Wakamiya Inari Shrine · Photo: Joel Bradshaw · Public domainWithin Hawaii, Waipahu is healthier than 29% of graded towns
Waipahu differs from Hawaii on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waipahu. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waipahu
Hawaii sets a high bar
Waipahu is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns, but only 29% of the 93 Hawaii towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
More Waipahu adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.6%), vs 23% across Hawaii. Habits ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Waipahu’s lead shrinks
Waipahu is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns, but 43% of the 7,994 towns with similar household incomes ($78K–$130K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Diabetes runs high in Waipahu
1 in 7 adults have diabetes (14.6%), vs 12.4% across Hawaii. Conditions ↓
Cancer and depression are less common in Waipahu
Waipahu runs below Hawaii on cancer (4.8% vs 6.7%) and depression (12.3% vs 16%). Conditions ↓
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 Waipahu’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
What’s behind Waipahu’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waipahu is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, #66 of 93 in Hawaii. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 98% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Waipahu’s median household income is $103,895; among the 7,994 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($78K–$130K), it’s healthier than 43%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Everyday habits, side by side with Hawaii
Share of adults, with the Hawaii figure marked.
0.6 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Waipahu adults…
Waipahu runs below HI on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Waipahu
1 community health center in Waipahu, 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 Waipahu; ≈ 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 Waipahu adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
How Waipahu adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Waipahu runs above Hawaii.
1 in 3 Waipahu 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.
13.8% of Waipahu adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Waipahu and the towns around it
Waipahu’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waipahu | B | 22.4% | 14.6% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| West Loch Estate | B | 25.4% | 14.7% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Waikele | A | 22.8% | 10.8% | 8.7% | CDC place |
| East Kapolei | A− | 28.3% | 7.7% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Royal Kunia | A | 22.3% | 11.6% | 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 Waipahu adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waipahu
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waipahu is better than Hawaii on 5 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Waipahu’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waipahu | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21%18.9–23 | 18.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%11–13.3 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12.4–15.1 | 14.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 22.4%18.7–26.3 | 25.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.6%13.1–16.2 | 12.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32.7%29.8–35.6 | 31.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.7%35.5–41.9 | 36.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.7%18.6–22.8 | 23.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.4%7.5–9.3 | 9.8% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.8%4.4–5.2 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.4–6.6 | 6.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.9%4.3–5.4 | 5.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.2%7.5–11 | 8.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.1%9.8–12.5 | 11% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.6%25.9–33.3 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.3%11.6–15.1 | 17.4% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 49.3%44.5–54.1 | 45.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%5.1–6.9 | 5.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.3%75.5–81 | 77.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.8%63.7–69.7 | 68.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81%79–82.8 | 82.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.6%76.2–80.8 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.6%55.6–63.4 | 62.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.9%70.3–80.7 | 78.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 12.3%10.6–14.2 | 16% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 35.1%31.6–38.6 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 36.4%33.1–39.8 | 30.1% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.4%20.3–24.5 | 17.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.9%10.6–13.4 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%5–6.5 | 5.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8%7.1–8.8 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.8%12–15.6 | 12.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.4%26.4–32.4 | 28.7% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12.7–15.6 | 13.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.2%10.9–13.5 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 7.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.4–6.4 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.2%6.5–7.9 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.6 | 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 Waipahu
Is Waipahu a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waipahu is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns: B for health, #66 of 93 in Hawaii. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 43%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waipahu?
CDC estimates 22.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.7% and 26.3%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waipahu?
Pali Momi Medical Center in Aiea, 4.7 miles in a straight line from Waipahu’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Waipahu have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–6.9%), 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 Waipahu 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 Waipahu.
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.