Area data
Hilo, HI — ZIP 96720
Population: 52,979 (Census ACS)
The median home value in ZIP 96720 (Hilo, HI) is $560,656 — up 4.9% over the past year. Homes sell for a median $445,000 after a median 62 days on market. Typical rent runs $2,042/month. 16 schools serve the area (NCES). FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall natural-hazard risk Relatively High, with lightning, volcanicactivity, earthquake the top-rated hazards. Cost of living is 12.0% above the US average (BEA, metro/state-level).
$560,656
Median home value
+4.9%
1-year change
62
Median days on market
Relatively High
Hazard risk (county)
Home values & appreciation
- Median home value
- $560,656
- 1-year appreciation
- +4.9%
- 3-year appreciation
- +8.4%
- 5-year appreciation
- +29.6%
- 10-year appreciation
- +72.4%
- All-time peak (2026-07)
- $560,656
- House Price Index (state)
- 384.1 (-0.6% YoY)
Sources: home value index (ZIP-level) · FHFA House Price Index (state-level)
Market activity
- Median sale price
- $445,000
- Median list price
- $415,000
- Median price per sqft
- $386
- Median days on market
- 62 days
- Homes sold (recent period)
- 2
- For-sale inventory
- 141
- Sale-to-list ratio
- 98.9%
- 1-year forecast
- +1.5%
- Days to pending
- 84 days
- New listings (monthly)
- 34
Source: recent area sales and market data (ZIP-level)
Rents
- Typical rent
- $2,042/mo
- Studio fair-market rent
- $1,577/mo
- 1BR fair-market rent
- $1,972/mo
- 2BR fair-market rent
- $2,586/mo
- 3BR fair-market rent
- $3,362/mo
- 4BR fair-market rent
- $3,879/mo
Sources: market rent index (ZIP-level) · HUD Fair Market Rents (metro/county-level, 40th-percentile regulatory reference)
Affordability
- Cost of living index (High)
- 112.0 (100 = US avg)
- Electricity rate (state-level)
- 40.6¢/kWh
- Natural gas rate (state-level)
- $52.40/MCF
- 30-year mortgage rate (national)
- 6.66%
- 15-year mortgage rate (national)
- 6.00%
Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities (metro/state-level) · EIA energy rates (state-level) · Freddie Mac PMMS (national)
Schools
- Total schools
- 16
- Elementary schools
- 9
- Middle schools
- 2
- High schools
- 3
- Charter schools
- 4
- Schools include
- Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School, Haaheo Elementary School, Hilo High School, Hilo Intermediate School, Hilo Union Elementary School
Source: NCES school directory, 2022-23 (school-address-based)
Natural hazards & flood risk
- Overall hazard risk (county)
- Relatively High
- Top hazards (county)
- lightning, volcanicActivity, earthquake, inlandFlooding, wildfire
- Notable hazard ratings (county)
- coastalFlooding: Relatively Low · earthquake: Relatively High · hurricane: Relatively Low · inlandFlooding: Relatively High · landslide: Relatively Low · lightning: Very High
- FEMA flood zone
- X
- Flood risk level
- Minimal
- Wildfire risk to homes (county)
- Higher than 84% of US counties
- Buildings in wildfire direct-exposure zone
- 61.0%
- Radon potential (county)
- Low radon potential — EPA Zone 3 of 3
- EPA Superfund (NPL) sites within 5 mi
- None
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (county-level) · FEMA flood data (ZIP-level) · USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (county-level) · EPA radon zones + Superfund NPL
Climate (30-year normals)
- Average annual temperature
- 74.0°F
- Average high
- 81.0°F
- Average low
- 67.0°F
- Annual precipitation
- 115.7 in
- USDA plant hardiness zone
- 11a (extreme annual low 40 to 45°F)
Sources: NOAA Climate Normals (30-year, nearest-station) · USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
Air quality
- Air quality rating
- Good
- Median AQI (annual)
- 23
- Days with Good air quality
- 336
- Days with Moderate air quality
- 29
- Highest AQI recorded (year)
- 71
Source: EPA air quality data (nearest monitoring station, annual)
Walkability & transit
- Walkability index
- 10.7 / 20
- Transit service frequency
- -99,999
