DBEDT Releases 2025 State of Hawaii Data Book

The Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism released the 2025 State of Hawaii Data Book on Sept. 30, 2026, marking the 58th edition of the comprehensive statistical resource. The newly published reference covers 24 sections and 832 data tables, detailing population shifts, housing costs, employment figures, energy consumption, and tourism trends across the islands.

Population Aging and Slowest Growth Rate Nationwide

Hawaii’s resident population stood at 1,432,820 as of July 1, 2025, reflecting a 1.5% decline since April 1, 2020, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates cited in the data book. The state recorded the lowest rate of population change among all 50 states and Washington, D.C., during the period.

The median age across the state reached 42.1 years in 2025, marking an increase of 1.5 years from the 2020 median of 40.6. Demographic breakdowns show clear county-level variations. Hawaii County recorded the oldest median age at 44.9 years, while Honolulu County registered the youngest at 40.9 years.

Million-Dollar Home Resales and Household Debt Pressures

Housing costs climbed further in 2025 as statewide median Multiple Listing Service resale prices for single-family homes crossed the million-dollar threshold to hit $1,010,000. Condominium prices moved in the opposite direction, dropping 3.8% to a median of $539,000.

Financial burdens for residents remained high alongside property values. Hawaii’s per capita household debt hit $83,480 in 2025, running 32.1% higher than the U.S. average of $63,200. DBEDT figures show this gap is driven primarily by mortgage and credit card debt, which exceeded national averages by 44.0% and 20.0%, respectively. Auto loans and student loans bucked this trend, both tracking about 30% below national averages.

Tax Collection Growth and Business Climate Rankings

State economic indicators presented a mixed picture over the tracking period. Federal tax collections in Hawaii rose 9.5% to $12.5 billion in 2025, supported by a 10.1% increase in individual income and employment taxes and a 67.5% surge in estate tax collections. Those gains offset a 12.2% drop in business income taxes.

Business competitiveness rankings placed Hawaii near the bottom nationally. CNBC’s 2026 Top States for Business report ranked Hawaii 50th overall, slipping one spot from 49th in 2025. While the state’s economic score climbed to 24th place, its cost of doing business and infrastructure metrics both ranked 50th. Quality of life remained a primary strength, holding steady at 6th place.

Tourism metrics showed stabilization in lodging alongside steep declines in duty-free retail. Hawaii’s average daily hotel room rate ticked up $2.74 to reach $366.66 in 2025, while statewide occupancy rose marginally from 73.4% to 73.9%. Meanwhile, duty-free store revenues fell 21.1% to $13.1 million for the contract year ending in 2025. That figure remains far below the 2019 pre-pandemic peak of $105.5 million, a drop that preceded DFS announcing its permanent closure after 63 years in the islands.

Energy Reliance and Digital-First Data Access

Energy consumption patterns remained essentially flat. Total energy consumption in 2024 rounded to 271.8 trillion British thermal units, virtually unchanged from 2023. Petroleum stayed the dominant energy source, accounting for 94% of all energy consumed in the state. Residential sales accounted for 28.7% of electricity sold in 2025, with average utility rates dropping 5.3% for residential customers to 41.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, and 6.9% for other-use consumers to 33.8 cents per kilowatt-hour.

The release of the 2025 data book brings a significant operational change for public access. DBEDT redesigned all 832 tables to meet American Disabilities Association standards and made Excel files the exclusive format for downloads.

The Data Book helps researchers, businesses, government agencies and local organizations understand Hawaii through reliable, accessible data.

DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka

The complete 58th edition is available online through the DBEDT Economic Planning Information Program website.