Overview
Honolulu County is home to 1,003,666 residents (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), making it the largest municipality in Hawaii and one of the most populous in the nation, ranking higher than 98% of U.S. counties. The municipality encompasses the island of Oahu, including the state capital.
Median household income sits at $104,264 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), placing Honolulu above 96% of U.S. counties. That income buys less than it would on the mainland. Median home values hit $873,000 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), higher than 99% of counties nationwide, and median gross rent runs $2,054 per month (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), also in the 99th tier nationally.
The unemployment rate is 2.1% (BLS LAUS, 2025), lower than 98% of U.S. counties. Poverty sits at 8.8% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), well below the national median. Honolulu's population skews younger than most of Hawaii, with a median age of 39.4 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023).
Demographics
At 39.4 years, the median age is younger than the state's other municipalities (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). It ranks around the 30th tier nationally, meaning roughly 70% of U.S. counties have older populations.
Honolulu is majority Asian. 42.0% of residents identify as Asian (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), the highest share of any large municipality in the country, ranking above virtually all U.S. counties. White residents make up 17.4%, Hispanic residents 9.3%, Black residents 2.3%, and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander residents 0.1% (all Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). That Native Hawaiian figure likely reflects Census categorization differences, as many residents identify with multiple racial groups.
Educational attainment is strong. 37.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), placing Honolulu above 90% of U.S. counties. The municipality's large military presence, university system, and professional economy all contribute to that figure.
Education
Per-pupil spending in Honolulu's public schools is $17,656 (Education Data Portal, 2020), about 18% above the national average of roughly $15,000. The student-teacher ratio is 14.4 to 1 (Education Data Portal, 2021), slightly better than the national average of 15.5 to 1.
Total enrollment stands at 176,441 students (Education Data Portal, 2021), one of the largest enrollments of any municipality in the country, ranking above 99% nationally.
The graduation rate is 83.8% (Education Data Portal, 2019), which falls below the national average of about 87%. That gap is worth watching. Hawaii operates a single statewide school district, so local dynamics in Honolulu don't fully explain this number, but it puts the municipality below roughly 70% of counties on this measure.
Economy & Employment
The labor force totals 479,138 workers, with 468,964 employed and 10,174 unemployed (BLS LAUS, 2025). The 2.1% unemployment rate is among the lowest in the nation, lower than 98% of U.S. counties.
Median household income of $104,264 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) is high in absolute terms, above 96% of counties nationally. Per capita income runs $46,361 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), above 91% of U.S. counties. Average adjusted gross income from IRS data is $82,964 per return (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021), with total AGI across all filers reaching $39.7 billion.
The poverty rate of 8.8% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) is lower than about 82% of U.S. counties. But raw poverty thresholds don't account for Honolulu's cost of living. The federal poverty line was designed for mainland expenses. A family earning above that threshold in Honolulu can still face real affordability pressure given housing costs.
Mean commute time is 24.8 minutes (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), placing Honolulu around the 70th tier nationally. For an island municipality with significant traffic congestion on limited highway corridors, that figure reflects geographic constraints more than infrastructure quality.
Housing & Cost of Living
Median home value of $873,000 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) ranks higher than 99% of U.S. counties. Median gross rent of $2,054 per month (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) also ranks above 99% of counties. These aren't outliers in a broader range. They're the baseline cost of living on Oahu.
Total housing units number 372,329, with 35,268 vacant, producing a vacancy rate of 9.5% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). That vacancy rate ranks in the bottom quartile nationally, meaning most U.S. counties have higher vacancy. Some of those vacant units are seasonal or held for occasional use, common in a tourism-heavy market.
Fair market rent data by bedroom count is not available for Honolulu County in the current dataset (HUD Fair Market Rents, 2026).
A household earning the median income of $104,264 would spend roughly 24% of gross income on median rent alone. By the standard 30% affordability threshold, that leaves a narrow margin, and it assumes median earners can find units at median rent. Lower-income households face a tighter squeeze.
Health & Wellness
Honolulu's health indicators stand out from national patterns. The obesity rate is 26.0% (CDC PLACES, 2023), lower than 98% of U.S. counties. Depression rates run at 15.9% (CDC PLACES, 2023), lower than 99% of counties. Poor mental health days affect 15.3% of residents (CDC PLACES, 2023), also among the lowest nationally. Poor physical health days are reported by 11.0% (CDC PLACES, 2023), better than 95% of counties.
