Honolulu County, Hawaii: commercial real estate data.
Honolulu County, Hawaii had an estimated 998,747 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 1,016,494, across 601 square miles. County output reached $87.07 bn in 2024, 20,890 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 648 7(a) approvals worth $154.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Honolulu County
How many people live in Honolulu County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20241,001,146
- Households338,868
- Average household size2.95
- Median household income$106,195
- Median age39.8
- Median gross rent$2,083 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$897,500
- Home value to household income8.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income23.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher38.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over708,001
- Population under 18206,028
- Share under 1820.6 percent
- Population 65 and over195,878
- Share 65 and over19.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64599,240
- Civilian labor force484,193
- Unemployment rate4.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over60.9 percent
- Rank by population among Hawaii counties1st of 5
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included48th of 3,222
Honolulu County is the 1st largest of 5 Hawaii counties by population. A median home costs 8.5 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.6 percent against 19.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Honolulu County
Is Honolulu County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024998,747
- Census 2020 base population1,016,494
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.75 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20244,171
- Births, 202410,608
- Deaths, 20248,305
- Natural change, 20242,303
- Net domestic migration, 2024-6,890
- Net international migration, 20248,846
- Total net migration, 20241,956
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-45,376
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2431st of 3,144
The county has lost 1.75 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Honolulu County
Where are people moving to Honolulu County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving20,356
- People arriving, from those returns39,313
- Tax returns filed by households leaving23,942
- Net household movement-3,586
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.68 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-71.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$82,445
- Average income of a leaving household$73,091
- Largest single originForeign - APO/FPO ZIPs (1,000 households)
- Largest single destinationClark County (1,336 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign - APO/FPO ZIPs | 1,000 | 2,511 | $85.0 m |
| San Diego County | 819 | 1,660 | $58.4 m |
| Los Angeles County | 715 | 1,113 | $77.3 m |
| Hawaii County | 469 | 738 | $32.9 m |
| Clark County | 465 | 788 | $25.8 m |
| Maui County | 418 | 635 | $23.4 m |
| King County | 398 | 662 | $47.6 m |
| Orange County | 289 | 516 | $26.2 m |
Households arriving report $9,354 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Foreign - APO/FPO ZIPs, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Honolulu County
What is the Honolulu County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$87.07 bn
- County GDP, 2023$82.56 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.5 percent
- GDP change over five years36.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Hawaii areas BEA publishes1st of 4
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes61st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$86,967
Output grew 5.5 percent in the latest year and 36.4 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Honolulu County
Employment by industry in Honolulu County
- Covered employment, annual average453,193
- Establishments reporting31,849
- Average annual pay$69,851
- Average weekly wage$1,343
- Accommodation and food services, employment63,590
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$42,145
- Health care and social assistance, employment56,169
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$76,763
- Retail trade, employment41,501
- Retail trade, average annual pay$44,589
- Construction, employment27,772
- Construction, average annual pay$95,804
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment25,813
- Transportation and warehousing, employment22,587
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 63,590 | 3,270 | $42,145 |
| Health care and social assistance | 56,169 | 4,034 | $76,763 |
| Retail trade | 41,501 | 2,875 | $44,589 |
| Construction | 27,772 | 2,602 | $95,804 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 25,813 | 2,116 | $51,512 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 22,587 | 725 | $83,123 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 21,856 | 4,582 | $103,501 |
| Other services, except public administration | 18,833 | 3,248 | $50,833 |
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 63,590 jobs, 14.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Honolulu County
How many businesses are in Honolulu County?
- Establishments, all industries20,890
- Employment at those establishments331,937
- Annual payroll$20.33 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.9
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Honolulu County
Building permits in Honolulu County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241,638
- Declared construction value permitted$529.8 m
- Single family units authorized706
- Multifamily units authorized932
- Multifamily share of units56.9 percent
- Average declared value per unit$323,444
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.8
Multifamily is 56.9 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Honolulu County
SBA loans in Honolulu County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded648
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$154.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$237,922
- Median 7(a) approval$50,000
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$525,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)5,895
- Jobs per approval9.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active49
- Distinct industries receiving approvals208
- Median 7(a) term60 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer2.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms19
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter616
- Franchise loans35
- Franchise share of approvals5.4 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (46)
- Most active lenderCentral Pacific Bank (361)
- 504 approvals recorded340
- 504 gross approval dollars$247.9 m
- Average 504 approval$729,088
- Median 504 approval$472,500
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval5.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved7.8
- Most active CDCHEDCO Local Development Corporation (328)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$402.1 m
The average approval of $237,922 sits well above the median of $50,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 2.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Honolulu County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Honolulu County
Do SBA loans in Honolulu County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded148
- Paid in full130
- Charged off18
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans12.2 percent
- Status: Paid in full130
- Status: Exempt from disclosure401
- Status: Cancelled72
- Status: Charged off18
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed27
Of the 148 loans that have reached a final outcome, 12.2 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Honolulu County
SBA lending by place in Honolulu County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending23
- Honolulu, approvals322
- Kapolei, approvals57
- Aiea, approvals44
- Waipahu, approvals40
- Ewa Beach, approvals34
- Kailua, approvals33
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | 322 | $90,082,800 |
| Kapolei | 57 | $14,652,600 |
| Aiea | 44 | $8,308,400 |
| Waipahu | 40 | $4,301,300 |
| Ewa Beach | 34 | $1,335,600 |
| Kailua | 33 | $4,905,000 |
| Kaneohe | 24 | $9,358,000 |
| Mililani Town | 18 | $1,022,900 |
| 15 other borrower cities | 76 | $20,206,700 |
Honolulu accounts for 322 approvals against 57 in Kapolei. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Honolulu County
How large is Honolulu County?
