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Hawaii County, Hawaii

Coordinates: 19°35′N 155°30′W / 19.583°N 155.500°W / 19.583; -155.500
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Hawai‘i County
County
W. H. Shipman House
W. H. Shipman House
Official seal of Hawai‘i County
Seal
Map of Hawaii highlighting Hawai‘i County
Location within the U.S. state of Hawaii
Map of the United States highlighting Hawaii
Hawaii's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 19°35′N 155°30′W / 19.58°N 155.5°W / 19.58; -155.5
Country United States
State Hawaii
Founded1905
Named forHawai‘i (island)
SeatHilo
Largest communityHilo
Government
 • MayorKimo Alameda
Area
 • Total
5,086.70 sq mi (13,174.5 km2)
 • Land4,028.02 sq mi (10,432.5 km2)
 • Water1,058.69 sq mi (2,742.0 km2)  20.81%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
200,629
 • Density46/sq mi (17.7/km2)
Time zone
ZIP Codes
96704, 96710, 96719, 96720, 96721, 96725, 96726, 96727, 96728, 96737, 96738, 96740, 96743, 96749, 96750, 96755, 96760, 96764, 96771, 96772, 96773, 96774, 96776, 96777, 96778, 96780, 96781, 96783, 96785
Area code808
Congressional district2nd
Websitehawaiicounty.gov

Hawai‘i County (Hawaiian: Kalana o Hawaiʻi; officially known as the County of Hawaiʻi) is a county in the U.S. state of Hawai‘i in the Hawaiian Islands. It is coextensive with the Island of Hawai‘i, often called the "Big Island" to distinguish it from the state as a whole. The 2020 Census population was 200,629.[1] The county seat is Hilo. There are no incorporated cities in Hawai‘i County (see Hawai‘i Counties). The Hilo Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Hawai‘i County. Hawai‘i County has a mayor–council form of government. In terms of geography, Hawai‘i County is the most expansive county in the state and the most southerly county in the United States.

The mayor of Hawai‘i County is Kimo Alameda, who took office in 2024. Legislative authority is vested in the nine-member Hawai‘i County Council.

Hawai‘i County is one of seven counties in the United States to share the same name as the state they are in (the other six are Arkansas County, Idaho County, Iowa County, New York County, Oklahoma County, and Utah County).[2]

Geography

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Main article: Hawaii (island) § Geology and geography

Hawai‘i County has a total area of 5,086.70 square miles (13,174.5 km2); 4,028.02 square miles (10,432.5 km2) is land and 1,058.69 square miles (2,742.0 km2) is water[3] (mostly all off the ocean shoreline but counted in the total area by the U.S. Census Bureau). The county's land area comprises 62.7 percent of the state's land area. It is the highest percentage by any county in the United States. (Delaware's Sussex County comes in second at 48.0 percent, while Rhode Island's Providence County is third at 39.55 percent.)

Adjacent county

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
190046,843—
191055,38218.2%
192064,89517.2%
193073,32513.0%
194073,276−0.1%
195068,350−6.7%
196061,332−10.3%
197063,4683.5%
198092,05345.0%
1990120,31730.7%
2000148,67723.6%
2010185,07924.5%
2020200,6298.4%
2023 (est.)207,615[4]3.5%

As of 2010, the island had a resident population of 185,079.[5] There were 64,382 households in the county. The population density was 17.7/km2 (46/sq mi). There were 82,324 housing units at an average density of 8/km2 (21/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 34.5% White, 29.2% from two or more races, 22.6% Asian, 12.4% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander and 0.7% African American; 11.8% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. The largest ancestry groups were:

  • 9.8% Japanese
  • 9.6% German
  • 8.6% Filipino
  • 8.5% Native Hawaiian
  • 8.3% Portuguese
  • 6.9% Irish
  • 5.7% English
  • 5.1% Puerto Rican
  • 3.2% Mexican
  • 2.5% French
  • 2.2% Italian
  • 1.9% Spanish
  • 1.7% Scottish
  • 1.5% Scotch-Irish
  • 1.5% Swedish
  • 1.1% Polish
  • 1.1% Dutch
  • 1.0% Norwegian

There were 64,382 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a woman whose husband did not live with her, and 30.4% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.24.

