Research & Economic Analysis

 Hawaii’s labor market conditions were largely positive in the second quarter of 2023. The civilian labor force and civilian employment slightly increased, while civilian unemployment and the unemployment rate decreased. Civilian non-agricultural wage and salary jobs increased.

In the second quarter of 2023, the civilian labor force averaged 676,000 people, an increase of 1,500 people or 0.2 percent from the same quarter of 2022 (Table A-1). In 2022, the civilian labor force increased 6,300 people or 0.9 percent from the previous year.

Civilian employment averaged 656,500 people in the second quarter of 2023, an increase of 5,400 people or 0.8 percent compared to the same quarter of 2022 (Table A-2). In 2022, average civilian employment increased 23,050 people or 3.7 percent from the previous year.

In the second quarter of 2023, the number of civilian unemployed averaged 19,450, a decrease of 3,950 people or 16.9 percent from the same quarter of 2022 (Table A-3). In 2022, the number of unemployed decreased 16,750 people or 41.5 percent from the previous year.

The unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) was 2.9 percent in the second quarter of 2023, a decrease of 0.5 percentage points from the second quarter of 2022 (Table A-4). In 2022, the unemployment rate decreased 2.5 percentage points from the previous year’s 6.0 percent to 3.5 percent.

In the second quarter of 2023, Hawaii’s non-agricultural wage and salary jobs averaged 631,600 jobs, an increase of 17,200 jobs or 2.8 percent from the same quarter of 2022 (Table A-6). In 2022, average non-agricultural wage and salary jobs increased 5.3 percent or 31,200 jobs from the previous year.

The job increase in the second quarter of 2023 was due to job increases in both the private sector and the government sector. In this quarter, the private sector added about 14,200 non-agricultural jobs compared to the second quarter of 2022. Most of the private sector industries added jobs in the quarter. The number of jobs increased the most in Food Services and Drinking Places, which added 4,300 jobs or 6.9 percent (Table A-19); followed by Accommodation, which added 2,500 jobs or 6.9 percent (Table A-18), Professional and Business Services, which added 1,600 jobs or 2.2 percent (Table A-14), Private Educational Services, which added 1,500 jobs or 10.9 percent (Table A-15), and Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities, which added 1,300 jobs or 4.0 percent (Table A-11), in the quarter.

The Government sector added 3,000 jobs or 2.5 percent (Table A-21) in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the same quarter of 2022. The Federal Government added 600 jobs or 1.7 percent (Table A-22), the State Government added 2,300 jobs or 3.4 percent (Table A-23), and the Local Government added 300 jobs or 1.6 percent (Table A-24), compared to the second quarter of 2022.

Back