Research & Economic Analysis

1st Quarter 2025 Report

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Hawai‘i’s labor market conditions were mixed in the fourth quarter of 2024. The civilian labor force and civilian employment slightly decreased. Civilian unemployment decreased but civilian non-agricultural wage and salary jobs increased.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, the civilian labor force averaged 673,300 people, a decrease of 1,350 people or 0.2 percent from the same quarter of 2023 (Table A-1). In 2024, the civilian labor force decreased 5,250 people or 0.8 percent from the previous year.

Civilian employment averaged 653,600 people in the fourth quarter of 2024, a decrease of 700 people or 0.1 percent compared to the same quarter of 2023 (Table A-2). In 2024, average civilian employment decreased 5,050 people or 0.8 percent from the previous year.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, the number of civilian unemployed averaged 19,700, a decrease of 650 people or 3.2 percent from the same quarter of 2023 (Table A-3). In 2024, the number of unemployed decreased 200 people or 1.0 percent from the previous year.

The unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) was 2.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024, 0.1 percentage point below the fourth quarter of 2023 (Table A-4). In 2024, the unemployment rate decreased 0.1 percentage point from the previous year’s 3.0 percent to 2.9 percent.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, Hawai‘i’s non-agricultural wage and salary jobs averaged 645,800 jobs, an increase of 10,400 jobs or 1.6 percent from the same quarter of 2023 (Table A-6). In 2024, average non-agricultural wage and salary jobs increased 0.9 percent or 5,500 jobs from the previous year.

The job increase in the fourth quarter of 2024 was due to job increases in both the private sector and the government sector. In this quarter, the private sector added about 8,600 non-agricultural jobs compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. The majority of the private sector industries added jobs in the quarter. The number of jobs increased the most in Construction, which added 3,400 jobs or 8.9 percent (Table A-7), followed by Health Care and Social Assistance, which added 2,100 jobs or 2.8 percent (Table A-16), Food Services and Drinking Places, which added 1,900 jobs or 2.9 percent (Table A-19), Professional and Business Services, which added 1,400 jobs or 2.0 percent (Table A14), and Accommodations, which added 700 jobs or 1.8 percent (Table A-18) in the quarter.

The Government sector added 1,800 jobs or 1.4 percent (Table A-21) in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the same quarter of 2023. The Federal Government added 200 jobs or 0.6 percent (Table A-22), the State Government added 1,400 jobs or 1.9 percent (Table A-23), and the Local Government added 300 jobs or 1.6 percent (Table A-24), compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.