The uninsured rate is 5.3% (CDC PLACES, 2023), among the lowest in the nation. Hawaii's employer mandate, which requires companies to provide health insurance to employees working 20 or more hours per week, has been in place since 1974.
High blood pressure affects 27.9% of adults, and diabetes prevalence is 10.5% (both CDC PLACES, 2023). These sit closer to national medians. Annual checkup rates are 76.2%, and cholesterol screening is at 80.7% (CDC PLACES, 2023), indicating steady preventive care engagement.
Climate & Natural Disasters
Honolulu County's average temperature of 75.9°F (NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025) ranks higher than 99% of U.S. counties. The lows are the real standout: at 69.6°F on average (NOAA, 2025), the county has the highest overnight temperatures in the country. Highs average 82.1°F (NOAA, 2025). The weather doesn't swing much.
Annual rainfall is 44.7 inches (NOAA, 2025), above 68% of U.S. counties. That's moderate by tropical standards, though rainfall varies sharply between the island's windward and leeward sides.
The federal disaster record is more varied than the mild climate suggests. FEMA has logged 22 declarations since 1974 (FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026), above 57% of U.S. counties in frequency. The hazard mix spans floods, hurricanes, wildfires, severe storms, tsunamis, earthquakes, and a typhoon. No single threat dominates.
Floods account for five declarations, the most of any category. Hurricanes appear four times, including back-to-back emergency declarations in the summer of 2018 during an active Pacific season. The 2011 tsunami declaration followed Japan's Tohoku earthquake. A 2006 earthquake triggered its own major disaster declaration.
The most recent event was a wildfire in August 2025 (FEMA, 2025). Fire has become more prominent in recent years, consistent with drying trends across the Hawaiian Islands.
With declarations spread across nearly five decades and hazard types ranging from geologic to atmospheric, Honolulu's risk profile is genuinely broad. The pleasant baseline temperature doesn't shorten that list.
Financial Profile
IRS data shows 478,830 tax returns filed from Honolulu, with total income of $40.1 billion and average income of $83,755 per return (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021). Average AGI is $82,964. Both figures rank above 86% of U.S. counties.
Banking access is extensive. The FDIC counts 219 bank branches holding $59.6 billion in total deposits (FDIC Summary of Deposits, 2023). That deposit total ranks above 99% of counties, reflecting both the population size and Honolulu's role as the financial center of the Pacific.
Social Security beneficiaries total 196,245 (SSA OASDI, 2024), ranking above 99% of counties. With 1,003,666 residents, roughly one in five residents receives OASDI benefits, consistent with the national ratio for areas with moderate median ages.
Key Comparisons
Honolulu's profile is defined by extremes. Incomes rank near the top nationally, but housing costs rank even higher. The municipality's median home value is more than 8 times the median household income, one of the most stretched ratios in the country.
Within Hawaii, Honolulu leads in population, income, and labor force size but carries the lowest vacancy rate and the youngest median age among the state's municipalities. Its unemployment rate is the lowest in the state.
Health outcomes are notably strong compared to the national picture. Obesity, depression, poor mental health, and uninsured rates all fall in the bottom 5% nationally, meaning residents report fewer of these conditions than 95% or more of U.S. counties.
The graduation rate of 83.8% is one area where Honolulu trails, falling below the national average. Given Hawaii's unique single-district school system, this may reflect statewide policy dynamics more than local factors.
The 2.1% unemployment rate paired with $104,264 median household income suggests a tight labor market. But the $873,000 median home value means homeownership requires either dual high incomes, generational wealth, or military housing benefits.
Data Sources
- Census ACS 5-Year, 2023: Population, income, housing, demographics, education attainment, commute times, poverty rate
- BLS LAUS, 2025: Unemployment rate, labor force, employment counts
- CDC PLACES, 2023: Health metrics including obesity, diabetes, mental health, insurance coverage, preventive care
- HUD Fair Market Rents, 2026: Data not available for Honolulu County
- FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026: Disaster declarations and history
- IRS Statistics of Income, 2021: Tax returns, adjusted gross income, total income
- FDIC Summary of Deposits, 2023: Bank branch counts and total deposits
- NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025: Temperature and precipitation averages
- SSA OASDI, 2024: Social Security beneficiary counts
- USDA Census of Agriculture, 2022: Data not available for Honolulu County
- Education Data Portal, 2021: Per-pupil spending, enrollment, student-teacher ratio, graduation rate