Median Income
$75,589
household / year
Median Home Value
$417,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,228
gross / month
Cost of Living
101
national avg = 100

Is Hilo, HI a Good Place to Live?

Hilo is a small city of 47,627 in Hawaii, with a median household income of $75,589 and a 6.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.

Strengths: Hilo stands out for solid school ratings (B+), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Hilo is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Hilo city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 100.8

Hilo's overall cost of living index is 100.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Hilo costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.

Metric Hilo, HI National Avg
Median Home Value $417,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,228 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 64.8% 65.9%
Median Household Income $75,589 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Crime data for Hilo is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.

Schools & Education

Hilo is served primarily by Hawaii Department of Education. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Hilo, HI National Avg
School District Hawaii Department of Education —
Elementary Schools 183 —
Middle Schools 42 —
High Schools 46 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 13.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 34.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 94.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Hilo sees average highs of 78.7°F in January and 82.8°F in July, with 120.4 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricHilo, HI
Average High — January78.7°F
Average High — July82.8°F
Annual Precipitation120.4"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricHilo, HINational Avg
Population47,627—
Median Age41.538.9
Unemployment Rate6.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time19.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)17.1%59.3%
Black or African American0.7%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino3.2%18.9%
Asian31.2%6.3%
Under 1821.1%22.2%
65 and over22.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Wainaku, HI 4 mi Keaau, HI 5 mi Paukaa, HI 5 mi Kurtistown, HI 7 mi Papaikou, HI 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Hilo

Hilo, HI is covered by 1 ZIP code:

96720

Hilo vs Other Cities

Hilo, HI vs Wainaku, HI Hilo, HI vs Keaau, HI Hilo, HI vs Paukaa, HI Hilo, HI vs Kurtistown, HI Hilo, HI vs Papaikou, HI

Frequently Asked Questions

Hilo's cost of living index is 101, where 100 is the national average. That puts Hilo roughly 1% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $417,600 and median rent is $1,228/month.
Crime data for Hilo is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
Public schools in Hilo are operated by Hawaii Department of Education. The district has 183 elementary, 42 middle, and 46 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.7:1. 34.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Hilo, HI has a population of 47,627, a median household income of $75,589, and an unemployment rate of 6.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Hilo averages 78.7°F in January and 82.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 120.4 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Hilo, HI is covered by 1 ZIP code: 96720.
The population of Hilo, Hawaii is 47,627 with a median age of 41.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Hilo: cost of living index 101 (100 = US average), median home $417,600, median household income $75,589, schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Hilo side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.