Hawaiʻi County, Hawaii

Hawaiʻi 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.)

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• Maui County - northwest

As of the 2020 Census, the population has grown to 200,629 people, 73,021 households, and 88,691 housing units. The median age of the population was 44.3, with men being 43.6 and women being 45.^[8] The most commonly reported ancestries were Native Hawaiian (29.6%), Filipino (20.8%), Japanese (16.9%), German (13.1%), English (12.5%), and Irish (11.9%).^[9]

As of 2010^[update], the island had a resident population of 185,079.^[10] 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:

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 Hawaii 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]}

This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. The reason given is: Redistricted 2011 and expected to redistrict again late 2021. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (September 2021)

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.^[11] 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.^[12] As of December 2016, Hawaiʻi County Council has a female supermajority for the first time, with six women and three men.^[13]

Administrative districts were originally based on the traditional land divisions called Moku of Ancient Hawaii. 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.^[14]

Nr.	District	Area mi2	Population 2000	moku	Map
1	Puna	499.45	31,335	Puna
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.^[15]

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.^[16]

Hawaii Department of Public Safety previously operated the Kulani Correctional Facility in Hawaiʻi County, on the Island of Hawaii.^[17] In 2009, the Hawaii Department of Public Safety announced that Kulani Correctional Facility would close.^[18]

• Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
• Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
• Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
• Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park
• Kona Forest National Wildlife Refuge
• Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
• Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site

• Puʻuwaʻawaʻa State Forest Reserve. 37,600 acres state park overseen by the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW).^[20]
• Puʻuwaʻawaʻa Forest Bird Sanctuary.^[21]
• Upper Waiākea Forest Reserve. 53,214 acre reserve designated October 13, 1913.^[22]
• 180 acre Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park.^[23]

According to the county's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,^[24] the top employers in the county are the following:

• University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
• University of the Nations
• Hawaiʻi Community College

The Hawaii State Department of Education operates public schools in Hawaiʻi County.^[25]

Hawaiʻi County's sister cities, counties and islands are:^[26]