Jobs, pay and daily life in Hilo, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Hilo is a city in Hawaii with 50,404 residents. The median household earns $81,779 a year and the median rent is $1,427 a month, which is 20.9% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Hilo compares. Among the 40 largest places in Hawaii, Hilo is #3 by population, #4 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #36 for household income (#1 = highest), #8 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Hawaii County, is #4 of 4 counties for average pay ($57,868).
Hilo has 50,404 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 3.5% of the population of Hawaii. It covers 54 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 940 people per square mile. The median age is 42.7, 4% older than the state median (42.7 against 40.9). It is a census-designated place: a community the Census Bureau counts as a unit, without a city government of its own, so services such as police, roads and zoning usually come from the county.
The median gross rent is $1,427 a month (rent plus utilities), 28% below the state median ($1,427 against $1,971). Over a year that is 20.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $483,000, which is 5.9 times the median household income ($81,779); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 66.1% of households own their home, 5% above the state average (66.1% against 63.0%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Hawaii County was 3.5%. 59.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Hawaii County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 71.8% drive alone, 0.9% use public transit, 2.3% walk, 8.9% work from home. 9.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 44% below the state average (9.3% against 16.7%).
34.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 4% below the state share (34.6% against 36.1%). 11.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 39% below the state share (11.0% against 17.9%). The poverty rate is 14.5%, 45% above the state rate (14.5% against 10.0%).
The warmest month is Aug, averaging 73°F (22.6°C), and the coolest is Feb at 68°F (19.9°C). About 2,301 mm (91 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Mar is the wettest month (272 mm) and Jun the driest (132 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Hawaiian Paradise Park (10 miles, rent 8% lower); Waimea (42 miles, rent 31% higher); Kailua (60 miles, rent 23% higher); Kaiminani (60 miles, rent 16% lower). Rent differences are against Hilo; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Hawaii (384) →State guide: HawaiiCountry guideHawaii CountyHawaii rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 384 federal postings open in Hawaii (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.8% |
| Retail trade | 10.8% |
| Public administration | 8.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.4% |
| Construction | 7.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.7% |
| Other services | 4.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.3% |
| Manufacturing | 1.7% |
| Information | 1.1% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Hilo lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii County | 205,769 | $12,193 million | $59,256 | 74,029 | 7,367 | $57,868 | +2.0% | 3.5% | 93,661 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 13,305 | 23.3% | $47,065 | 1.98 |
| Retail trade | 10,106 | 17.7% | $41,022 | 1.37 |
| Health care and social assistance | 7,914 | 13.9% | $56,739 | 0.75 |
| Construction | 4,022 | 7.0% | $77,524 | 1.04 |
| Administrative and waste services | 3,836 | 6.7% | $45,322 | 0.88 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,841 | 5.0% | $56,599 | 0.91 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,374 | 4.2% | $46,539 | 1.07 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,964 | 3.4% | $83,599 | 0.38 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,838 | 3.2% | $66,986 | 0.63 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,762 | 3.1% | $44,510 | 1.42 |
| Manufacturing | 1,716 | 3.0% | $50,530 | 0.28 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,423 | 2.5% | $60,849 | 1.24 |
| Educational services | 1,354 | 2.4% | $54,809 | 0.88 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,160 | 2.0% | $75,984 | 0.39 |
| Information | 609 | 1.1% | $99,845 | 0.44 |
| Utilities | 556 | 1.0% | $131,746 | 1.98 |
| Management of companies | 357 | 0.6% | $78,071 | 0.29 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 71.8% |
| Public transit | 0.9% |
| Walk | 2.3% |
| Work from home | 8.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $81,779 |
| Income per person | $41,708 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,427 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.9% |
| Median home value | $483,000 |
| Homeowners | 66.1% |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 11.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 42.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 34.6% |
| Born abroad | 11.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20.1 | 68 | 192 |
| Feb | 19.9 | 68 | 183 |
| Mar | 20.1 | 68 | 272 |
| Apr | 20.5 | 69 | 241 |
| May | 21.2 | 70 | 175 |
| Jun | 21.6 | 71 | 132 |
| Jul | 22.2 | 72 | 152 |
| Aug | 22.6 | 73 | 168 |
| Sep | 22.6 | 73 | 166 |
| Oct | 22.4 | 72 | 184 |
| Nov | 21.6 | 71 | 216 |
| Dec | 20.6 | 69 | 220 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaiian Paradise Park | HI | 10 mi | 13,203 | $88,348 | $1,310 |
| Waimea | HI | 42 mi | 9,286 | $100,198 | $1,867 |
| Kailua | HI | 60 mi | 21,818 | $88,211 | $1,754 |
| Kaiminani | HI | 60 mi | 11,465 | $110,560 | $1,202 |
| Pukalani | HI | 114 mi | 8,679 | $102,976 | $1,608 |
| Kihei | HI | 115 mi | 21,567 | $87,772 | $2,045 |
| Haiku-Pauwela | HI | 116 mi | 9,178 | $101,396 | $2,538 |
| Kahului | HI | 121 mi | 28,288 | $98,077 | $1,488 |
| Wailuku | HI | 124 mi | 16,926 | $102,942 | $1,762 |
| Waihee-Waiehu | HI | 126 mi | 10,988 | $126,735 | $2,191 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
50,404 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,427 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.9% of the median household income.
$81,779 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.5% (BLS county, Hawaii County (latest month 2026M09)).
Hawaii. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.