Census-designated place · Hawaii
Fern Forest, Hawaii
Fern Forest, census-designated place, in Hawaii County, Hawaii. Fern Forest had 1,150 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,088 (±335). GEOID 1507675.
Residents, 2020 Census
1,150
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 1,088 ±335
Median household income
$42,917
±$17,594 (90% margin)
Hawaii: $100,389
Median home value
$170,900
±$47,405 (90% margin)
Hawaii: $839,100
Median gross rent
not published
Hawaii: $1,971
Where is Fern Forest and what county is it in?
Fern Forest 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 12.5 square miles of land, 92 residents per square mile in 2020.
Fern Forest is in the Hilo-Kailua, HI micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Fern Forest, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 1,150 residents in Fern Forest, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 1,088 (±335).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Fern Forest is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Fern Forest | Hawaii County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,088 ±335 | 205,769 | no clear change |
| Households | 545 ±139 | 74,072 | +211 |
| Average household size | 2.00 ±0.34 | 2.74 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 592 ±145 | 90,735 | +196 |
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 Fern Forest?
The median resident of Fern Forest is 51.4 years old; 13.8% are under 18 and 23.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 45.7%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 22.4%.
| Measure | Fern Forest | Hawaii County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.4 ±8.2 | 44.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 13.8% ±7.5 pts | 20.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.7% ±8.2 pts | 23.8% | – |
| Male | 42.9% ±7.7 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 19.2% ±11.1 pts | 11.7% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 45.7% ±13.9 pts | 29.9% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.2% ±5.0 pts | 20.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 5.4% ±7.3 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 22.4% ±11.5 pts | 24.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.6% ±6.4 pts | 22.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.6% ±3.3 pts | 7.3% | – |
| With a disability | 27.0% ±8.7 pts | 16.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 14.9% ±8.1 pts | 4.5% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.4% ±5.4 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 18.3% ±8.5 pts | 31.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.2% ±4.1 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.9% ±4.5 pts | 89.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.5% ±3.5 pts | 3.3% | – |
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 Fern Forest earn?
Half of Fern Forest's 545 households earn less than $42,917 a year (±$17,594), against $78,639 in Hawaii County and $100,389 in Hawaii. In 2015-2019 it was $26,921 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 30.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fern Forest | Hawaii County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,917 ±$17,594 | $78,639 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $62,791 ±$16,513 | $106,719 | – |
| Per capita income | $32,229 ±$8,320 | $39,739 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 30.6% ±12.2 pts | 14.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 48.7% ±32.4 pts | 18.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 28.1% ±11.4 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.1% ±7.4 pts | 95.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 78.5% ±10.4 pts | 91.1% | – |
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 Fern Forest?
Owners occupy 89.5% of Fern Forest's occupied homes and renters 10.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $170,900 by its owner (±$47,405).
| Measure | Fern Forest | Hawaii County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $170,900 ±$47,405 | $519,300 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 45.5% ±51.8 pts | 40.3% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,233 ±$1,126 | $2,157 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 89.5% ±6.5 pts | 74.0% | +25.1 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 10.5% ±6.5 pts | 26.0% | – |
| Housing units | 592 ±145 | 90,735 | +196 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.2% ±3.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±39.3 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 91.7% ±5.5 pts | 77.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.9% ±3.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 6.9% ±6.2 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 22.5% ±9.9 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.4% ±3.8 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.6% ±7.4 pts | 4.8% | – |
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 Fern Forest work and get to work?
70.5% of Fern Forest's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 49.1 minutes.
| Measure | Fern Forest | Hawaii County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 34.1% ±13.1 pts | 56.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% ±5.9 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 70.5% ±17.6 pts | 68.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 0.0% ±10.2 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±10.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 12.3% ±14.6 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 17.2% ±11.8 pts | 12.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 49.1 min ±13.9 | 27.4 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 Fern Forest?
No census tract lies mostly in Fern Forest; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 210.17Hawaii County | 4,172 | $46,576 |
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 Fern Forest) · Census block assignment files
How does Fern Forest compare with other places in Hawaii?
Fern Forest ranks 120th of 125 places in Hawaii with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 119th | 126 |
| Residents per square mile | 122nd | 126 |
| Median household income | 120th | 125 |
| Per capita income | 96th | 126 |
| Median home value | 119th | 120 |
| Poverty rate | 3rd | 99 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 110th | 125 |
| Median age | 13th | 126 |
| Owner-occupied share | 6th | 119 |
| Travel time to work | 3rd | 126 |
Fern Forest's figures with every place in Hawaii (CSV)
Every place in Hawaii, sortable · Compare Fern Forest 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 Fern Forest?
22 of the 56 figures for Fern Forest 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 Fern Forest 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.