Hawaii Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Hawaii has a total population of 1,445,235, making it a smaller state in the nation. The median age is 40.9 years, 5% higher than the national median of 38.9 years.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hawaii is 40.9 years. This is 5% higher than the national median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Hawaii is $100,389. This is 24% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.0%. This is 19% lower than the national poverty rate of 12.4%. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. This is 6% lower than the national rate of 5.2%. The median home value is $839,100. Housing costs are 152% higher than the national median of $332,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.4x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 63.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the national average of 65.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Hawaii is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 20.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (20.9%) is well below the national average of 57.4%. The Black or African American population (1.8%) is well below the national average of 11.9%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the national average (36.4% vs 5.9%).

Education

36.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 1% higher than the national rate of 35.7%. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Hawaii come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.