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Hawaiʻi’s migration patterns reveal a more balanced picture than what common narratives suggest, according to a new blog by University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization (UHERO) Assistant Professor JoonYup Park.
While domestic out-migration, particularly among young adults, continues, international migration and the return of working-age individuals have played an important role in stabilizing the population. Recently, Hawaiʻi-born individuals have also contributed to this in-migration trend.
“Understanding these patterns is essential for developing informed housing, labor and economic policies,” Park said.
Overall migration pattern
2023 migration pattern: 58,000 moved out of Hawaiʻi and 72,000 moved to Hawaiʻi
2023 migration pattern: 58,000 moved out of Hawaiʻi and 72,000 moved to Hawaiʻi
In 2023, about 72,000 individuals moved to Hawaiʻi. Of these, 81%, accounting for about 58,000 people, migrated from domestic locations within the U.S. At the same time, the state experienced a total out-migration of approximately 58,000 individuals, the majority of whom relocated to California, Washington, and Texas.
“Notably, 2023 was the first year—excluding 2021—when the state did not experience a net population loss due to domestic migration,” Park said.
The 2021 exception was largely driven by an influx of remote workers taking advantage of pandemic era work-from-home flexibility, as well as those returning to be closer to family during the pandemic. However, when international migration is included, Hawaiʻi has generally maintained a positive net-migration rate, meaning more people have moved to the state from both the U.S. and abroad than have left. This long-run pattern of positive total net-migration ended in 2019 with a string of four years of net out-migration, a first since statehood.
“We also find that while many young adults do leave the state, a growing number of working-age individuals and Hawaiʻi-born residents are returning,” Park said.
Read the entire blog for more on the domestic characteristics of migrants and the migration pattern of Hawaiʻi-born individuals.
UHERO is housed in UH Mānoa’s College of Social Sciences.