At a glance
- Elevation (most land)
- 354–3,850 ftmedian 2,036 ft
- Annual rainfall
- 53 inmedian; 36–63 in across the area
- Mean annual temp
- 67 °F61–72 °F across the area
- USGS lava zones
- 3 and 4varies by parcel
- Drive to KOA
- ~32 min17.1 mi from Kealakekua (Māmalahoa Hwy); typical, light traffic
- Area profiled
- 22.9 sq miKealakekua CDP + Captain Cook CDP
Land & elevation
The two Census places run from near the coast to about 4,300 ft. Most of the area is upslope of the highway, where it is cooler and wetter than the Kona shoreline. Across the Kealakekua CDP + Captain Cook CDP boundary, the middle 90% of land sits between 354 and 3,850 ft (median 2,036 ft; full range 12–4,335 ft). At Kealakekua (Māmalahoa Hwy), the ground is about 1,426 ft.
Climate
Median annual rainfall across the area is about 53 inches, and most of the area gets 36–63 in (10th–90th percentile). At Kealakekua (Māmalahoa Hwy), the atlas shows about 53 in a year. Mean annual air temperature is about 67 °F (61–72 °F across the area). On this island, temperature generally drops as elevation rises, and rainfall can change a lot within a few miles. Visit at different times of day before you choose.
These are long-term averages from University of Hawaiʻi climate atlases (rainfall base period 1978–2007), not forecasts or guarantees for any property.
Lava-flow hazard zone
Most of this area is on Mauna Loa, which last erupted in 2022, and is mapped Zone 3. The northern edge is mapped Zone 4 (Hualālai). USGS rates hazard from Zone 1 (highest) to Zone 9 (lowest). Share of this area's land in each zone:
| USGS zone | Share of area | USGS description |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | 85% | Areas less hazardous than Zone 2 because they are farther from recently active vents and/or protected by topography |
| Zone 4 | 15% | All of Hualālai, where eruptions are less frequent than on Kīlauea and Mauna Loa |
Varies by parcel. Zone boundaries are approximate. USGS notes that hazard generally changes gradually rather than abruptly at a line, and lenders and insurers use the zone of the specific parcel. I look up the zone for every property and get insurance quotes before contingencies are removed.
Water: county system or catchment
The County's South Kona Water System draws on groundwater from the Keʻei wells and Halekiʻi Well (2025 report). Many rural properties here use rainwater catchment, so confirm the source and system condition for each parcel.
Public-system coverage is parcel-specific: some properties have a water meter, some are on a private or community system, and some rely on rainwater catchment or hauled water. We confirm the source for every property in due diligence, and your lender and inspector should too.
Getting to Kona International Airport (KOA)
From Kealakekua (Māmalahoa Hwy), the drive to KOA is about 17.1 miles, typically about 32 minutes in light traffic. Actual times vary with traffic, construction and where in the area you start.
Before you buy in Kealakekua & Captain Cook
- Confirm the parcel's lava zone and get homeowners-insurance quotes early
- Confirm the water source (meter, private system, catchment or hauled)
- Confirm the wastewater system: sewer, septic or cesspool (why it matters)
- Check tenure (fee simple or leasehold), and HOA rules and fees if any
- Check County zoning and registration rules before planning any short-term rental
See homes in Kealakekua & Captain Cook ↗
Sources & method · checked October 22, 2026
Area statistics were computed on October 22, 2026 inside the 2020 Census boundary named above: elevation from the USGS 30 m DEM (5th/50th/95th percentiles of land cells); rainfall and temperature by sampling the UH atlas grids over land in the boundary; lava-zone shares by intersecting the boundary with the USGS hazard-zone layer; the drive by routing from the named point to the KOA entrance. Census boundaries don't match neighborhood or MLS boundaries exactly.
- U.S. Census Bureau, TIGERweb 2020 Census Designated Places and County Subdivisions (boundaries used to define each area): tigerweb.geo.census.gov
- USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), 1 arc-second (~30 m) DEM and Elevation Point Query Service: usgs.gov
- Giambelluca et al. (2013), Rainfall Atlas of Hawaiʻi, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa: mean annual rainfall grid (1978–2007 base period): rainfall.geography.hawaii.edu
- Giambelluca et al. (2014), Climate of Hawaiʻi, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa: mean annual air temperature grid: climate.geography.hawaii.edu
- USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Lava-flow hazard zones, Island of Hawaiʻi: usgs.gov
- USGS Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-2193 (Wright et al., 1992), lava-flow hazard zones; GIS layer via Hawaiʻi Statewide GIS Program: pubs.usgs.gov
- Hawaiʻi Statewide GIS Program, Volcano Hazard Zones layer: geodata.hawaii.gov
- USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Mauna Loa: usgs.gov
- County of Hawaiʻi DWS, 2025 Water Quality Report: South Kona: hawaiidws.org
- Hawaiʻi Department of Health, Safe Drinking Water Branch (incl. rainwater catchment guidance): health.hawaii.gov
- Kona Community Hospital (Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation): kch.hhsc.org
- Drive estimates: OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap road data, to the Kona International Airport (KOA) entrance at Queen Kaʻahumanu Hwy: project-osrm.org