Downtown Hilo leans heavily Democratic by roughly 34 points: about 67% of voters vote Democratic and 33% Republican.
About 50% of adults in Downtown Hilo typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Downtown Hilo, ~34% vote Democratic, ~16% Republican, and ~50% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Downtown Hilo compares
Downtown Hilo runs about 10 points more Democratic than Hawaii as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within Downtown Hilo. The east side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+43) and the southeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+17), a spread of about 26 points.
Why Downtown Hilo leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Downtown Hilo. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Cancer-screening access and voter turnout
Places with low colon-cancer-screening access tend to turn out at a lower rate; Downtown Hilo, Hilo, HI sits below the national average on this measure. Cancer screening does not drive turnout; it reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access.
Why turnout in Downtown Hilo looks the way it does
Crowded housing lines up with lower turnout. About 11% of homes in Downtown Hilo have more than one occupant per room, above 92% of neighborhoods. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 65% of households in Downtown Hilo rent, compared to around 26% in nearby neighborhoods. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and Downtown Hilo sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
- Orchidlands Estates, Keaau, HI D+6
- Hawaiian Acres, Keaau, HI Even
- Kamuela, Waimea, HI D+24
- Holualoa, Kailua-Kona, HI D+21
- Kailua Kona, Kailua-Kona, HI D+18
- Wailea, Kihei, HI D+20
- Pukalani, Makawao, HI D+20
- Napili-Honokowai, Lahaina, HI D+18
- Hawaii Kai, East Honolulu, HI D+24
- Kuliouou-Kalani Iki, East Honolulu, HI D+25
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- Forest Glen, Arlington, VA D+43
- East Harriet, Minneapolis, MN D+76
- Winsor Hills, Baltimore, MD D+87
- Skunk City, Syracuse, NY D+46
- Forest Park Southeast, St. Louis, MO D+73
- El Cerrito, Corona, CA R+18
- Lovisa Farms, Pasco, WA R+23
- Lasalle College Park, Detroit, MI D+87
- International, San Bernardino, CA D+28
- Browntown, Wilmington, DE D+71
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Hawaii Office of Elections, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Some land-use inputs for Hawaii, including walkability and the environmental-justice index, are estimated rather than measured, so the figures here carry added uncertainty. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.