Why visit Papaikou
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Hawaiʻi Tropical Botanical Garden.
September is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 64°F.
Weather in Papaikou
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Papaikou
Pāpaʻikou is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States, and is a few miles north of the county seat, Hilo. The population of Pāpaʻikou was 1,166 at the 2020 census, down from 1,431 at the 2000 census.
From the Wikipedia article Pāpaʻikou, Hawaii (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks2
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Prince Jonah Kalanianaole Elementary & Intermediate School
School
27-330 Old Mamalahoa Hwy, Papaikou
Map of Papaikou
16 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79°F | 64°F | 7.9 in |
| Feb | 78°F | 64°F | 10.2 in |
| Mar | 78°F | 65°F | 12.7 in |
| Apr | 79°F | 66°F | 9.4 in |
| May | 81°F | 67°F | 7.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 69°F | 7.3 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 70°F | 9.2 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 70°F | 11.3 in |
| Sep | 83°F | 70°F | 8.7 in |
| Oct | 82°F | 69°F | 10.2 in |
| Nov | 80°F | 68°F | 14.4 in |
| Dec | 79°F | 66°F | 12.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Hilo Intl Ap Gsn 91285 (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Hawaii County has had 30 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2026-10-07: Hurricane Lala (Hurricane)
- 2026-09-25: Tropical Storm Nolo (Tropical Storm)
- 2026-09-01: Earthquake (Earthquake)
- 2026-08-25: Hurricane Lala (Tropical Storm)
- 2026-07-26: Kawaihae Road Fire (Fire)
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Hilo International Airport (ITO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- Hilo 7 mi south, about 12 min by car
- Keaau 12 mi south, about 19 min by car
- Kurtistown 14 mi south, about 23 min by car
- Hawaiian Paradise Park 16 mi southeast, about 26 min by car
- Orchidlands Estates 17 mi south, about 27 min by car
- Mountain View 19 mi south, about 30 min by car
- Hawaiian Beaches 20 mi southeast, about 32 min by car
- Pahoa 23 mi southeast, about 36 min by car
- Leilani Estates 25 mi southeast, about 41 min by car
- Honokaa 31 mi northwest, about 50 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Ku - panoramio, Eric Marshall, CC BY 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.