The age distribution was 26.1% under 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 100 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98 males.

41.3% of the people on Hawai‘i island are religious, meaning they affiliate with a religion. 18.4% are Catholic; 3.7% are of another Christian faith; 5.1% are LDS; 5.0% are of an Eastern faith; 0.1% are Muslim.[citation needed]

Transportation

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Hilo International Airport from above

Air

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Two commercial airports serve Hawaiʻi Island:

The 2 private airports are:

Rail

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No railroad or tram service exists today on Hawaiʻi Island.

The Hawaii Consolidated Railway (originally the Hilo Railroad) operated in varying magnitudes from 1899 until 1947. The railway ran out of Hilo, northbound to Paʻauilo and southbound to Pāhoa, Glenwood (near Volcano), and Kamaili.

Other smaller freight only railroads also operated on the island, primarily for the transport of sugarcane and other crops. Some of these include Waiākea Plantation Railroad (in Hilo), Honokaʻa Plantation Railroad, Hawaii Railway (on the north shore), Hawaiian Agricultural Company Railroad (in Pāhala) and West Hawaii Railway (between Kailua-Kona and Captain Cook).

Hele-On Bus in Kailua-Kona

Bus

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Island-wide bus service is provided by Hele-On Bus.

Major highways

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Main article: List of state highways in Hawaii

The 3 Hawaiʻi Scenic Byways are:

  • Māmalahoa Kona Heritage Center
  • Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast
  • Kaʻū Scenic Byway – The Slopes of Mauna Loa

Maritime

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The major ports are Hilo Harbor on the east side and Kawaihae Harbor and Kailua Pier on the west side.

There are several small boat ramps throughout the island for public and private use.

Government and infrastructure

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County government

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Executive authority is vested in the mayor of Hawaiʻi County, who is elected for a four-year term. Since 2004, the election by the voters has been on a nonpartisan basis. In 2024, Kimo Alameda was elected mayor, defeating Mitch Roth in the general election.[6] Legislative authority is vested in a nine-member County Council. Members of the County Council are elected on a nonpartisan basis to two-year terms from single-member districts.[7] As of December 2016, Hawaiʻi County Council has a female supermajority for the first time, with six women and three men.[8]

Administrative districts were originally based on the traditional land divisions called Moku of Ancient Hawaiʻi. Some more heavily populated districts have since been split into North and South districts to make them more comparable on a population basis.

The number following each district is the Tax Map Key (TMK) number, used to locate state property information. They are assigned in a counter-clockwise order beginning on the eastern side of the island.[9]

Nr. District Area
mi2		 Population
2000		 moku Map
1 Puna 499.45 31,335 Puna District subdivision of Hawaii County
2 South Hilo 394.38 47,386 Hilo
3 North Hilo 370.65 1,720 Hilo
4 Hāmākua 580.50 6,108 Hāmākua
5 North Kohala 132.92 6,038 Kohala
6 South Kohala 351.72 13,131 Kohala
7 North Kona 489.01 28,543 Kona
8 South Kona 335.38 8,589 Kona
9 Kaʻū 922.22 5,827 Kaʻū
  Hawaiʻi County 4028.02 148,677 6 moku

County council districts do not directly match the property tax districts because of the variation in the population density of voters in urban areas to rural areas; Hilo & Kailua (Kailua-Kona) towns are densely populated areas, while other districts such as Kaʻū, Puna, Hāmākua, and North & South Kohala are more sparsely populated.[10]

Several government functions are administered at the county level that are at the state or municipal level in other states. For example, the county has its own office of liquor control.[11]

