Hawaii Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Hawaii, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Hawaii. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Hawaii. The estimated population of Hawaii is 1,453,498 people, with a median age of 39.6.

We can look at the total population in Hawaii over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
1,453,498
+2.35%
+2.24%
2020
1,420,074
 -0.14% -
2019
1,422,094
 0% -
2018
1,422,029
+0.03%
-
2017
1,421,658
 - -

Population of Hawaii by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
21.3%
22.2%
 -4.05%
Black/African American
1.8%
1.7%
 +5.88%
Native
0.2%
0.1%
 +100.00%
Hispanic
10.9%
10.2%
 +6.86%
Asian
36.7%
37%
 -0.81%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
9.8%
9.2%
 +6.52%
Two Or More Races
18.9%
19.4%
 -2.58%
Other
0.2%
0.1%
 +100.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Hawaii by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 39.6 +0.51% 38.3 +1.06% 40.9 -0.24%
2020 39.4 +0.77% 37.9 +0.8% 41 +0.99%
2019 39.1 +0.51% 37.6 +0.53% 40.6 +0.5%
2018 38.9 +0.26% 37.4 +0.54% 40.4 0%
2017 38.8 - 37.2 - 40.4 -

The median age of Hawaii gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 90,280 +0.09% 85,745 -1.56% 90,341 84,406
10 to 19 83,868 +3.42% 78,239 +3.41% 86,654 80,868
20 to 29 110,724 -6.72% 93,196 -4.72% 103,454 88,869
30 to 39 96,583 +6.12% 93,241 +4.41% 102,604 97,401
40 to 49 89,334 +0.41% 86,739 +0.25% 89,638 86,906
50 to 59 92,021 -1.33% 94,810 -5.54% 90,728 89,633
60 to 69 83,159 +4.62% 85,671 +8.42% 87,041 93,106
70+ 68,012 +18.78% 90,036 +10.77% 81,712 100,137

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Hawaii is $88,005.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Hawaii.

  • Under 25
    $50,606.00
  • 25 to 44
    $89,827.00
  • 45 to 64
    $102,150.00
  • 65 and over
    $75,602.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Hawaii, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Hawaii, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Hawaii is currently $113,310.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

12.77% of households in Hawaii are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Hawaii against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    12.48%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    15.06%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    15.03%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    13.69%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    19.70%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    11.27%
  • $200,000 or more
    12.77%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Hawaii is $39,045.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Hawaii by the total population of Hawaii.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Hawaii, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Hawaii to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    13.25%
  • Bachelor's degree
    35.77%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    9.66%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    39.01%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.32%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Hawaii that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Hawaii over the age of 16 is 1,174,511.

Of those people, a total of 65.10% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Hawaii is 57.90%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 63,282 37.90% 17.10%
20 to 24 years 90,807 80.50% 9.40%
25 to 29 years 101,516 83.90% 5.90%
30 to 34 years 101,024 83.00% 4.70%
35 to 44 years 188,445 85.00% 5.00%
45 to 54 years 175,158 83.80% 3.50%
55 to 59 years 92,283 78.00% 4.10%
60 to 64 years 93,207 64.10% 3.70%
65 to 74 years 155,654 32.80% 3.80%
75 years and over 113,135 7.90% 3.40%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Hawaii. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 298,443 65.30% 5.60%
Black or African American 23,339 78.50% 12.20%
American Indian and Alaska Native 3,707 62.60% 3.40%
Asian 478,999 62.40% 3.50%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 115,541 62.10% 7.90%
Other 18,853 78.80% 6.70%
Two or more races 235,629 69.60% 6.00%
Hispanic or Latino 102,953 72.10% 6.90%
Not Hispanic or Latino 273,174 64.50% 5.50%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Hawaii as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Hawaii is 680,301, with median earnings of $43,423.00.