- Land area601 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Hawaii counties4th of 5
- Width, east to west40.4 mi
- Height, north to south31.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary0
- Residents per square mile of land1,666
- Establishments per square mile34.76
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Honolulu County
Flood risk in Honolulu County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book1
- Of those, participating in the NFIP1
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 8
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Honolulu County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The EPA places Honolulu County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 8, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Honolulu County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Honolulu County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20241,001,146
- Households338,868
- Average household size2.95
- Median household income$106,195
- Median age39.8
Common questions
Honolulu County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Honolulu County, Hawaii?
The Census Bureau estimates 998,747 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 1,001,146, in 338,868 households, ranking 1st of 5 Hawaii counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Honolulu County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.75 percent since the 2020 census base of 1,016,494, to 998,747 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 10,608 births against 8,305 deaths, with net migration of 1,956. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Honolulu County?
$106,195. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $897,500, which is 8.5 times income, and median gross rent is $2,083 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Honolulu County?
20,890 establishments, employing 331,937 people with an annual payroll of $20.33 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Honolulu County?
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 63,590 jobs, 14.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 453,193 jobs at an average annual pay of $69,851, or $1,343 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Honolulu County?
648 7(a) approvals totaling $154.2 m since FY2020, across 49 lenders, with a median approval of $50,000, plus 340 504 approvals worth $247.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Honolulu County get paid back?
Of the 148 loans that have reached a final outcome, 130 were paid in full and 18 charged off, a charge-off rate of 12.2 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Honolulu County?
1,638 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $529.8 m. Multifamily was 56.9 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Honolulu County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Honolulu County come from?
The largest single origin is Foreign - APO/FPO ZIPs, with 1,000 households. Arriving households report an average income of $82,445 against $73,091 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Honolulu County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Honolulu County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Honolulu County
Cities and places in Honolulu.
55 Census places lie wholly or partly in Honolulu County. All 55 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu | CDP | 345,482 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| East Honolulu | CDP | 51,360 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pearl City | CDP | 44,547 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Waipahu | CDP | 40,482 | 40 | Wholly in this county |
| Kailua | CDP | 39,640 | 33 | Wholly in this county |
| Kaneohe | CDP | 37,355 | 24 | Wholly in this county |
| Mililani Town | CDP | 27,668 | 18 | Wholly in this county |
| Ewa Gentry | CDP | 26,563 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kapolei | CDP | 22,232 | 57 | Wholly in this county |
| Mililani Mauka | CDP | 21,278 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Makakilo | CDP | 20,735 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wahiawa | CDP | 17,996 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Ocean Pointe | CDP | 17,085 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Schofield Barracks | CDP | 16,270 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Halawa | CDP | 14,385 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ewa Beach | CDP | 14,376 | 34 | Wholly in this county |
| Royal Kunia | CDP | 13,555 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Waimalu | CDP | 13,061 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Waianae | CDP | 12,918 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Nanakuli | CDP | 12,383 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Maili | CDP | 11,570 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kaneohe Base | CDP | 10,919 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Waipio | CDP | 10,870 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Makaha | CDP | 10,066 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hickam Housing | CDP | 9,425 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Aiea | CDP | 9,087 | 44 | Wholly in this county |
| Ahuimanu | CDP | 8,452 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| East Kapolei | CDP | 7,551 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Waikele | CDP | 7,528 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ewa Villages | CDP | 7,415 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Waimanalo | CDP | 6,054 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Laie | CDP | 5,699 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kahaluu | CDP | 5,619 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| West Loch Estate | CDP | 5,544 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Waipio Acres | CDP | 5,332 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Iroquois Point | CDP | 5,158 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Heeia | CDP | 5,144 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Haleiwa | CDP | 4,948 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Pupukea | CDP | 4,679 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Waimanalo Beach | CDP | 4,505 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Whitmore Village | CDP | 4,105 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hauula | CDP | 3,548 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Kalaeloa | CDP | 3,342 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Waialua | CDP | 3,050 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Helemano | CDP | 2,691 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kahuku | CDP | 2,375 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Wheeler AFB | CDP | 2,097 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Maunawili | CDP | 2,024 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ko Olina | CDP | 1,670 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mokuleia | CDP | 1,655 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kaaawa | CDP | 1,328 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Punaluu | CDP | 950 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Waiahole-Waikane | CDP | 829 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kawela Bay | CDP | 376 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Makaha Valley | CDP | 163 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 327 of the county's 648 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Honolulu County, the largest being Honolulu (322), Lihue (1), San Antonio (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby
Sharing a boundary with Honolulu.
No county-equivalent shares a land boundary with Honolulu County. Computed from shared land boundary. Geographies separated by water are not counted, so this understates the true neighbor set in this state.