Hawaii Living Report — October 09, 2026

The Pacific archipelago that has long served as a postcard for paradise is home to roughly 1.45 million residents, but the reality of living in Hawaii often diverges sharply from the fantasy. For anyone considering relocation, the numbers paint a complex picture of opportunity and strain. The state’s median household income sits at a relatively robust $94,814 annually, yet that figure is matched by some of the highest costs of living in the nation. Hawaii’s median home value has climbed to $764,800, and the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment now runs $1,868 per month—figures that put upward pressure on nearly every household budget.

The housing market is the most immediate hurdle. Finklick, a real estate data platform, tracks 91 distinct cities across the islands, and while prices vary from rural Oahu to the Big Island’s less developed districts, the overall trend is steep. A one-bedroom at $1,868 consumes roughly 23.6 percent of the median monthly household income of about $7,901—just under the widely cited 30 percent affordability threshold, but a more precarious calculation for the many households earning below that median. With home values nearly eight times the median income, homeownership remains out of reach for a significant portion of the population, a factor that contributes to the state’s 9.4 percent poverty rate despite its high income floor.

The job market, however, provides some counterbalance. As of August 2026, Hawaii’s unemployment rate stands at an enviable

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Browse utility costs, housing data, Census demographics, and climate data for all 91 tracked cities in Hawaii.

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Data: US Census Bureau ACS 2022, BLS. Updated October 09, 2026.

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