Three out of four middle income households in Hawaiʻi say they will, or might, have to leave the islands in the coming years. That is the blunt takeaway from a new statewide affordability survey of more than 3,200 locally employed residents, who point to sky high housing costs and paychecks that do not keep up with local prices. The warning lands hardest on the people the state can least afford to lose, including teachers, nurses and other working families.
Survey snapshot
According to Holomua Collective, the nonprofit surveyed 3,241 employees from 25 local employers and found that about 75% of respondents said they either will, or are unsure if they will, relocate to a less expensive state. Holomua Collective says the 2025 sample is more than double the size of last year’s and that the survey focused on middle income households, most of which report at least $100,000 in household income for a three person household.
How soon people expect to go
Reporting by Hawaiʻi Public Radio underscores how quickly some residents see the clock running out. The share of respondents who said they would need to leave within five years rose from about 46% to roughly 57% year over year. Josh Wisch, Holomua’s executive director, told the station that when people set a five year timeline on moving away, “it shows a certain amount of planning,” a sign that these are not just late night worries.
What would make people stay
When asked what could convince them to remain, respondents put wages that match the cost of living, basic economic stability and housing affordability at the top of the list. Results from Holomua Collective show roughly 26% named higher wages, 24% cited broader economic stability and 24% pointed to more affordable housing as the most important fixes. In open ended responses, participants also called for stronger local hiring pathways, tighter limits on short term rentals and programs that prioritize longtime residents for new units.
Why it matters for jobs and housing
Those pressures are rooted in stubborn market realities. Oʻahu’s median single family home price has hovered near $1.1 million this year, a level that puts ownership out of reach for many working households. Data from the Honolulu Board of REALTORS® and population estimates tracked by the Hawaii State Data Center point to a tight housing market and shifting population patterns that together threaten employers’ ability to retain staff in sectors across the economy.
What’s next
Holomua Collective plans to use the findings to push a legislative agenda focused on wages, housing and workforce development, a move Wisch told Hawaiʻi Public Radio he hopes will prod lawmakers into action. If policymakers and employers do not close the gaps the survey highlights, advocates warn the state could see even more of the people who teach, heal and build in the islands pack up for somewhere more affordable.
