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Honolulu County, HI: population growth, jobs and income

Honolulu County lost 1,439 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.1%).

Honolulu County had an estimated 988,703 residents in 2025, down 2.3% (23,631 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Hawaii as a whole (−1.3%), and the 3rd fastest growth of 4 counties in Hawaii.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Honolulu County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Honolulu County, ranked against Hawaii and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$2,083/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes9.5%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months1,6352025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 6,682 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 331,937 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −10.1% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 2.3% in 2025, 0.1 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 1,446 new homes in 2025, or 1.5 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $106,195 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +21.1% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,543rd.

Part of the Urban Honolulu, HI metro area.

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Honolulu County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
2025988,703−1,439
2024990,142+444
2023989,698−4,100
2022993,798−10,440
20211,004,238−8,096
20201,012,334–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Honolulu County

Honolulu County lost 23,631 people since 2020; the biggest drag was domestic migration (−51,549).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths+1,864+10,309
International migrationfrom and to other countries+3,431+17,579
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−6,682−51,549
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−52+30
Total change−1,439−23,631

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn HawaiiAmong U.S. counties
Population growth3rd of 42,543rd of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents3rd of 42,709th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth4th of 42,816th of 3,092
Median household income1st of 4118th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate2nd of 473rd of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents4th of 41,824th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Honolulu County, HI as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Hawaii County and Maui County reports too, $149 for all 3.

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Nearby counties

Over 2020–25, Honolulu County's population change (−2.3%) was ahead of 1 of its 3 nearby counties with a comparable figure and behind 2 (Kauai County and Hawaii County).

Its median household income ($106,195, 2020–24) is higher than in all 4 of its nearby counties.

Honolulu County, HI and its 4 nearby counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Honolulu County, HI This county988,703−2.3%−6.81.5$106,195
Kalawao County, HI82–––$73,750
Kauai County, HI73,400+0.3%−3.51.8$97,668
Maui County, HI160,592−2.5%−13.95.6$97,161
Hawaii County, HI210,043+4.6%1.45.9$78,639

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 5 Hawaii counties · Every state

Questions

Is Honolulu County growing?

No. Its population fell 2.3% between 2020 and 2025, about 23,631 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Hawaii as a whole changed −1.3% over the same years. That ranks 3rd of 4 counties in Hawaii for population growth.

How many people moved to Honolulu County?

On net, none in 2025: about 6,682 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Honolulu County?

It averaged 2.3% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Honolulu County?

About 988,703 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Honolulu County?

Private employers there had 331,937 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −10.1% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Hawaii

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Hawaii county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Honolulu County data alerts

Email me when Honolulu County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Honolulu County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.