Hilo, Hawaii Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Updated
Hilo, HI Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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C
Income Below average
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B
Education Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Hilo | Hawaii Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 50,140 | 1,440,047 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 841.0 | 130.5 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.28% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.9 | 41.6 | 37.3 |
| Households | 17,653 | 491,258 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Hilo grew by 4.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 50,140 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Hilo is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.4% of residents. That is 1.9 points above Hawaii as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 10,737 21.4% +1.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 9,570 19.1% -3.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 9,561 19.1% -0.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 10,102 20.1% +1.7 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Hawaii, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.5% of the people living in Hilo and men 48.5%.
- Women 51.5% Hawaii 49.7%
- Men 48.5% Hawaii 50.3%
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Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Hilo
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Hilo has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Hilo | Hawaii Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $81,763 | $100,437 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.95% | 4.23% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.9% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Hilo is about 19% lower than in Hawaii.
Housing
| Metric | Hilo | Hawaii Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $865,153 | $529,214 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,424 | $1,970 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.2% | 63.0% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Hilo is about 50.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,424 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Hilo spend about 32 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 132 hours, about 5.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Hilo | Hawaii Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.9 | 22.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 31.7 | 45.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 132 | 190 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,100 | $5,883 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.9% | 9.6% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 9,541 | 17,245 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,613 | 2,478 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Hilo is 16 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Hawaii.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Hilo has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Hilo | Hawaii Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.9% | 32.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.77 | 2.84 | 2.53 |
Health
Hilo has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Hilo | Hawaii Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.6 | 81.8 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.3% | 13.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 14.8% | 14.4% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Hilo, Hawaii.
How many people live in Hilo, Hawaii?
About 50,140 people live in Hilo, Hawaii, in 17,653 households of 2.8 people on average. The median age is 43.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 7 years.
Is Hilo, Hawaii mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Hilo, Hawaii has 841 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 9.7 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Hilo, Hawaii?
The median home costs 10.6 times the median household income ($865,153 against $81,763), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,424 a month takes about 21% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Hilo, Hawaii?
Unemployment in Hilo, Hawaii is 6.9%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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