%, about where its income would put it.
Most Hawaii towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Waimea is healthier than 61% of graded towns, against 80% nationally.
Out of every 100 Waimea adults…
Waimea runs below HI on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Hawaii
Share of adults, with the Hawaii figure marked.
16 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Care in and near Waimea
1 community health center in Waimea, 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 Waimea; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Waimea adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
How Waimea adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Waimea runs above Hawaii.
3 in 10 Waimea 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.
13.6% of Waimea adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Waimea and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waimea | A− | 26.8% | 10.5% | 12.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Waimea adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waimea
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waimea is better than Hawaii on 6 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Waimea’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waimea | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.6%15.7–19.8 | 18.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.8–14.7 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.9–17.3 | 14.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.8%22.5–31.7 | 25.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.5%9.2–11.9 | 12.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.4%24.5–30.4 | 31.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.5%29.4–35.7 | 36.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 24.7%22.3–27.3 | 23.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.2%10–12.5 | 9.8% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.9–8.3 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 6.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.7%5–6.5 | 5.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–4 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.4%5.2–7.7 | 8.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.9%11.2–14.8 | 11% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 18.6%15.9–21.7 | 23% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.6%17.2–22.3 | 17.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.2%33.7–42.9 | 45.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.5%4.5–6.5 | 5.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.3%71.1–77.5 | 77.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67%63.7–70 | 68.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.5%80.6–84.5 | 82.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74%70.8–76.9 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.9%59–66.7 | 62.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.6%68.7–79.7 | 78.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.2%17.7–23.1 | 16% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 30.6%27.4–34.1 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.7%25.6–32 | 30.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.8%14.8–19.1 | 17.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.8%10.2–13.5 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.8%5.9–7.8 | 5.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.5%7.4–9.6 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.6%11.6–15.7 | 12.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.5%25.3–31.8 | 28.7% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.1%10.6–13.6 | 13.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%12–15.2 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7%6.3–7.8 | 7.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.5–5.5 | 5.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.7–8.4 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.3–4 | 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 Waimea
Is Waimea a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waimea is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #37 of 93 in Hawaii. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 73%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waimea?
CDC estimates 26.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.5% and 31.7%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waimea?
Honoka'a Hospital and Skilled Nursing in Honokaa, 11.0 miles in a straight line from Waimea’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Waimea have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.5–6.5%), 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 Waimea 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 Waimea.
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.