HAWAI‘I CONSTRUCTION MARKET LOGS FOURTH BEST YEAR IN PAST DECADE – HOUSING INVESTMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS DOMINATE IN 2025

The buildout of 3,500 new homes at Koa Ridge in Central O‘ahu continued in 2025 for homebuilder Castle & Cooke

News Release from PRP-Hawaii, March 16, 2026

HONOLULU, HI – Hawai‘i’s construction market recorded another banner year in 2025 with investments in housing and large public works propelling the industry to total spending of $7.1 billion. Over the past decade, 2025 ranked as the fourth best year for the local construction market, according to the Quarterly Hawai‘i Construction Market Update released today by Pacific Resource Partnership (PRP).

Construction spending in public works, which includes federal, state, and county projects, led the way in 2025 at $3.4 billion statewide, followed by new housing at $2.7 billion. Meanwhile, multi-family housing saw a significant boom during the past year with total spending at $1.3 billion in all four counties, making it the third best year on record for multi-family housing since 2016.

“It’s encouraging to see so much investment toward housing in 2025, and we need to continue this momentum by making it easier for our homebuilders to build more homes,” said PRP Executive Director Nathaniel Kinney. “Policies that unnecessarily delay projects or place all of the burden of creating new infrastructure on homebuilders only serves to raise prices, forcing more of our residents to seek housing opportunities elsewhere.”

TOTAL CONSTRUCTION BY ISLAND:

O‘ahu — $3.6 billion

Hawai‘i — $2.4 billion

Maui — $781 million

Kaua‘i — $304 million

The Quarterly Hawai‘i Construction Market Update is a regular feature by Pacific Resource Partnership and was launched in Q3 of last year. Delivered straight to your inbox or via PRP’s website, the exclusive report contains insights, trend analysis, and data-driven forecasts to empower industry leaders, policymakers, and members of the public.

PRP’s in-house data analyst compiles information for the Quarterly Hawai‘i Construction Market Update through a comprehensive review of publicly available state, county, and private market construction permits, minus HVAC and electrical permits. Only projects valued at $50,000 or more are included.

For the complete report and to subscribe via email, please visit PRP-Hawaii.com

Quick Facts

Hawai‘i’s construction market recorded another banner year in 2025 with investments in housing and large public works propelling the industry to total spending of $7.1 billion. 

Led by investments in large public works ($3.4 billion) and housing ($2.7 billion), 2025 was the fourth best year for Hawai‘i’s construction industry in the past decade.

Multi-family housing saw a significant boom in 2025 with total spending at $1.3 billion in all four counties, the third best year in the past decade. The outlier was Hawai‘i County with total spending on multi-family housing at just $22 million. 

The Quarterly Hawai‘i Construction Market Update is a regular feature by Pacific Resource Partnership and was launched in Q3 of last year.

About Pacific Resource Partnership

Founded in 1987, Pacific Resource Partnership is a nonprofit organization that represents the Hawai‘i Regional Council of Carpenters, the largest construction union in the state with approximately 6,000 members, in addition to more than 250 diverse contractors ranging from mom-and-pop owned businesses to national companies. Pacific Resource Partnership is the backbone of Hawai‘i’s construction industry and you’ll find us on every island, building homes and businesses, creating neighborhoods, revitalizing communities, strengthening infrastructure, and shaping the face of things to come. In executing its vision for a better Hawai‘i, Pacific Resource Partnership lives by this ethos: “The Power of Partnership – People, Relationships, Promise – we are PRP.”