Research & Economic Analysis

2nd Quarter 2025 Report

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Hawai‘i’s labor market conditions improved in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the first quarter of 2024, reflecting the ongoing recovery from the impacts of the August 2023 Maui wildfires. The civilian labor force and civilian employment increased. Civilian unemployment and the unemployment rate decreased. Civilian non-agricultural wage and salary jobs increased in both the private and government sectors compared to the first quarter of 2024.

In the first quarter of 2025, the civilian labor force averaged 690,050 people, an increase of 11,400 people or 1.7 percent from the same quarter of 2024 (Table A-1). In 2024, the civilian labor force increased 2,300 people or 0.3 percent from the previous year.

Civilian employment averaged 671,700 people in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 12,100 people or 1.8 percent compared to the same quarter of 2024 (Table A-2). In 2024, average civilian employment increased 1,900 people or 0.3 percent from the previous year.

In the first quarter of 2025, the number of civilian unemployed averaged 18,350, a decrease of 700 people or 3.7 percent from the same quarter of 2024 (Table A-3). In 2024, the number of unemployed increased 450 people or 2.3 percent from the previous year.

The unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) was 2.6 percent in the first quarter of 2025, 0.2 of a percentage point lower compared to the first quarter of 2024 (Table A-4). In 2024, the unemployment rate increased by 0.1 of a percentage point from the previous year’s 2.9 percent to 3.0 percent.

In the first quarter of 2025, Hawai‘i’s non-agricultural wage and salary jobs averaged 647,800 jobs, an increase of 11,600 jobs or 1.8 percent from the same quarter of 2024 (Table A-6). In 2024, average non-agricultural wage and salary jobs increased 1.1 percent or 6,700 jobs from the previous year.

The job increase in the first quarter of 2025 was due to job increases in both the private sector and the government sector. In this quarter, the private sector added about 8,700 non-agricultural jobs compared to the first quarter of 2024. The majority of private sector industries added jobs in the quarter. The number of jobs increased the most in Health Care & Social Assistance, which added 2,100 jobs or 2.8 percent (Table A-16), followed by Food Services & Drinking Places, which added 1,500 jobs or 2.3 percent (Table A-19), Other Services, which gained 1,200 jobs or 4.5 percent (Table A-20), and Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, which added 1,000 jobs or 7.6 percent (Table A-17).

The Government sector added 2,900 jobs or 2.3 percent (Table A-21) in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same quarter of 2024. The Federal Government lost 400 jobs or 1.1 percent (Table A-22), the State Government added 2,800 jobs or 3.9 percent (Table A-23), and the Local Government added 500 jobs or 2.7 percent (Table A-24), compared to the first quarter of 2024.