Wheeler Field · Photo: Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Rebecca J. Moat · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Wheeler AFB is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns
Wheeler AFB differs from Hawaii on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wheeler AFB. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wheeler AFB
Binge drinking is the habit Wheeler AFB doesn’t win on
34.4% of adults binge drink, vs 17.4% across Hawaii, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Mental distress runs high in Wheeler AFB
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20%), vs 14.5% across Hawaii. Depression is above the state too: 20.3%, vs 16% across Hawaii. Mind & connection ↓
Diabetes and heart disease are less common in Wheeler AFB
Wheeler AFB runs below Hawaii on eight chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (2.2% vs 12.4%), heart disease (1.1% vs 6.2%) and stroke (0.7% vs 3.7%). A young population is part of it: only 1% of residents are 65 or older (Hawaii 21%). 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 Wheeler AFB’s likely range.
What’s behind Wheeler AFB’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wheeler AFB is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Wheeler AFB’s median household income is $91,667; among the 9,770 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 95%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Hawaii
Share of adults, with the Hawaii figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Out of every 100 Wheeler AFB adults…
Wheeler AFB runs below HI on 9 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 1% of Wheeler AFB residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Hawaii. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
How Wheeler AFB adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Wheeler AFB runs above Hawaii.
2 in 5 Wheeler AFB 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.
Care in and near Wheeler AFB
No hospital or community health center in Wheeler AFB 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 Wheeler AFB; ≈ 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 Wheeler AFB adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Hawaii.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.6% of Wheeler AFB adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.2% across Hawaii.
Wheeler AFB and the towns around it
Wheeler AFB 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.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeler AFB | A | 25.1% | 2.2% | 7.1% | CDC place |
| Schofield Barracks | A | 27.3% | 2.5% | 8.7% | CDC place |
| Wahiawa | B− | 28.6% | 14.4% | 12.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wheeler AFB adults live with a disability (Hawaii 28.7%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wheeler AFB
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wheeler AFB is better than Hawaii on 13 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Hawaii figure falls inside Wheeler AFB’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wheeler AFB | HI | U.S. | vs HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.2%9.4–13 | 18.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 7.2%6.2–8.2 | 12.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20%17.2–22.4 | 14.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.1%20.7–29.6 | 25.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 2.2%1.9–2.5 | 12.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 11.7%10.1–13.3 | 31.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 15.1%13.2–17 | 36.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 5.8%5.1–6.6 | 23.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.5–10.7 | 9.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 1.4%1.3–1.6 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 1.1%0.9–1.2 | 6.2% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 1.6%1.3–1.8 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 0.7%0.6–0.8 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.4%3.5–5.4 | 8.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.1%5.7–8.6 | 11% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 13.5%11–16.3 | 23% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 34.4%30.5–38 | 17.4% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 45.9%41.1–50.7 | 45.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.8%5.2–8.7 | 5.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 65.2%60.8–69.1 | 77.3% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.9%68–73.8 | 68.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 65%60.8–69.3 | 82.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 33.7%30.3–36.8 | 76.9% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 53.6%49.5–57.7 | 62.6% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.3%74.1–83.6 | 78.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.3%17.6–23.2 | 16% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 38.8%34.6–43 | 32% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.8%25.8–33.9 | 30.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15%12.3–18.1 | 17.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.5%9.5–13.5 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.4%4.5–6.3 | 5.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%6.7–9.6 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.6%6.9–10.5 | 12.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.2%19.3–26.7 | 28.7% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 3.2%2.8–3.7 | 13.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%13.4–18.7 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 2.5%2.1–2.8 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.9%2.5–3.3 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%4.8–6.6 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.2%1.1–1.4 | 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 Wheeler AFB
Is Wheeler AFB a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wheeler AFB is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wheeler AFB?
CDC estimates 25.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.7% and 29.6%, against 25.6% across Hawaii and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wheeler AFB?
Pali Momi Medical Center in Aiea, 8.9 miles in a straight line from Wheeler AFB’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wheeler AFB have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–8.7%), 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 Wheeler AFB 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 Wheeler AFB.
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.