Hilo is a community in Hawaii County, Hawaii, home to about 50,404 people across 54 square miles. Its ZIP code is 96720.
Homes sold for a median of $403 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Mostly Hilo; also Wainaku and Paukaa
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Hilo. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Hilo’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA)62 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Hilo International Airport (ITO)3 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Urban Honolulu, HI210 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Hilo; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Hilo had 44,186 residents in the 2020 census, up 8% since 2000.
It’s the 3rd largest of 163 towns in Hawaii by population.
Hawaii County grew from 46,843 residents in 1900 to 200,629 in 2020.
Hawaii County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 83°F in summer, and winter lows average 64°F. About 120.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Hilo Intl Ap, HI weather station (3 miles away).
54,716 jobs at 4,400 businesses in Hawaii County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
909 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Hilo.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 110 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 94 |
| Dentists | 68 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 82 |
| Mental health providers | 445 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 76 |
| Optometrists | 20 |
| Chiropractors | 14 |
| Pharmacies | 25 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (31 nearby)
Grocery stores (9 nearby)
Pharmacies (6 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums (8 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (3 nearby)
Counts are within about 5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Colleges and universities
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Hawaii Department of Education. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary SchoolHilo | Pre-K–6 | 354 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary SchoolHilo | Pre-K–6 | 422 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Haaheo Elementary SchoolHilo | Pre-K–6 | 122 | Public | 2.9 mi |
| Hilo Union Elementary SchoolHilo | Pre-K–6 | 449 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Ka Umeke Kaeo - PCSHilo | Pre-K–12 | 292 | Charter | 4.4 mi |
| Kaumana Elementary SchoolHilo | Pre-K–6 | 238 | Public | 2.9 mi |
| Keaukaha Elementary SchoolHilo | Pre-K–6 | 341 | Public | 3.7 mi |
| Kua o ka La - NCPCSHilo | Pre-K–9 | 185 | Charter | 3.3 mi |
| Waiakea Elementary SchoolHilo | Pre-K–5 | 706 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Waiakeawaena Elementary SchoolHilo | Pre-K–5 | 669 | Public | 2.2 mi |
| Connections - New Century PCSHilo | K–12 | 352 | Charter | 1.6 mi |
| Waiakea Intermediate SchoolHilo | 6–8 | 857 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Hilo Intermediate SchoolHilo | 7–8 | 560 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Ke Ana Laahana - PCSHilo | 7–12 | 33 | Charter | 4.4 mi |
| Hilo High SchoolHilo | 9–12 | 1,170 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Waiakea High SchoolHilo | 9–12 | 1,183 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Joseph SchoolHilo | Pre-K–12 | 163 | Roman Catholic | 1.0 mi |
| Mauna Loa SchoolHilo | K–8 | 50 | Seventh-day Adventist | 1.2 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Wainaku and Paukaa.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.