Hilo, HI

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2023 Population

203,684

0.752% 1-year growth

US Senator

Brian Schatz

Democratic Party

US Senator

Mazie Hirono

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

44.1

1.85% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

14.6%

3.28% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$77,215

4.01% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$486,400

6.92% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

88,698

1.05% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Hilo, HI had a population of 204k people with a median age of 44.1 and a median household income of $77,215. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Hilo, HI grew from 202,163 to 203,684, a 0.752% increase and its median household income grew from $74,238 to $77,215, a 4.01% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Hilo, HI are White (Non-Hispanic) (30%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (25%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (20.8%), Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander (Non-Hispanic) (11.3%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (7.55%).

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.

94% of the residents in Hilo, HI are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Hilo, HI are University of Hawaii at Hilo (780 degrees awarded in 2022), Hawaii Community College (523 degrees), and Mauna Loa Helicopters (9 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Hilo, HI was $486,400, and the homeownership rate was 73.1%.

Most people in Hilo, HI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 27.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Hilo, HI was 2 cars per household.

United States Hawaii

Population & Diversity

Hilo, HI is home to a population of 204k people, from which 94% are citizens. As of 2023, 11.9% of Hilo, HI residents were born outside of the country (24.2k people).

In 2023, there were 1.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (61.1k people) in Hilo, HI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 50.9k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 42.5k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

94%

2023 Citizenship

93.6%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 94% of Hilo, HI residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Hilo, HI was 93.6%, 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

White (Non-Hispanic)
61.1k ± 508
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
50.9k ± 2.12k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
42.5k ± 1.83k

11.5%

Hispanic Population

23.5k people

11.5% of the people in Hilo, HI are hispanic (23.5k 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 MSA level, so we are showing data for Hawaii.

Most Common Origin

Philippines
116,410 ± 8,033 people
Japan
22,739 ± 3,673 people
China
21,015 ± 3,533 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Hawaii was Philippines, the natal country of 116,410 Hawaii residents, followed by Japan with 22,739 and China with 21,015.

Foreign-Born Population

11.9%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

24.2k people

12.3%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

24.9k people

As of 2023, 11.9% of Hilo, HI residents (24.2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Hilo, HI was 12.3%, 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
6,022 ± 497
Gulf War (2001-)
2,012 ± 404
Gulf War (1990s)
1,413 ± 305

Hilo, HI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.99 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Hilo, HI employs 88.7k people. The largest industries in Hilo, HI are Accommodation & Food Services (11,911 people), Retail Trade (10,715 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (10,091 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($94,173), Public Administration ($65,934), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($60,747).

Males in Hawaii have an average income that is 1.21 times higher than the average income of females, which is $62,644. The income inequality in Hawaii (measured using the Gini index) is 0.434, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

88.7k

2023 Value

± 2,481

−1.05%

1 Year decline

± 4%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Hilo, HI declined at a rate of −1.05%, from 89.6k employees to 88.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Hilo, HI, are Management Occupations (10,157 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (9,289 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (8,691 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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

88.7k

2023 Value

± 2,481

−1.05%

1 Year decline

± 4%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Hilo, HI declined at a rate of −1.05%, from 89.6k employees to 88.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Hilo, HI, are Accommodation & Food Services (11,911 people), Retail Trade (10,715 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (10,091 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

$48,546

Median earning men ± $1,470

$38,633

Median earning women ± $2,451

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($76,848), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,423), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($59,269).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($53,791), Construction ($50,898), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($49,515).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

3.99%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 634k people employed in Hawaii. This represents a 3.99% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 22.4%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

324
Other Services (except Public Administration)
308
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
290
Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$489k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$480k
Accommodation and Food Services
$387k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Hawaii went to Kamala Harris with 60.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (37.5%), followed by Jill Stein (0.849%).

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.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (60.6%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (37.5%)
Republican Party
Jill Stein (0.849%)
Green Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Hawaii went to Kamala Harris with 60.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (37.5%), followed by Jill Stein (0.849%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Hawaii for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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 2022, universities in Hilo, HI awarded 1,312 degrees. The student population of Hilo, HI in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 1,887 male students and 3,227 female students.

The largest universities in Hilo, HI by number of degrees awarded are University of Hawaii at Hilo (780 and 59.5%), Hawaii Community College (523 and 39.9%), and Mauna Loa Helicopters (9 and 0.686%).

The most popular majors in Hilo, HI are Liberal Arts & Sciences (171 and 13%), Pharmacy (145 and 11.1%), and General Business Administration & Management (89 and 6.78%).

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 2022 in Hilo, HI, the percentage of applicants admitted was 84.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 17.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 5,114 (36.9% men and 63.1% 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 2022 there were 5,114 students enrolled in Hilo, HI, 36.9% men and 63.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Two or More Races with 1,903 records, of which 63.2% were women and 36.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
62 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
89 degrees awarded
Pharmacy
69 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Hilo, HI was General Psychology with 62 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
780 degrees awarded
Hawaii Community College
523 degrees awarded
Mauna Loa Helicopters
9 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Hawaii at Hilo with 780 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 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($494) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,350) 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 2022, Infinityk% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while Infinityk% 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 2022 were High School or Equivalent (325k), Some college (249k), 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 $486,400 in 2023, which is 1.6 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $454,900 to $486,400, a 6.92% increase. The homeownership rate in Hilo, HI is 73.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Hilo, HI have an average commute time of 27.7 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 $77,215. In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Hilo, HI was Honolulu County, HI with a value of $104,264, followed by Maui County, HI and Kauai County, HI, with respective values of $95,076 and $93,612.

Housing

Property

$486,400

Median Property Value 2023

±$9,191

$53,333

Median Property Taxes

±$1,719

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

73.1%

Homeownership

2023

73.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 73.1% of the housing units in Hilo, HI were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 71.4%.

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)

In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Hilo, HI was Honolulu County, HI with a value of $104,264, followed by Maui County, HI and Kauai County, HI, with respective values of $95,076 and $93,612.

The following map shows all of the counties 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.

$77,215

Median Household Income

± $2,280

73k

Number of Households

± 2,095

In 2023, the median household income of the 73k households in Hilo, HI grew to $77,215 from the previous year's value of $74,238.

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.

0.434

2022 Wage GINI in Hawaii

0.431

2021 Wage GINI in Hawaii

In 2022, the income inequality in Hawaii was 0.434 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.662% growth from 2021 to 2022, 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 2023

Drove Alone (68.5%)
Carpooled (15.9%)
Worked At Home (10.9%)

In 2023, 68.5% of workers in Hilo, HI drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (15.9%) and those who worked at home (10.9%).

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

27.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Hilo, HI have a longer commute time (27.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 4.68% 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

14.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Hilo, HI (29.3k out of 201k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 55 - 64, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 25 - 34.

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

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

95.8% of the population of Hilo, HI has health coverage, with 41.7% on employee plans, 22.6% on Medicaid, 17% on Medicare, 13.3% on non-group plans, and 1.02% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Hawaii see 1078 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.88% decrease from the previous year (1110 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1141 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 352 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,078 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Hawaii

Primary care physicians in Hawaii see an average of 1,078 patients per year. This represents a 2.88% decrease from the previous year (1,110 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22% under 18 years, 16.8% between 18 and 34 years, 38.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 23.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.5% were men and 50.5% were women.

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

Uninsured People

4.24%

Uninsured

41.7%

Employer Coverage

22.6%

Medicaid

17%

Medicare

13.3%

Non-Group

1.02%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Hilo, HI declined by 11.5% from 4.79% to 4.24%.

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.

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