Hilo, HI

Census Place

Add Comparison

2021 Population

46,559

2.9% 1-year growth

US Senator

Brian Schatz

Democratic Party

US Senator

Mazie Hirono

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

39.9

1.24% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

16.1%

4.81% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$70,356

7.04% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$364,100

6.62% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

20,756

4.03% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Hilo, HI had a population of 46.6k people with a median age of 39.9 and a median household income of $70,356. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Hilo, HI grew from 45,248 to 46,559, a 2.9% increase and its median household income grew from $65,727 to $70,356, a 7.04% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Hilo, HI are Asian (Non-Hispanic) (31.1%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (29.2%), White (Non-Hispanic) (15.7%), Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander (Non-Hispanic) (10.5%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (8.78%).

None of the households in Hilo, HI reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.8% of the residents in Hilo, HI are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Hilo, HI are University of Hawaii at Hilo (775 degrees awarded in 2021) and Hawaii Community College (530 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Hilo, HI was $364,100, and the homeownership rate was 64.3%.

Most people in Hilo, HI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Hilo, HI was 2 cars per household.

United States Hawaii Hawaii County, HI Hilo, HI Hawaii County PUMA, HI

Population & Diversity

Hilo, HI is home to a population of 46.6k people, from which 95.8% are citizens. As of 2021, 8.92% of Hilo, HI residents were born outside of the country (4.16k people).

In 2021, there were 1.06 times more Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents (14.5k people) in Hilo, HI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 13.6k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 7.31k White (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.8%

2021 Citizenship

95.7%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 95.8% of Hilo, HI residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Hilo, HI was 95.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Hilo, HI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Hilo, HI

Asian (Non-Hispanic)
14.5k ± 1.27k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
13.6k ± 1.16k
White (Non-Hispanic)
7.31k ± 726

12.8%

Hispanic Population

5.97k people

12.8% of the people in Hilo, HI are hispanic (5.97k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Hilo, HI as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Hawaii.

Most Common Origin

Philippines
116,814 ± 8,047 people
Japan
23,136 ± 3,705 people
China
20,905 ± 3,524 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Hawaii was Philippines, the natal country of 116,814 Hawaii residents, followed by Japan with 23,136 and China with 20,905.

Foreign-Born Population

8.92%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

4.16k people

8.97%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

4.06k people

As of 2021, 8.92% of Hilo, HI residents (4.16k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Hilo, HI was 8.97%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Hilo, HI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,155 ± 242
Gulf War (2001-)
463 ± 141
Gulf War (1990s)
393 ± 148

Hilo, HI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.49 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Hilo, HI employs 20.8k people. The largest industries in Hilo, HI are Educational Services (2,912 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,719 people), and Retail Trade (2,457 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($88,750), Public Administration ($56,631), and Educational Services ($47,632).

Males in Hawaii have an average income that is 1.21 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,765. The income inequality in Hawaii (measured using the Gini index) is 0.431, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

20.8k

2021 Value

± 1,099

4.03%

1 Year growth

± 7.18%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Hilo, HI grew at a rate of 4.03%, from 20k employees to 20.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Hilo, HI, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,574 people), Management Occupations (2,147 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (2,045 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Hilo, HI.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Hawaii (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

20.8k

2021 Value

± 1,099

4.03%

1 Year growth

± 7.18%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Hilo, HI grew at a rate of 4.03%, from 20k employees to 20.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Hilo, HI, are Educational Services (2,912 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,719 people), and Retail Trade (2,457 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Hilo, HI, though some of these residents may live in Hilo, HI and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$41,006

Median earning men ± $4,054

$33,970

Median earning women ± $3,240

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Public Administration ($72,151), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($63,770), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($60,313).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($47,021), Wholesale Trade ($45,132), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($40,563).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Hawaii. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Hawaii.

View Full Dashboard

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Hawaii to other states, or from other states to Hawaii.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

Gasoline
$5.11B
Electronics
$3.18B
Mixed freight
$1.98B

In 2020, the top outbound Hawaii product (by dollars) was Gasoline with $5.11B, followed by Electronics ($3.18B) and Mixed freight ($1.98B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Hawaii products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Hawaii.

$29.7B

2020 Value in Hawaii

$52.8B

Projected 2050 Value in Hawaii

77.5% growth

In 2020, total outbound Hawaii trade was $29.7B. This is expected to increase 77.5% to $52.8B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Hawaii trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Hawaii to other states, or from other states to Hawaii.

Most Common Trade Partners

California
$1.51B
Texas
$962M
Tennessee
$363M

In 2020, the top outbound Hawaii domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was California with $1.51B, followed by Texas with $962M and Tennessee and $363M.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Hawaii shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Hawaii went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.955%).

Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono are the senators currently representing the state of Hawaii. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Hawaii is currently represented by 2 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Hilo, HI. Showing the available data for Hawaii.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (63.1%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (34%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.955%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Hawaii went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.955%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Hawaii for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Hawaii

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Hawaii.

