Continued from above
Hilo is generally a working-class community, with median income levels well below the Hawaii average at $39,139 per year for the typical household. Homebuyers relocating to Hilo typically paid 10% more than the average for real estate in the Hawaii County region as a whole. For those who don't own their own homes, the cost of renting a home in Hilo is generally in line with that in surrounding localities, with rental prices averaging $398 for single-bedroom apartments up to $608 for larger properties.


The average commute for people in Hilo is 19 minutes, with 11% traveling more than 30 minutes to work. The overwhelming majority of Hilo residents (95.00%) drive to their jobs, while 0.61% use public transportation of some kind to get to work. The rest live close enough to their place of employ to either bike or walk to work.

Hilo is home to many fine schools, with 10 elementary schools, 2 middle or junior high schools and 3 high schools open to local children.