Hawaii has a variety of power sources and continues to shift more toward renewable energy, including geothermal, solar, and wind energy.

Power is another main industry in Hawaii, with Hawaii Electric Company or HECO, having a near monopoly on Oahu. What are other important industries in Hawaii? Manufacturing of mostly construction materials, such as cement and steel, comprises around 2% of Hawaii’s gross domestic product. Now about 85 to 90 percent of Hawaii’s food is imported, according to data from the State of Hawaii, causing groceries to be expensive in Hawaii and food security to be a real threat, especially if the islands were to experience a natural disaster. Sugarcane and pineapple plantations were an important historical industry in Hawaii, causing Hawaii to be one of the most productive agricultural states in the nation. However, they have declined over the years. The federal government supplies nearly 35,000 civilian jobs in Hawaii and tens of thousands more jobs for all the military members who call Hawaii home.Īgriculture and fishing once were significant industries in Hawaii. In both years, tourism generated over $95,045 million dollars in gross domestic product.Īfter tourism, the United States military also is a large part of the Hawaii economy, with military installations for the Air Force, Army, National Guard, Marines, and Coast Guard on Oahu. In the first quarter of 2019, there were 10,387,000 visitors to Hawaii, and in the first quarter of 2021, there were 6,637,000, according to data from the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. Although COVID-19 slowed travel, tourism in Hawaii is recovering. Tourism is the largest industry in Hawaii by far. If you plan on working remotely in Hawaii, you might wonder what people typically do for work in Hawaii? On the isolated Hawaiian Islands, there are only a few main industries which employ the majority of Hawaii’s residents. Also if more people with high paying jobs move to Hawaii to work remotely, this may gradually shift Hawaii’s economy in a more positive direction – especially since there currently are only a few limited industries in Hawaii. Mainland or international company salary might make the cost of paradise a viable option. However, working from home in Hawaii with a high paying U.S. In summary, Hawaii’s economy is not stellar, and the cost of living is high. Also included in the cost-of-living index is grocery, utilities, and transportation costs, of which Hawaii ranks near the highest in all categories. The housing index was 336.3, not surprising since the median sales prices of single-family homes on Oahu were nearing $1,000,000 as of May 2021. According to the Council for Community and Economic Research, Hawaii has by far the highest cost of living of all states in the United States.Īt of the beginning of 2021, Hawaii’s cost of living index was 196.3, which means that the cost of living in Hawaii is 96.3% higher than the U.S. Also the cost of living in Hawaii is among the highest in the United States, with high costs for food, gas, building materials, and housing. states low in terms of average retirement savings, being ranked number 45 out of 51 (including Puerto Rico), according to data from Daily Capitol as of April 2021.īeing the most isolated island chain in the world that has increasingly relied heavily on imports, the Hawaii economy is not the best. Hawaii also ranks low compared to other U.S. In basic terms, GDP is the value of the good and services produced minus the value of the good and services needed to produce them. Hawaii’s economy ranks near the bottom when compared to other states in the United States in a number of measures, including GDP and savings.Īt the end of 2020, Hawaii was ranked 38, with California being ranked first, in terms of gross domestic product or GDP, according to the U.S.

While Hawaii may have some of the best waves in the world, its economy is not as stellar. And if you do decide to make the move, our top tips for working remotely from Hawaii might help to ease your transition to paradise. And as the COVID-19 restrictions have subsided and technology has continued to change industries, some employers have continued the option of working from home.īut before you pack up your bags to work from home in Hawaii, study up on the Hawaii economy and Hawaii industries to contemplate whether Hawaii remote work is a viable option for you. At the height of the Coronavirus pandemic, it is estimated that over 70 percent of employees were working from home. With remote work on the rise, working from home in Hawaii is becoming more of a possibility for people with employers located around the world.

Working remotely from home