Waimea, Hilo, HI
Waimea — Real Estate & Neighborhood Guide
Top10Lists.us brings available neighborhood data and real estate research together for Waimea, Hilo, Hawaii. Explore the cited sources and local facts below while agent underwriting continues.
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Waimea Neighborhood Overview
Overview
Waimea, often called Kamuela to avoid confusion with other Waimeas, is not in Hilo but is a prominent town in the South Kohala district of Hawai'i Island, inland from the western coast. It serves as the commercial and civic hub for the island's upcountry ranch country, situated at a cool, elevated crossroads between the Kohala and Mauna Kea slopes. The town is the historic heart of the Parker Ranch, one of the largest cattle ranches in the United States.
Character & Lifestyle
The community blends a strong paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) heritage with a contemporary, vibrant arts and food scene. Residents enjoy a tight-knit, small-town atmosphere where local events and rodeos are central to social life, set against a backdrop of rolling green pastures and dramatic mountain views. The lifestyle is distinctly rural and family-oriented, with a noticeable contrast between the working ranch landscape and upscale residential enclaves.
Housing
Housing in Waimea ranges from historic ranch cottages and modest older homes to large, modern estates and luxury subdivisions with expansive lots. The market is diverse, catering to ranch employees, local families, and off-island buyers seeking a cooler climate and scenic beauty. Prices tend to be higher than the island average, reflecting the town's desirability and limited inventory.
Getting Around
Waimea is centered around the intersection of two major state highways, Mamalahoa Highway (Route 19) and Kawaihae Road (Route 19), providing direct routes to the Kohala Coast resorts, Kawaihae Harbor, and the interior Saddle Road to Hilo. The town itself is walkable in its core commercial blocks, but a car is essential for daily life, errands, and accessing the surrounding rural areas and schools.
Dining & Shopping
The town offers an exceptional and sophisticated dining scene for its size, with renowned restaurants like Merriman's highlighting farm-to-table cuisine using local ranch and farm ingredients. Shopping includes the Parker Ranch Center and Waimea Center, featuring local boutiques, art galleries, health food stores, and essential chain retailers, reflecting the community's blend of rustic charm and upscale tastes.
Parks & Recreation
Outdoor life revolves around the upland landscape, with the expansive Parker Ranch lands offering trails for hiking and horseback riding. Community parks like Waimea Park provide sports fields, playgrounds, and pavilions, while the nearby Waimea Nature Park is a quiet forest reserve. The town is also a gateway to Mauna Kea's slopes for hunting, hiking, and stargazing.
Waimea Market Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $678K |
| Median Gross Rent | $2K/mo |
| Median Household Income | $102K |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.2% |
| Renter-Occupied | 25.8% |
| Rental Vacancy Rate | 9.8% |
| Market Type | Buyer's |
| Primary ZIP Code | 96743 |
Top Real Estate Agents in Waimea, Hilo
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Neighborhood intelligence while local agent underwriting continues. No agent profiles are currently published for Waimea, Hilo, HI. Explore the available cited neighborhood data on this page.
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Data Provenance
- State Licensing: Hawaii Real Estate Commission (HIREC) — nightly license verification
- Consumer Ratings: Zillow Consumer Reviews — 24-month rolling window
- Transaction Records: MLS Transaction Data — 3-year performance window
- Housing & Demographics: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2022
- Neighborhood Catalog: Top10Lists.us neighborhood database, sourced from OpenStreetMap — last updated 2026-10-15