Labor Market Pulse

HI NONMETROPOLITAN AREA Edition

Focus: HR

Hawaii's nonmetro wages lag even as labor stays tight.

2.5%

Hawaii statewide unemployment

Down from 2.7% in August 2026

$1,190

Hawaii County avg weekly wage

Lowest of all Hawaii counties, Q1 2026

51st

Hawaii wage growth rank

Among all states, BLS Q1 2026

6.0%

Hospitality growth outlook, HI

Down from prior 11.3% projection through 2034

This Month's Takeaways

01

Nonmetro wages are falling further behind the rest of Hawaii.

Hawaii County's $1,190 average weekly wage trails Maui's $1,250 and Kauai's $1,220, and statewide wage growth ranks 51st among states. Compensation strategies built on metro Honolulu comparisons risk understating retention risk in nonmetro roles.

02

Hospitality's growth outlook just got cut nearly in half.

Accommodation and food services growth projections dropped from 11.3% to 6.0% through 2034, reflecting a softer international visitor recovery. Recruiters should treat hospitality sourcing as a longer-term rebuild, not a seasonal dip.

03

Healthcare is the one bright spot — and the scarcest talent pool.

Healthcare and social assistance is projected to grow 11.2% through 2034, well above the 8.4% national rate, while Hawaii County healthcare jobs already grew 3.7% in Q1. Current conditions suggest prioritizing benefits design and career-path clarity over base pay alone to compete for this shrinking labor pool.

04

The minimum wage glide path is quietly compressing pay bands.

January's increase to $16/hour, with $18/hour set for 2028, is squeezing the gap between entry-level and experienced-tier pay in low-wage-dominant nonmetro labor markets. Payroll audits scheduled now may avoid compliance exposure tied to Act 115's new $500 civil penalty minimum for wage/hour violations.

Local Labor Conditions

Hawaii's statewide unemployment rate eased to 2.5% in September from 2.7% in August, but nonmetro counties like Hawaii County continue to lag the state on wages, posting the lowest average weekly pay ($1,190) of any county even as healthcare and retail drive modest job gains. Softer international visitor recovery is compressing hospitality hiring plans island-wide, while light construction and healthcare remain the only sectors adding headcount at any real pace.

Leadership & Talent Implications

Tight labor supply paired with weak wage growth creates a bind for nonmetro employers: workers have few alternatives locally, but statewide wage growth ranking 51st among states means retention can't rely on pay momentum alone. HR leaders in Hawaii County should expect continued difficulty filling hospitality and tourism-adjacent roles as that sector's growth outlook softens, while healthcare roles face the opposite problem — high demand against a shallow talent pool. Consider reviewing total rewards packages for healthcare and construction roles now, before the 2028 minimum wage step to $18/hour compresses pay bands further from the bottom up.

Advertised Pay Indicators

Role	P25	Median	P75	Local Trend	National	Nat. Trend
Compensation Analyst	$56,029	$59,532	$74,481	↓ Moderate decline	$101,727	→ Stable
HR Business Partner	$60,000	$81,000	$92,500	↑ Significant increase	$83,766	↑ Significant increase
Benefits Manager	$85,005	$129,162	$131,028	↑ Significant increase	$117,888	↑ Moderate increase
HRIS Analyst	—	—	—	— No data	$97,555	↑ Moderate increase
HR Coordinator	$43,502	$47,840	$52,998	↓ Moderate decline	$50,000	↑ Moderate increase
Recruiter	$54,576	$60,892	$67,579	↑ Significant increase	$68,167	↑ Moderate increase
Payroll Specialist	$55,080	$64,428	$66,324	→ Stable	$59,855	↑ Moderate increase

Some roles reflect state-level data where local metro sample size was insufficient.

Looking Ahead · Next 30–60 Days

Worth watching

September's statewide unemployment dip to 2.5% followed a rise to 2.7% in August that marked the highest jobless count since 2024 — watch whether nonmetro counties mirror this volatility or continue lagging the statewide recovery.

Emerging pressure point

Private building permit values fell 34% statewide through the first seven months of 2026, even as construction payrolls grew 3.3%. A pipeline slowdown could flip Hawaii County's construction hiring gains into contraction within two quarters.

Expected

Hawaii County is forecast to post a net job decline for 2026, driven by lagging tourism-sector recoveries. Workforce plans built around 2025 hospitality staffing levels should be stress-tested against this downgrade.

Potential inflection point

TDI contribution caps and benefit maximums rose in 2026, adding incremental payroll cost pressure ahead of the 2028 minimum wage step. Benefits budgeting cycles for 2027 should model both changes together, not in isolation.

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