About Hilo
Hilo, HI is a small unincorporated community located in southeastern Hawaii.
Hilo holds the status of a census-designated place — a real, named community that residents call home, governed at the county level. The community covers 53.61 square miles.
📰 Hilo News Today
- Hurricane Lala Batters Hilo, Hawaii, Destroying Homes and Leaving Thousands Without Power The New York Times · Aug 16
- Lala sweeps away 100 homes in Hawaii after brushing Big Island as a hurricane AccuWeather · Aug 17
- Hilo Is Accustomed to Rain. Hurricane Lala Was Different. seattletimes.com · Aug 17
- Hilo Public Library Friends Spring Book Sale Hawaii Public Radio · Aug 18
- Land board approves transfer of 300-plus acres in Hilo to Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Maui Now · Aug 17
Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.
What Makes Hilo Unique
- The only place in America named Hilo — a truly one-of-a-kind name among 32,000+ US communities.
- An unincorporated community — no city hall of its own, which often means lower local taxes and county-managed services.
- Island living in the Pacific — year-round tropical climate.
- Positioned in southeastern Hawaii, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
Why People Love It Here
- Small-town pace of life: less traffic, more community, and neighbors who wave.
- Cost of living typically runs below the big-metro average.
- Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 6 miles.
📍 Neighborhoods in Hilo
Click a neighborhood to see it on the map.
🍽️ Where to Eat in Hilo
- Aloha Mondays
- Big Island Coffee Roasters — coffee shop (café)
- Coconut Grill — american
- E Komo Mai
- Hilo Burger Joint — burger
- Hilo Coffee Corner — coffee shop (café)
- Hilo Lunch Shop — regional
- HĀ CAFE — sandwich (café)
- Just Cruisin Coffee — coffee shop (café)
- Kamana Kitchen — indian
Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.
🎡 Fun Things to Do
- Wailoa Center · Museum
- Fun Factory · Arcade
- Hawaii Japanese Center · Museum
- Kaumana Caves · Attraction
- Kaūmana Caves County Park · Attraction
- Panaewa Rainforest Zoo · Zoo
- Tilt · Arcade
Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.
🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Hilo
- Pana‘ewa Recreational Complex reviews ★
- 'Imiloa Garden · Garden reviews ★
- Ahualani Park reviews ★
- Ainaola Park reviews ★
- Botanical Gardens University of Hawai'i Hilo · Garden reviews ★
- Hale Kanilehua reviews ★
- Hilo Nursery Arboretum · Garden reviews ★
- Kaumana Lani Neighborhood Park reviews ★
- Kaūmana Caves County Park · Attraction reviews ★
- Keikiland Park reviews ★
- Lokahi Park reviews ★
- Machado Acres Park reviews ★
Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.
🏫 Schools in Hilo
- Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School
- Connections - New Century PCS
- Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School
- Haaheo Elementary School
- Hilo High School
- Hilo Intermediate School
- Hilo Union Elementary School
- Kaumana Elementary School
- Ke Ana Laahana - PCS
- Keaukaha Elementary School
- Waiakea Elementary School
- Waiakea High School
- Waiakea Intermediate School
- Waiakeawaena Elementary School
Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.
🏥 Hospitals & Healthcare
- Hilo Benioff Medical Center ★★★ (3/5 CMS rating) · 24/7 ER
Medicare-registered hospitals with official CMS star ratings.
⚡ Quick Facts
StateHawaii
TypeCDP
Population (2024)—
Land area53.61 sq mi
Coordinates19.6887, -155.0829