Census-designated place · Hawaii

Captain Cook, Hawaii

Captain Cook, census-designated place, in Hawaii County, Hawaii. Captain Cook had 3,253 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,419 (±815). GEOID 1503850.

Residents, 2020 Census

3,253

Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 3,419 ±815

Median household income

$108,675

±$19,952 (90% margin)
Hawaii: $100,389

Median home value

$770,600

±$86,983 (90% margin)
Hawaii: $839,100

Median gross rent

$2,164

±$120 (90% margin)
Hawaii: $1,971

Where is Captain Cook and what county is it in?

Captain Cook is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Hawaii County, Hawaii. It covers 12.9 square miles of land, 253 residents per square mile in 2020.

Captain Cook is in the Hilo-Kailua, HI micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

Captain Cook (marked with a dot) in Hawaii County, Hawaii. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Captain Cook, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 3,253 residents in Captain Cook, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 3,419 (±815).

The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Captain Cook is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.

ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure Captain CookHawaii CountyHawaii Change since 2015-2019
Total population 3,419 ±815 205,769 1,445,235 no clear change
Households 967 ±186 74,072 492,453 no clear change
Average household size 3.54 ±0.52 2.74 2.85 no clear change
Housing units 1,126 ±208 90,735 567,896 no clear change

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Captain Cook?

The median resident of Captain Cook is 39.5 years old; 24.0% are under 18 and 23.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 32.7%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 24.9%. 5.5% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure Captain CookHawaii CountyHawaii Change since 2015-2019
Median age 39.5 ±4.3 44.3 40.9 no clear change
Under 18 years 24.0% ±7.2 pts 20.6% 20.7% –
65 years and over 23.0% ±5.7 pts 23.8% 20.5% –
Male 54.8% ±5.9 pts 49.7% 50.2% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 18.3% ±9.6 pts 11.7% 9.9% –
White alone, not Hispanic 24.9% ±9.5 pts 29.9% 20.9% no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.9 pts 0.8% 1.8% –
Asian alone, not Hispanic 21.9% ±11.1 pts 20.2% 36.4% –
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.9 pts 0.2% 0.1% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 2.3% ±1.8 pts 11.7% 9.5% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 32.7% ±11.3 pts 24.9% 21.0% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.9 pts 0.6% 0.4% –
Born outside the United States 5.5% ±2.7 pts 11.8% 17.9% −14.5 pts
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 25.7% ±14.7 pts 22.6% 24.7% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 9.1% ±5.0 pts 7.3% 8.0% –
With a disability 15.5% ±6.3 pts 16.0% 12.9% –
No health insurance coverage 5.2% ±3.0 pts 4.5% 3.6% –
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 89.8% ±9.7 pts 93.2% 93.2% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 21.2% ±5.7 pts 31.4% 36.1% no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 8.8% ±4.3 pts 12.3% 13.3% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 93.8% ±3.2 pts 89.3% 87.5% –
Moved from another state in the past year 1.4% ±2.0 pts 3.3% 4.0% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov

What do households in Captain Cook earn?

Half of Captain Cook's 967 households earn less than $108,675 a year (±$19,952), against $78,639 in Hawaii County and $100,389 in Hawaii. In 2015-2019 it was $90,984 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
Measure Captain CookHawaii CountyHawaii Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $108,675 ±$19,952 $78,639 $100,389 no clear change
Mean household income $128,734 ±$18,354 $106,719 $131,053 –
Per capita income $36,594 ±$7,355 $39,739 $46,005 no clear change
People below the poverty line 4.4% ±3.0 pts 14.9% 10.0% –
Children under 18 below the poverty line 0.0% ±3.9 pts 18.2% 12.1% –
Households receiving SNAP 26.0% ±10.8 pts 17.8% 11.4% –
Households with a computer 96.5% ±3.2 pts 95.5% 96.2% –
Households with a broadband subscription 96.1% ±3.1 pts 91.1% 92.0% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What does housing cost in Captain Cook?

Owners occupy 69.1% of Captain Cook's occupied homes and renters 30.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $770,600 by its owner (±$86,983). The median renter pays $2,164 a month including utilities.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
Measure Captain CookHawaii CountyHawaii Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $770,600 ±$86,983 $519,300 $839,100 no clear change
Median gross rent $2,164 ±$120 $1,510 $1,971 +$494
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 48.4% ±32.0 pts 40.3% 46.2% –
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $2,425 ±$270 $2,157 $2,904 –
Owner-occupied homes 69.1% ±11.1 pts 74.0% 63.0% no clear change
Renter-occupied homes 30.9% ±11.1 pts 26.0% 37.0% –
Housing units 1,126 ±208 90,735 567,896 no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate 0.0% ±4.7 pts 1.4% 0.9% –
Rental vacancy rate 2.0% ±3.1 pts 10.6% 7.4% –
Single-family detached homes 73.8% ±9.0 pts 77.0% 53.5% –
Mobile homes 0.5% ±1.0 pts 0.4% 0.3% –
Built 2020 or later 0.0% ±2.8 pts 1.2% 1.1% –
Built 2010 to 2019 7.0% ±4.6 pts 8.7% 8.1% –
Built 1939 or earlier 7.8% ±6.3 pts 3.7% 3.2% –
Households with no vehicle 0.6% ±1.0 pts 4.8% 8.2% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov

How do people in Captain Cook work and get to work?

63.4% of Captain Cook's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 26.6 minutes.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure Captain CookHawaii CountyHawaii Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 53.3% ±8.0 pts 56.5% 63.7% –
Unemployment rate 8.2% ±9.7 pts 6.0% 4.9% –
Drove alone to work 63.4% ±11.2 pts 68.2% 65.2% –
Carpooled 20.5% ±9.7 pts 14.8% 13.9% –
Public transportation 0.0% ±2.4 pts 0.7% 3.8% –
Walked 0.0% ±2.4 pts 1.9% 4.3% –
Worked from home 9.0% ±6.4 pts 12.1% 9.6% –
Mean travel time to work 26.6 min ±5.5 27.4 min 26.2 min no clear change

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What census tracts are in Captain Cook?

No census tract lies mostly in Captain Cook; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).

Census tracts in Captain Cook, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Captain Cook
Tract 214.02Hawaii County3,822 $104,250 $706,60044%
Tract 213Hawaii County5,991 $81,200 $644,70010%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Captain Cook) · Census block assignment files

How does Captain Cook compare with other places in Hawaii?

Captain Cook ranks 42nd of 125 places in Hawaii with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Captain Cook's rank in Hawaii (1 = highest): by population among the state's incorporated places with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population (ACS 2020-2024)76th126
Residents per square mile109th126
Median household income42nd125
Per capita income84th126
Median home value69th120
Median gross rent48th119
Bachelor's degree or higher98th125
Median age84th126
Owner-occupied share69th119
Travel time to work77th126

Captain Cook's figures with every place in Hawaii (CSV)

Every place in Hawaii, sortable · Compare Captain Cook with other places

Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed

How reliable are the figures for Captain Cook?

18 of the 57 figures for Captain Cook on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.

The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation

How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections

Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Captain Cook are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.