News for Nonprofits

New census estimates: Hawai‘i population growth slows

On March 20, the U.S. Census Bureau released new county-by county population estimates for 2008, including data from 2000 to 2007, too. According to the State Data Center, these are the highlights:

  • From 1990 to 2007, the state population grew 0.8 percent per year on average. In the first half of the 1990s, population grew at 1.5 percent annual rate, but fell to 0.2 percent during the second half of the 1990s. During the first half of 2000s, population growth rebounded to 0.9 percent annual rate. However, in 2007 population growth slowed to 0.4 percent.
  • Outmigration from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland contributed to the slower growth.  Between 2006 and 2007, 9,673 more people moved to the U.S. mainland than moved here, the highest number since 2000. Higher cost of living in Hawai‘i and falling housing prices on the mainland may have contributed.  
  • The population growth between April 1, 2000 and July 1, 2007 was mainly due to births exceeding deaths and international migration. The average number of births was 18,039 per year while deaths averaged. An average of 4,261 net in-migrants a year arrived from foreign countries. With 2,839 people per year, net, moving to the mainland, the result is a net gain of 1,422 people per year from migration.
  • Hawaii County experienced the greatest growth from 2006 to 2007, 2.1 percent, followed by Kauai, 1.4 percent, and Maui, 1.0 percent. Honolulu County lost 0.1 percent between 2006 and 2007.
  • During the 1990s, Maui County grew most rapidly, but since 2002 Hawai‘i County’s growth has led the state.
  • Big Island population growth was partly due to people moving from other islands in the state and from the U.S. mainland.  On average, 2,508 more people moved to the Big Island per year than from the island from 2000 to 2007. Oahu had a net out-migration of 5,479 people per year to the mainland and other neighbor islands, while 3,161 people moved to Oahu from foreign countries, leaving a net loss of 2,318 people a year.
  • Honolulu County’s share of the state population decreased by 4.7 percent from 75.3 percent in July 1990 to 70.6 percent in July 2007.  Meanwhile, Hawaii County gained 2.6 percentage points from 10.9 percent to 13.5 percent, Maui increased 2.0 percentage points from 9.1 percent to 11.1 percent, and Kauai County increased 0.3 percentage points from 4.6 percent to 4.9.