Women in Hawaii earning approximately 75.90% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 680,301 $43,423.00
Male 347,922 $50,535.00
Female 332,379 $38,348.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 67,881 $72,264.00
Business and Financial 30,432 $63,844.00
Computer and Mathematical 14,749 $77,842.00
Architecture and Engineering 11,592 $78,891.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 7,082 $64,878.00
Community and Social Service 11,479 $50,499.00
Legal 6,459 $78,750.00
Educational and Library 46,107 $47,996.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 15,525 $35,743.00
Healthcare Practitioners 38,022 $86,059.00
Healthcare Support 19,125 $31,312.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 14,769 $42,796.00
Law Enforcement 7,299 $81,019.00
Food Preparation and Serving 53,514 $24,028.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 36,390 $33,389.00
Personal Care and Service 21,777 $25,443.00
Sales 70,547 $34,081.00
Office and Administrative Support 82,395 $37,820.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 5,267 $22,796.00
Construction and Extraction 37,059 $53,416.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 20,355 $59,617.00
Production 16,953 $42,748.00
Transportation and Material Moving 25,385 $41,466.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 37,285 $80,511.00 30,596 $64,507.00
Business and Financial 13,022 $67,070.00 17,410 $61,459.00
Computer and Mathematical 11,110 $79,109.00 3,639 $70,888.00
Architecture and Engineering 9,646 $83,983.00 1,946 $62,581.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 3,796 $76,655.00 3,286 $53,735.00
Community and Social Service 3,890 $45,941.00 7,589 $51,519.00
Legal 3,117 $107,095.00 3,342 $56,474.00
Educational and Library 12,768 $58,336.00 33,339 $43,257.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 8,910 $41,060.00 6,615 $30,000.00
Healthcare Practitioners 12,231 $99,916.00 25,791 $79,702.00
Healthcare Support 2,613 $36,272.00 16,512 $31,006.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 12,337 $44,710.00 2,432 $29,950.00
Law Enforcement 6,080 $80,861.00 1,219 $81,505.00
Food Preparation and Serving 27,985 $28,523.00 25,529 $20,472.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 21,727 $35,534.00 14,663 $30,390.00
Personal Care and Service 8,336 $30,630.00 13,441 $22,181.00
Sales 28,405 $46,128.00 42,142 $27,565.00
Office and Administrative Support 19,927 $42,579.00 62,468 $37,009.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 3,575 $23,561.00 1,692 $20,546.00
Construction and Extraction 35,949 $53,633.00 1,110 $41,136.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 19,354 $59,910.00 1,001 $55,272.00
Production 11,251 $51,034.00 5,702 $29,025.00
Transportation and Material Moving 20,063 $41,535.00 5,322 $41,341.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 478,413 households in Hawaii, with an average household size of 2.95 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 330,912 families in Hawaii with an average family size of 3.51 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 244,142 27,420 59,350 147,501
Average Household Size 3.63 3.77 3.85 1.31
Total Families 244,142 27,420 59,350 0
Average Household Size 3.52 3.35 3.53 0

Poverty

Of the 330,912 families in Hawaii, 6.50% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Hawaii:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 556,937 housing units in Hawaii.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 478,413 85.90%
Vacant 78,524 14.10%

31.44% of the total 556,937 housing units in Hawaii are rental units. This is approximately 175,076 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 291,814 are occupied by the owner - or 52.40% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Hawaii is $1,755.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Hawaii that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    11,523
  • Less than $500
    9,827
  • $500 to $999
    18,806
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    39,891
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    37,340
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    25,109
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    18,514
  • $3,000 or more
    25,589

Property Value

The median value of a property in Hawaii is $662,100.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Hawaii that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    2,882
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    3,554
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    4,123
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    5,076
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    17,545
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    60,276
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    144,742
  • $1,000,000 or more
    53,616

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Hawaii. The chart below shows the number of properties in Hawaii that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    18,491
  • 1940 to 1949
    18,921
  • 1950 to 1959
    46,215
  • 1960 to 1969
    78,991
  • 1970 to 1979
    130,651
  • 1980 to 1989
    83,644
  • 1990 to 1999
    75,959
  • 2000 to 2009
    68,940
  • 2010 to 2013
    34,764
  • 2014 or later
    361

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Hawaii that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    37,988
  • 1 vehicle available
    157,200
  • 2 vehicles available
    170,420
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    112,805

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Hawaii get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Hawaii that commute to work in a particular way.

26.8 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Hawaii.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    14,344
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    61,642
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    87,980
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    96,518
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    91,990
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    34,819
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    111,458
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    16,318
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    25,587
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    58,220
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    42,559
  • 90 or more minutes
    16,916

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Hawaii in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Counties in Hawaii

We have data for 5 counties in Hawaii. Click on a county below to see more information about the demographics of that county, with links to cities and towns within that county.

Zip Codes in Hawaii

If you want to find out more about the population and demographics of specific zip codes in Hawaii, click on the links below.