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Hawaii

Hawaii

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Demographics

DiverseSimpson's Diversity Index: 81
Population1,445,635
Foreign Born7.1%
Population Density225people per mi²
Median Age40.6 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
GrowingSince 2000, this state's population has grown with relatively minor shifts in racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
C
Average

A livable area that tracks near national norms for affordability, walkability, and neighborhood health.

Quality of Life measures an area by evaluating factors like cost of living, nearby amenities, country club access, airport proximity, socioeconomic signals and neighborhood character. For large states, this is a general average — quality of life can vary dramatically between metro areas, suburbs, and rural communities within the same state.

Cost of Living

215/100

115% above national average

D
Affordability Ratio

58%

The Real Cost of Living in Hawaii

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $31k$58k
Comfortable $116k$171k
Luxury $170k+$264k+
Elite (Top 5%) $200k+$310k+

Economics

Overall Economy Grade
B
Good

Solid upper-middle-class performance. The area runs slightly ahead of national economic benchmarks.

Median HHI
$98k+3.7%
31% above US avg
Avg Net Worth
$1.2M
89% above US avg
WFH
8.8%
38% below US avg
Homeownership
62.6%
4% below US avg
Median Home
$808k
187% above US avg
Avg HH Debt
$40k
123% above US avg
Poverty Rate
10.0%
13% below US avg
Public Assistance
12.9%
10% above US avg
Unemployment
4.7%
27% above US avg
Median Rent
$2k
67% above US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
B
Safe

Generally safer than 64% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
17.9
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−33.2%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−25.8%
Homicide
0.01 / 1k Residents81% below US avg
Robbery
0.37 / 1k Residents44% below US avg
Aggravated Assault
1.27 / 1k Residents52% below US avg

Property Crime

5yr−40.6%
Burglary
2.07 / 1k Residents23% below US avg
Larceny-Theft
10.84 / 1k Residents23% below US avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
2.76 / 1k Residents2% below US avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: D+13Solidly Liberal
State Legislature of Hawaii
Hawaii Senate22D · 3R
Hawaii House41D · 10R
Presidential Voting Trends for Hawaii
Dem Rep
20%30%40%50%60%70%80%2000200420082012201620202024

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
C-
Moderate

Moderate friction. Expect trade-offs in some aspect of personal liberty and independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
F
Poor14.1% of income
Property Rights
F
PoorIJ Grade F
Firearm Rights
F
PoorFPC Grade F
Homeschooling
C+
WeakModerate regulation

Energy independence: Importer (2% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
D-
RestrictedLimited
Gambling Laws
F
ProhibitedCasinos · Poker · Betting
Marijuana Laws
A-
Broadly LegalMedical + Decrim.

Homesteading

Growing Season365 daysstatewide average
Annual Rainfall16.8"statewide average
Elevation0 ftstatewide average

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
B+
Defensible

Workable tactical position. Some exposure to population density or targets, but generally defensible in a crisis.

Best Places to Live

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-18T22:21:50.000Z

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