WaiohinuHI
Settled in 1900, this town now has 152 residents.
Is Waiohinu a good place to live?
39% of residents live below the poverty line in Waiohinu, above both Hawaii’s towns (9.7%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 94 Hawaii towns, just 3 have a lower midpoint rent than Waiohinu. 40% of the land in Waiohinu is conserved, where Hawaii’s towns sit at 12% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Waiohinu has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
152 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Waiohinu.
Waiohinu faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes
Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in 100% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Conservation land takes up nearly a third of Waiohinu
The density of trails for Waiohinu comes to 0.8 miles per square mile. Across 1 park or preserve: 1.0 miles of trail. One park or preserve covers 12 acres locally.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kaʻū Forest Reserve | 0.3 mi | 12 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expect mild winters and pleasant summers in Waiohinu
July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 65° and snow is almost unheard of.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Waiohinu is
For adults in Waiohinu, the share who say their health is fair or poor is 23%. Only 7 of the 94 Hawaii towns we compare have a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Waiohinu.
| Waiohinu | Hawaii towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 76% | 79% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 12% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 18% | 14% |
| What stands out | Waiohinu | HI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.1% | 8.5% |
| More smokers | 17.9% | 11% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 12.2% | 7.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Waiohinu
Mauna Loa and 10 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Waiohinu. Close and well known come first.
Big draw29 mi MountainMauna Loa
Big draw32 mi MountainKīlauea
3 mi National ParkHawai'i Volcanoes National Park1.9M visitors a year
25 mi MountainKama‘ehuakanaloa Seamount
9 mi BeachPunalu'u Beach
12 mi Ancient siteKa LaePhoto credits
Mauna Loa: Gordon Joly, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kīlauea: Hawaii Land Cover Analysis project, NOAA Coastal Services Center, Public domain · Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park: Jos-uit-boston at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kama‘ehuakanaloa Seamount: John Smith and Brooks Bays, Public domain · Punalu'u Beach: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ka Lae: Holly Cheng, CC BY-SA 3.0
Moving to Waiohinu: who provides what
Waiohinu 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.
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Waiohinu; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Waiohinu residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Hawaii.
About Waiohinu
Unincorporated community in Hawaii, U.S.
Waiʻōhinu (Hawaiian for "Shiny Water") is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in the district of Kaʻu on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, in the U.S. state of Hawaiʻi. Waiʻōhinu is the name of the community as well as the ahupua'a, Native Hawaiian subdivision. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 198.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,055 ft
- Area code
- 808
Questions about Waiohinu
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Waiohinu, HI a good place to live?
Waiohinu has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Say something about Waiohinu.
Ask a question, answer one, post a photo or an event. Free, and the parts only a neighbor would know are the parts worth reading.