- Jobs reachable by car (30 min)
- 9,367
- Jobs reachable by transit (45 min)
- 7,560
Source: EPA Smart Location Database (metropolitan block groups)
Amenities
- National parks within ~60 mi
- 5
- Nearest national park
- Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (27 mi)
- National parks include
- Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
- Airports within 30 mi
- 5
- Nearest airport
- Mountain View Airstrip (11 mi)
- Nearest major airport
- Hilo International Airport (ITO) (13 mi)
- Hospitals nearby (~15 mi)
- 1
- Hospitals include
- HILO BENIOFF MEDICAL CENTER
- Avg hospital rating (CMS)
- 2.0 / 5
- Best hospital rating nearby (CMS)
- 2.0 / 5
- EV charging stations (within 10 mi)
- 6
- Solar radiation rating
- Fair (3.8 kWh/m²/day)
Sources: National Park Service · FAA airport data · CMS hospital data · DOE/NREL (proximity-based)
Migration
- Net migration (county)
- +673 tax filers
Source: IRS county-to-county migration data (county-level, ~12-month lag)
Housing stock
- Median year housing built
- 1,978
- Housing built before 1970
- 31.0%
- Housing built 2000 or later
- 15.6%
- Median annual property tax
- $1,327
- Mean commute to work
- 19 min
- Households with broadband internet
- 74.6%
Source: Census ACS 5-year estimates (ZIP-level)
Employment & development
- Total county employment
- 58,267
- Average weekly wage
- $1,002
- Top industries (by employment)
- Accommodation & Food, Health Care, Administrative Services
- Annual residential building permits (county)
- 974
Sources: BLS QCEW (county-level) · Census Building Permits (county-level)
How it compares
| ZIP 96720 | State median | US median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $560,656 | $842,372 | $289,727 |
| Median sale price | $445,000 | $918,750 | $325,000 |
| Median days on market | 62 days | 107 days | 51 days |
| Typical rent | $2,042/mo | $3,045/mo | $1,808/mo |
| Median annual property tax | $1,327 | $1,913 | $2,006 |
State and US medians are computed across all US ZIP codes with sufficient public-data coverage, from the same sources as the figures above.
Area data compiled from public government, academic, and industry research feeds. Data sources →
Common questions
- What is the median home value in ZIP 96720?
- $560,656.
- What is the median sale price in ZIP 96720?
- $445,000.
- How long do homes take to sell in ZIP 96720?
- Median days on market: 62 days.
- What is typical rent in ZIP 96720?
- Typical rent: $2,042/month.
- What is the natural-hazard risk in ZIP 96720?
- Overall risk: Relatively High (FEMA NRI, county-level). Top hazards: lightning, volcanicActivity, earthquake, inlandFlooding, wildfire.
- Is ZIP 96720 in a flood zone?
- Minimal (FEMA NFIP). FEMA flood zone X.
- What is the wildfire risk in ZIP 96720?
- Risk to homes is higher than 84% of US counties (USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities, county-level).
- What is the radon potential in ZIP 96720?
- Low radon potential — EPA Zone 3 of 3, county-level. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.
- Are there Superfund sites near ZIP 96720?
- No current or proposed National Priorities List sites within 5 miles (EPA).
- How many schools serve ZIP 96720?
- 16 schools (9 elementary, 2 middle, 3 high) (NCES, 2022-23).
- Is ZIP 96720 walkable?
- Walkability index: 10.7/20 (EPA Smart Location Database).
- What is the air quality in ZIP 96720?
- Good. Median AQI: 23. (EPA AQI).
- What is the cost of living in ZIP 96720?
- Regional Price Parity: 112.0 (100 = US average) (High) (BEA RPP, metro/state-level).
Nearby ZIP codes
Selling a home in Hilo, HI?
REAIGENT7 gives every listing its own AI assistant grounded in this same public data — it answers buyer questions about the home and the area, around the clock, and sends every lead to the listing agent. Agents: it installs on your listing page, your website, or WordPress.
Data last updated
Most recent source refresh: Sep 2026. See all data sources →