Living in Hilo, HI
Hawaii County
Hilo is the Big Island's largest town and the seat of Hawaii County government -- a real, genuine east-side contrast to the dry, resort-oriented Kona side this record discloses directly per this project's Hawaii manifest research context. Hilo anchors a real, diversified, non-resort economy (county/state/federal government, the University of Hawaii at Hilo, the Port of Hilo, Hilo International Airport, and Mauna Kea observatory-adjacent administrative work), and its housing runs genuinely more accessible than most other Hawaii Tier A markets in this dataset (cited median figures of $483,000-$555,000, only roughly 18%-36% above the ~$408,776 national comparison figure). This record discloses Hilo's honest challenges directly rather than softening them: a real, disclosed, elevated overall crime rate (~31 per 1,000, roughly 46% above the national comparison figure), a real, disclosed mixed school picture, and Hilo's real, current proximity to Kilauea -- whose summit eruption (begun December 23, 2024) was in a PAUSED, episodic state as of this record's August 2026 research pass, with periodic vog exposure a genuine, disclosed consequence of the town's east-side position. Hilo also carries real, historically catastrophic, specifically-dated tsunami risk (1946 and 1960) and among the highest rainfall totals of any US city.
Explore Hilo in depth
- Moving to Hilo: Pros, Cons & What to Know
- Cost of Living in Hilo
- Housing Market in Hilo
- Buying a Home in Hilo
- Renting in Hilo
- Taxes in Hilo
- Homeowners Insurance & Natural Hazard Costs in Hilo
- Climate & Weather in Hilo
- Jobs & Economy in Hilo
- Schools in Hilo
- Crime & Safety in Hilo
- Healthcare in Hilo
- Traffic & Transportation in Hilo
- Best Areas to Live in Hilo
- Pros and Cons of Living in Hilo
- Retiring in Hilo
- Who Should / Shouldn’t Move to Hilo
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreHousing
Taxes
Not independently sourced at the Hawaii County level this session. Hawaii's top state income tax rate is 11.00%. See the Hawaii hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as Hilo-specific.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceThe tradeoffs
Pros
Genuinely more accessible housing than most other Hawaii Tier A markets in this dataset (median price only ~18%-36% above the national comparison figure). A real, diversified, non-resort economy anchored by government, UH Hilo, the port, and the airport. A genuinely low effective property tax rate (this record's own calculation: ~0.53% on a representative home after the home exemption). Hawaii's real Social Security and employer-pension income-tax exemptions apply here as statewide. A real, lower-cost rental market relative to Hawaii's other counties (Hawaii County cited as the state's lowest median-rent county).
Cons
A real, disclosed, elevated overall crime rate (~46% above the national comparison figure) and a genuinely mixed school picture (a cited 'D+' average SchoolGrade alongside a favorable general characterization). Real, current proximity to Kilauea's genuinely live, episodic eruption and periodic vog exposure -- verify the current status directly before relocating. Real, historically catastrophic tsunami risk specifically documented at Hilo (1946, 1960). Among the highest rainfall totals of any US city, driving routine local flash-flood risk. Hawaii's real, statewide 11% top income-tax rate and genuinely high statewide cost of living both apply here as everywhere in the state. A real, disclosed gap in confidently sourced Hilo Medical Center capacity data.
Who this fits
Best for: Best fits movers seeking the Big Island's most accessible, working, non-resort town -- those drawn to government, university, agricultural, or astronomy-adjacent employment, and those prioritizing housing affordability (relative to the rest of Hawaii) over a dry, sunny, resort-town climate.
Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for movers who need a dry, sunny climate (Hilo is genuinely one of the wettest cities in the US) or who are highly risk-averse to volcanic activity and vog exposure, given Hilo's real, current proximity to Kilauea's live eruption status. Those needing a confidently low, unambiguous crime profile or robust, precisely sourced hospital-capacity data should also weigh this record's disclosed data gaps and elevated crime figures directly.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert