HI
Hawaii
Population 1,445,235
6 Sources
Updated September 10, 2026
1.4M
Population
334,922,499 U.S.
$100,389
Median Income
$80,734 national
$117.6B
GDP (current $), change real
2.8%
Unemployment
4.0% national
County Map
Click a county to view its economic profile
Demographics & Population
Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024 · 5-Year Estimates
Household Income
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Household
$100,389
Per Capita
$46,005
Mean Household
$131,053
Poverty Rate
10%
Age & Race / Ethnicity
Source: Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 · Table B01001, B02001, B03003
Cohorts
Under 18 · 20.7%
18-34 · 21.3%
35-54 · 25.1%
55-64 · 12.4%
65+ · 20.5%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnic category and overlaps with the race categories above.
Educational Attainment
Source: Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 · Table B15003 · Population 25+
93.2%
High School+
National: 89.6%
+3.6 pts
36.1%
Bachelor's+
National: 35.7%
+0.4 pts
13.3%
Graduate+
National: 14.1%
0.8 pts
Employment Overview
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
1,445,235
Population
701,694
Labor Force
Employed
667,178
Unemployment Rate BLS LAUS 2024 annual
2.8%
2025 is not shown for Hawaii: a state annual average needs all 12 months and the Bureau of Labor Statistics has published 11. County pages draw on the separate annual series and may show 2025.
Mean Commute
26.2 min
Work From Home vs 15.1% national
9.6%
Labor Force and Employed are ACS 5-Year survey estimates; the Unemployment Rate above comes from BLS LAUS, a separate monthly survey with its own methodology. The two won't reconcile by subtracting one from the other.
Hawaii's median household income sits 24% above the national median. At 10%, its poverty rate runs 2.5 pts below the ~12.5% national level, relevant for federal funding eligibility narratives. Bachelor's-or-higher attainment of 36.1% exceeds the national average of 35.7%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (released December 2025). Figures reflect the most recent Census release, older news reports may cite prior vintages.
Key Takeaways
- Income premium: Households earn well above the national median, supporting strong consumer markets statewide.
Economy & Industry
Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW · Bureau of Economic Analysis
$117.6B
Gross Domestic Product · 2024
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis · CAGDP2 Regional GDP
109.951
Cost of Living - Above Avg
Key Takeaways
- Largest private-sector industry: Accommodation and Food Services employs 106,431 workers (24.3% of the tracked sectors), at an average wage of $47,541. Every industry figure on this page is private sector; government employs a further 123,899 and is counted separately.
- Economic scale: State GDP of $117.6B (2024).
- Wage stratification: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services averages $107,193 while Retail Trade averages $45,565, a 2.4x spread in the same economy, with implications for workforce development and talent strategy.
Source: BLS QCEW + BEA Regional GDP (CAGDP2).
Industry Concentration
Location Quotient measures regional specialization vs. national average. LQ > 1.0 = concentrated.
Attraction Opportunities - Below-Average Industries
LQ < 0.5, below-average employment, screened against industrial power cost. Source: BLS QCEW · 3-digit NAICS sub-sector
0.05x
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
305 employed
Energy-intensive sector in a state where industrial electricity costs 3.65x the national average.
0.06x
Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing
235 employed
0.08x
Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing
228 employed
Energy-intensive sector in a state where industrial electricity costs 3.65x the national average.
0.09x
Wood Product Manufacturing
149 employed
Energy-intensive sector in a state where industrial electricity costs 3.65x the national average.
0.13x
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
862 employed
0.17x
Warehousing and Storage
1,298 employed
Screened on industrial power cost only; 2 further sub-sectors met the LQ test but conflict with it and are not listed.
Industrial electricity in Hawaii costs 31.46¢/kWh against 8.62¢/kWh nationally (2025).
Land area and freight access are not assessed at state level.
Source: EIA.
Key Takeaways
- Top specialization: Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation concentrates at 30.55x the national norm, top-decile concentration, the kind of signature sector that defines a region's economic identity.
- Cluster depth: 14 sub-sectors register LQ ≥ 1.5, suggesting an interconnected industrial base across the state.
- Attraction whitespace: 6 sub-sectors register LQ < 0.5 and clear the industrial power-cost screen, candidates for diversification or recruitment.
Source: BLS QCEW sub-sector Location Quotients.
Housing & Affordability
Census ACS · HUD Fair Market Rents FY2026
Housing Overview
Source: Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates · Tables B25001, B25077, B25064
$839,100
Median Home Value vs 2019
$1,971
Rent/Mo
63%
Owner-Occ
13.3%
Vacancy
8.4x
Home Value to Income Ratio - Stretched
vs. ~4.1x national average
HUD Fair Market Rents (Statewide)
Renter-household-weighted average across 5 Fair Market Rent areas · Source: HUD · Fair Market Rents FY2026 · Affordability threshold and renter cost burden from Census ACS B25119, B25070
Studio
$1,844/mo$1,592 to $1,896
1 Bedroom
$1,961/mo$1,603 to $2,016
2 Bedroom
$2,568/mo$2,076 to $2,642
3 Bedroom
$3,501/mo$2,622 to $3,674
4 Bedroom
$4,211/mo$3,024 to $4,432
30% of monthly median renter household income (~$1,784/mo, from a renter median of $71,363) · rents above this line are typically considered cost-burdened.
Measured: 52.1% of renter households already pay 30% or more of income on rent, and 26.3% pay 50% or more.
Key Takeaways
- Stretched market: Home value to income ratio of 8.4x is well above the ~4.1x national average; attainable workforce housing may be a recruitment friction.
- Elevated vacancy: 13.3% vacancy rate; potential redevelopment opportunity.
- Rent affordability gap: None of the 5 HUD Fair Market Rent bedroom sizes sit below what a household on the median renter income of $71,363 can pay without cost burden (~$1,784/mo), and 52.1% of renter households are already cost-burdened, 26.3% severely so.
Source: Census ACS housing tables.
Workforce Pipeline
Labor force readiness, commuting, and workforce composition
Labor Market Overview
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Tables B01001, B23025, B08303, B08301
851,074
Working Age (18-64) vs 2019
vs 2019
Mean Commute
26.2 min
Work From Home vs 15.1% national
9.6%
Education & Talent Pipeline
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Table B15003 · College Scorecard
Bachelor's+
36.1%
HS Diploma+
93.2%
6 Largest Institutions by Credentials Awarded
Degrees, certificates, and other credentials awarded last academic year (College Scorecard).
4,692/yr
1,193/yr
943/yr
799/yr
780/yr
772/yr
Aging Workforce
Source: Census Bureau ACS · Derived from age & employment tables
21.1%
55-64 of working-age population (18-64)
Same cohort is 12.4% of total population, the basis used in the Demographics cohort chart.
Elevated retirement risk, above the 20% threshold. Succession planning recommended.
Workforce by Occupation
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Table C24010 · Civilian employed population 16+
Management / Professional
39.3%
Service
21.9%
Sales & Office
21.2%
Construction / Maint.
8.8%
Production / Transport
8.8%
Bars are drawn on a 0% to 40% axis, so bar length is proportional to actual share. Labels give each group's share of 667,178 employed workers.
Key Takeaways
- Healthy participation: 65.5% of the population aged 18+ is in the labor force, reflecting a steady, available workforce statewide.
Source: ACS workforce data.
County Profiles
5 counties in Hawaii
AI Insights
Sample output. Pulse AI analysis draws on 6 federal data sources.
Sample AI Insight
Hawaii shows strong potential for scenic and sightseeing transportation attraction, with a 30.55x concentration and 3,606 jobs in this sub-sector.
Cluster depth across scenic and sightseeing transportation, water transportation, and accommodation creates supply-chain attraction leverage, a structural advantage for industrial recruitment.
Industry Shift Analysis
Manufacturing Automation Risk
High
Healthcare Growth Forecast
+4.2% CAGR
Remote Work Migration
67/100
Prospect Match Scores
Advanced Manufacturing
92/100
Life Sciences
84/100
Data Centers
71/100
Illustrative example
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Data Sources
Updated from official federal government data.
Census ACS 5-Year2024
BLS QCEW2025
BEA Regional GDP2024
Census CBP2024
HUD Fair Market RentsFY2026
USAspending.govFY2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Key economic and demographic figures for Hawaii, from federal data sources.
What is the population of Hawaii?
1,445,235 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates).
What is the median household income in Hawaii?
$100,389 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Hawaii?
2.8% (2024 annual average, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS).
What is the GDP of Hawaii?
$117.6B (BEA CAGDP2 (Regional)).
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