State government

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Hawaiʻi Department of Public Safety previously operated the Kulani Correctional Facility in Hawaii County, on the Island of Hawaiʻi.[12] In 2009, the Hawaiʻi Department of Public Safety announced that Kulani Correctional Facility would close.[13]

Presidential election results

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United States presidential election results for Hawaii County, Hawaii[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 28,748 34.71% 52,163 62.98% 1,912 2.31%
2020 26,897 30.63% 58,731 66.88% 2,186 2.49%
2016 17,501 26.98% 41,259 63.61% 6,107 9.41%
2012 14,753 23.25% 47,224 74.42% 1,477 2.33%
2008 14,866 22.22% 50,819 75.94% 1,231 1.84%
2004 22,032 38.18% 35,116 60.86% 554 0.96%
2000 17,050 33.52% 28,670 56.37% 5,140 10.11%
1996 13,516 27.60% 27,262 55.66% 8,199 16.74%
1992 15,460 30.36% 25,725 50.52% 9,731 19.11%
1988 17,125 41.00% 24,091 57.68% 552 1.32%
1984 20,707 52.90% 17,866 45.64% 570 1.46%
1980 14,247 39.73% 17,630 49.16% 3,984 11.11%
1976 15,366 48.37% 15,960 50.24% 439 1.38%
1972 16,832 59.09% 11,652 40.91% 0 0.00%
1968 9,625 37.41% 15,819 61.49% 283 1.10%
1964 4,962 19.87% 20,011 80.13% 0 0.00%
1960 12,251 51.46% 11,557 48.54% 0 0.00%

Localities

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Census-designated places

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Other communities

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National protected areas

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Economy

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Main article: Hawaii (island) § Economy

Top employers

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According to the county's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,[15] the top employers in the county are the following:

# Employer # of Employees
1 State of Hawaiʻi 16,700
2 Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiʻi Island 3,380
3 Hawaiʻi County 2,800
4 United States Government 1,300
5 Mauna Kea Beach Hotel 1,100
6 Four Seasons Resort Hualalai 1,003
7 KTA Super Stores 900
8 Hilton Waikoloa Village 850
9 The Fairmont Orchid 560
10 Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort 259

Education

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The Hawaiʻi Department of Education operates public schools in Hawaiʻi County.[16]

Sister cities

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Main article: List of sister cities in Hawaii

Hawaiʻi County's sister cities are:[17]

References

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  1. ^ "HAWAII: 2020 Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  2. ^ Joseph Nathan Kane; Charles Curry Aiken (2005). The American Counties: Origins of County Names, Dates of Creation, and Population Data, 1950-2000. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-5036-1.
  3. ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Archived from the original on May 12, 2011. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
  4. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  5. ^ "Hawaii County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  6. ^ "Office of the Mayor". official web site. County of Hawaii. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  7. ^ "Hawaiʻi County Council". official web site. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
  8. ^ "Poindexter tabbed to be council chairwoman; Will lead first female super majority council in county's history | Hawaii Tribune-Herald". Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  9. ^ Hawaii County: 2000[permanent dead link‍]
  10. ^ "Hawaii County Council". official web site. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
  11. ^ "Office of Liquor Control". Hawaii County web site. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved December 25, 2010.
  12. ^ "Kulani Correctional Facility." Hawaii Department of Public Safety. Retrieved on September 30, 2010.
  13. ^ "Closure of Kulani Saves $2.8M Annually; Facility to Help At-Risk Youth." Hawaii Department of Public Safety. July 2009. Retrieved on September 30, 2010.
  14. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  15. ^ Sako, Deanna. "Annual Comprehensive Financial Report 2021". records.hawaiicounty.gov. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  16. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Hawaii County, HI" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2022. - Text list
  17. ^ "County of Hawai'i Official Sister Cities 2021". County of Hawaii. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
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