Research & Economic Analysis

 Hawaii’s labor market conditions were mixed in the first quarter of 2024. The civilian labor force and civilian employment decreased, while civilian unemployment and the unemployment rate increased. Civilian non-agricultural wage and salary jobs slightly increased. Job losses in the private sector were offset by increases in government sector jobs.

In the first quarter of 2024, the civilian labor force averaged 672,600 people, a decrease of 5,100 people or 0.8 percent from the same quarter of 2023 (Table A-1). In 2023, the civilian labor force increased 3,600 people or 0.5 percent from the previous year.

Civilian employment averaged 652,600 people in the first quarter of 2024, a decrease of 5,400 people or 0.8 percent compared to the same quarter of 2023 (Table A-2). In 2023, average civilian employment increased 5,700 people or 0.9 percent from the previous year.

In the first quarter of 2024, the number of civilian unemployed averaged 20,050, an increase of 350 people or 1.8 percent from the same quarter of 2023 (Table A-3). In 2023, the number of unemployed decreased 2,050 people or 9.3 percent from the previous year.

The unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) was 3.0 percent in the first quarter of 2024, 0.1 of a percentage point higher than the first quarter of 2023 (Table A-4). In 2023, the unemployment rate decreased by 0.3 of a percentage point from the previous year’s 3.3 percent to 3.0 percent.

In the first quarter of 2024, Hawaii’s non-agricultural wage and salary jobs averaged 634,000 jobs, an increase of 3,700 jobs or 0.6 percent from the same quarter of 2023 (Table A-6). In 2023, average non-agricultural wage and salary jobs increased 2.3 percent or 14,100 jobs from the previous year.

The job increase in the first quarter of 2024 was due to job increases in the government sector. In this quarter, the private sector lost about 900 non-agricultural jobs compared to the first quarter of 2023. The majority of private sector industries lost jobs in the quarter. The number of jobs decreased the most in Information, which lost 2,500 jobs or 26.3 percent (Table A-12), followed by Financial Activities, which lost 1,000 jobs or 3.6 percent (Table A-13), and Retail Trade, which lost 1,000 jobs or 1.5 percent (Table A-10). Private sector industries that added jobs compared to the first quarter of 2023 include Natural Resources, Mining, and Construction, which added 2,600 jobs or 6.9 percent (Table A-7), Healthcare and Social Assistance, which added 2,000 jobs or 2.7 percent (Table A-16), and Accommodations, which added 800 jobs or 2.1 percent (Table A-18), in the quarter.

The Government sector added 4,400 jobs or 3.6 percent (Table A-21) in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same quarter of 2023. The Federal Government added 800 jobs or 2.3 percent (Table A-22), the State Government added 3,200 jobs or 4.7 percent (Table A-23), and the Local Government added 400 jobs or 2.2 percent (Table A-24), compared to the first quarter of 2023.

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