Hilo vs Urban Honolulu
Hilo, Hawaii versus Urban Honolulu, Hawaii: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Urban Honolulu edges out Hilo on overall objective livability (54 vs 40 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hilo | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $76k | $83k |
| Cost of Living | $69k | $74k |
| Home Value | $418k | $806k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.25% | 0.29% |
| Income Tax | 11.00% | 11.00% |
| Sales Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.89% | 15.29% |
| Unemployment | 6.8% | 5.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 68°F | 73°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 151.2 in | 75.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 139 days | 272 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 67°F |
| Comfortable Days | 66 days | 73 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.9 | 41.0 |
| Air Quality | 13 AQI | 24 AQI |
| School Quality | 71.9 | 71.9 |
| Violent Crime | — | 1141/100k |
| Property Crime | — | 2639/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 47,627 | 348,547 |
| Median Age | 41.5 | 42.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.71 | 0.65 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+37 | D+27 |
| White (%) | 15.7% | 15.9% |
| Black (%) | 0.7% | 1.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 13.2% | 7.3% |
| Asian (%) | 30.8% | 51.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 39.6% | 23.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 6.1/20 | 13.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 216 mi | 5 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.0% | 87.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 36.95 | 26.11 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hilo or Urban Honolulu more affordable?
- Hilo has the lower cost of living: its index is $69k, compared with Hilo's $69k and Urban Honolulu's $74k. Median rent is $1k in Hilo versus $2k in Urban Honolulu.
- Are homes cheaper in Hilo or Urban Honolulu?
- The median home value is $418k in Hilo and $806k in Urban Honolulu, so homes are more affordable in Hilo.