Employment rose 0.9 percent in Hawaii’s only large county, Honolulu, from December 2023 to December 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the rate of employment growth in Honolulu ranked 120^th among the 363 largest U.S. counties with published data. (See table 1.)

Employment in Honolulu stood at 460,900 in December 2024, accounting for 70.8 percent of total employment in Hawaii. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties comprise 73.3 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.)

The average weekly wage in Honolulu increased 4.3 percent over the year to $1,396. The national average was $1,507, up 5.0 percent over the year. Honolulu’s weekly wage ranked 146^th nationally, and the percent change ranked 177^th among the largest U.S. counties.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the three small counties in Hawaii, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2023. (See table 2.) Wage levels for all three smaller counties were below the national average. Maui + Kalawao reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,230), followed by Kauai ($1,176). Hawaii reported the lowest average weekly wage ($1,144) in the state. (See map 1 and table 2.)