Research & Economic Analysis

1st Quarter 2026 Report

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Hawai‘i’s labor market conditions were generally positive in the latter part of 2025. Due to the federal government shutdown, civilian labor force and employment statistics are unavailable for the fourth quarter, though annual data was available. The civilian labor force and civilian employment increased and civilian unemployment decreased. Jobs data is available for the fourth quarter and civilian non-agricultural wage and salary jobs increased. Job losses in the government sector were offset by private sector job gains.

In the third quarter of 2025, the civilian labor force averaged 686,250 people, an increase of 4,150 people or 0.6 percent from the same quarter of 2024 (Table A-1). In 2025, the civilian labor force increased 7,900 people or 1.2 percent from the previous year.

Civilian employment averaged 669,300 people in the third quarter of 2025, an increase of 9,000 people or 1.4 percent compared to the same quarter of 2024 (Table A-2). In 2025, average civilian employment increased 10,450 people or 1.6 percent from the previous year.

In the third quarter of 2025, the number of civilian unemployed averaged 16,900, a decrease of 4,900 people or 22.5 percent from the same quarter of 2024 (Table A-3). In 2025, the number of unemployed decreased 2,600 people or 12.8 percent from the previous year.

The unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) was 2.5 percent in the third quarter of 2025, 0.7 percentage points below the third quarter of 2024 (Table A-4). In 2025, the unemployment rate decreased 0.4 percentage points from the previous year’s 3.0 percent to 2.6 percent.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, Hawai‘i’s non-agricultural wage and salary jobs averaged 657,800 jobs, an increase of 9,900 jobs or 1.5 percent from the same quarter of 2024 (Table A6). In 2025, average non-agricultural wage and salary jobs increased 1.9 percent or 12,200 jobs from the previous year.

The job increase in the fourth quarter of 2025 was due to job increases in the private sector. In this quarter, the private sector added about 12,600 non-agricultural jobs compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. The majority of the private sector industries added jobs in the quarter. The number of jobs increased the most in Health Care and Social Assistance, which added 3,700 jobs or 4.8 percent (Table A-16), followed by Food Services and Drinking Places, which added 3,300 jobs or 4.9 percent (Table A-19), Construction, which added 2,700 jobs or 6.9 percent (Table A-7), Accommodation, which added 1,200 jobs or 3.0 percent (Table A18), and Arts, Entertainment and Recreation, which added 1,000 jobs or 7.2 percent (Table A-18) in the quarter.

The Government sector lost 2,700 jobs or 2.1 percent (Table A-21) in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to the same quarter of 2024. The Federal Government lost 3,600 jobs or 10.1 percent (Table A-22), the State Government added 500 jobs or 0.7 percent (Table A-23), and the Local Government added 300 jobs or 1.6 percent (Table A-24), compared to the fourth quarter of 2024.