New census data shows Hawaii’s demographic uniqueness
The U.S. Census Bureau released data from its one-year American Community Survey for 2009 on Sept. 28. This newest statistical data paints a picture of how and why the 50th state stands out as unique compared to 49 others and the District of Columbia. Click here to view the data on the DBEDT website.
Eugene Tian of the Hawaii Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism has analyzed the data and, looking at the population characteristics and compared with other states in the nation, he has identified these trends:
- More Asians: Hawaii ranked No. 1 in terms of percentage of Asian population. 37.1 percent of Hawaii’s population selected only one racial group and said that they were “Asians only” in 2009 versus 4.5 percent for the nation as a whole. Our state also ranked the highest for percent of people born in Asia.
- More Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders: Hawaii also had the largest percentage of Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders in the nation: 8.8 percent for Hawaii versus 0.1 percent for the nation in 2009.
- More mixed population: Hawaii ranked No. 1 also in the percentage of mixed ethnic population at 23.6 percent compared with 2.4 percent for the nation.
- Higher household size: The average household size of 2.82 persons placed Hawaii 6th highest in the nation.
- More households with elderly persons: The percentage of households with one or more people 65 years and over was 28.6 and our state ranked No. 2 in the nation. Not surprisingly, we also ranked high in the nation, No. 4, for percent of households with retirement income. The percentage of our households receiving retirement income was 21.4.
- More multigenerational households: Our state ranked the highest in the U.S. for percent of households that are multigenerational at 7.7 percent.
- Fewer grandparents responsible for their grandchildren: Hawaii is ranked the lowest at No. 51, for the percentage of grandparents living with grandchildren who are responsible for their grandchildren.
- Higher use of public transportation or car pool: Hawaii ranked No. 1 in percentage of workers using a carpool to go to work with 14.0 percent of our population in this category. Hawaii ranked No. 7 in the nation for proportion of population who travel to work by public transportation with 6.0 percent of workers using this type of transportation.
- More people work in the service sector: Hawaii ranked No. 2 in the nation in percentage of workers working in the service occupations with 23.0 percent of workers in this category.
- Higher value of real property: Hawaii’s median housing value was $517,600 in 2009, ranking the highest in the nation, with Washington, D.C. second at $443,700. The national median housing value in 2009 was $185,200.
- Lower home ownership: Hawaii’s home ownership of 56.7 percent in 2009 was among the bottom four states and the District of Columbia. Washington D.C. had the lowest home ownership at 44.8 percent. New York State was second lowest at 55.0 percent; California was the third at 56.6 percent.
- Higher cost of living: Hawaii’s median rent of $1,293 in 2009 placed Hawaii at No. 1 in the nation. The U.S. median rent was $842 per month. Hawaii homeowner’s monthly housing cost of $2,282 in 2009 was the third highest in the nation. Our state also ranked high for proportion of income spent on housing. The percentage of mortgaged owners spending 30 percent or more of household income on selected monthly owner costs was second highest in the nation. Hawaii was ranked No. 3 in the percentage of renter-occupied units spending 30 percent or more of household income on rent and utilities.
- More people per room: The U.S. averaged 3.2 percent of occupied housing units with 1.01 or more occupants per room. Hawaii ranked No. 1 with 8.5 percent of housing units with more than one person per room.
- Higher health insurance coverage: 7 percent of Hawaii residents didn’t have health insurance coverage in 2009. In another words, 93 percent of Hawaii residents were covered by health insurance, which ranked Hawaii No. 2 in the nation. 97.5% of Hawaii’s children were covered, which ranked the state at No. 2 in 2009.
Between 2000 and 2004, Hawaii ACS data were available only for the State of Hawaii and the City and County of Honolulu. Starting in 2005, Hawaii County and Maui County (excluding Kalawao County) were included.
Census Bureau releases 1-year data only for areas with population sizes of 65,000 and above due to sample size issues. With an estimated population of 64,529 in 2009, Kauai County is not included in the results of the one-year ACS survey. Kauai County information is included in the five-year and three-year ACS data which will be released in December 2010 and January 2011, respectively.