Brian Schatz

Senator from Hawaii

Assumed office on December 26, 2012
Appointed to the seat following the death of Daniel Inouye.

Mazie Hirono

Senator from Hawaii

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono are the senators currently representing Hawaii.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Hawaii over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Hawaii

Hawaii is currently represented by 2 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Hawaii have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Hilo, HI awarded 1,305 degrees. The student population of Hilo, HI in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 1,987 male students and 3,504 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Hilo, HI are Two or More Races (462 and 36.4%), followed by Asian (306 and 24.1%), White (195 and 15.4%), and Hispanic or Latino (192 and 15.1%).

The largest universities in Hilo, HI by number of degrees awarded are University of Hawaii at Hilo (775 and 59.4%) and Hawaii Community College (530 and 40.6%).

The most popular majors in Hilo, HI are Liberal Arts & Sciences (190 and 14.6%), Pharmacy (155 and 11.9%), and Registered Nursing (84 and 6.44%).

The median tuition cost in Hilo, HI for a public four year colleges is $7,344 for in-state students and $20,304 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Hilo, HI, the percentage of applicants admitted was 92.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 17.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 5,491 (36.2% men and 63.8% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 5,491 students enrolled in Hilo, HI, 36.2% men and 63.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Two or More Races with 2,028 records, of which 63.8% were women and 36.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
50 degrees awarded
Pharmacy
77 degrees awarded
General Psychology
50 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Hilo, HI was General Business Administration & Management with 50 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Hilo, HI according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Hawaii at Hilo
775 degrees awarded
Hawaii Community College
530 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Hawaii at Hilo with 775 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 525 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Hilo, HI, which is 0.673 times less than the 780 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Two or More Races students. These 462 degrees mean that there were 1.51 times more degrees awarded to Two or More Races students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 306 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($7,344) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($494) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,340) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Hawaii.

Measure

In 2021, 0.796% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.873% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Hawaii.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (327k), Some college (251k), and Bachelors Degree (237k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Hilo, HI was $364,100 in 2021, which is 1.49 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $341,500 to $364,100, a 6.62% increase. The homeownership rate in Hilo, HI is 64.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Hilo, HI have an average commute time of 19.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Hilo, HI is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Hilo, HI is $70,356. In 2021, the place with the highest median household income in Hilo, HI was Census Tract 208.01 with a value of $113,438, followed by Census Tract 207.02 and Census Tract 209, with respective values of $96,725 and $91,154.

Housing

Property

$364,100

Median Property Value 2021

±$7,293

$10,411

Median Property Taxes

±$643

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Hilo, HI the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Hilo, HI compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

64.3%

Homeownership

2021

68.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 64.3% of the housing units in Hilo, HI were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 62%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Hilo, HI compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 208.01
Census Tract 207.02
Census Tract 209

In 2021, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Hilo, HI was Census Tract 208.01 with a value of $113,438, followed by Census Tract 207.02 and Census Tract 209, with respective values of $96,725 and $91,154.

The following map shows all of the places in Hilo, HI colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$70,356

Median Household Income

± $4,953

16.2k

Number of Households

± 883

In 2021, the median household income of the 16.2k households in Hilo, HI grew to $70,356 from the previous year's value of $65,727.

The following chart displays the households in Hilo, HI distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Hilo, HI is from Hawaii.

0.431

2021 Wage GINI in Hawaii

0.428

2020 Wage GINI in Hawaii

In 2021, the income inequality in Hawaii was 0.431 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.735% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Hawaii was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Hawaii in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Hawaii across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (71.9%)
Carpooled (14.6%)
Worked At Home (8.52%)

In 2021, 71.9% of workers in Hilo, HI drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (14.6%) and those who worked at home (8.52%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

19.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Hilo, HI have a shorter commute time (19.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 3.41% of the workforce in Hilo, HI have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Hilo, HI compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Hilo, HI distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Hilo, HI have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

16.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Hilo, HI (7.31k out of 45.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Hilo, HI is Two Or More, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

97.1% of the population of Hilo, HI has health coverage, with 45.1% on employee plans, 23% on Medicaid, 14% on Medicare, 13.7% on non-group plans, and 1.32% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Hawaii County, HI see 1259 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.93% decrease from the previous year (1297 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1576 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 311 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Hawaii County, HI.

1,259 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Hawaii County, HI

Primary care physicians in Hawaii County, HI see an average of 1,259 patients per year. This represents a 2.93% decrease from the previous year (1,297 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Hawaii County, HI in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.8% under 18 years, 20.1% between 18 and 34 years, 35.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

2.88%

Uninsured

45.1%

Employer Coverage

23%

Medicaid

14%

Medicare

13.7%

Non-Group

1.32%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Hilo, HI grew by 2.72% from 2.81% to 2.88%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Hilo, HI changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.