Cost of Living

... Young local families dominate Hawaii’s departure statistics .... 

... In Hawaii, households spend $157 per week on groceries, up 9.6% from the prior year ....

... it could be another year for big, positive changes ....

... three important recommendations that would enable farmers and ranchers to build more housing on their land ....

...What if we could help farmers, ease the housing crisis and improve Hawaii’s economy all at the same time?....

...Allow more small homes to be built on agricultural lands....

... Hawaii, at nearly $4.41 a gallon, still has the highest gasoline prices in USA ....

... REALITY: Carpenters Union Wages War Against Affordable Modular Housing ....

... 29% now expect they will relocate to a less expensive state, up from 26% last year ....

... parents of young children who both work need to earn at least $119,226 together to pay for child care ....

... and Lihue comes in 7th ....

... the More Homes on the Market Act would double exclusions for home sales and adjust them annually for inflation going forward ....

... Honolulu 16th-highest cost of living ....

... This marks the third step in a series of scheduled increases, culminating in a final rate of $18.00 per hour on January 1, 2028 ....

...The final vote to approve Bill 9 was 5-3 with Gabe Johnson, Shane Sinenci, Keani-Rawlins-Fernandez, Nohelani Uʻu-Hodgins and Tamara Paltin voting yes. Yuki Lei Sugimura, Tom Cook and Chair Alice Lee voted no....

... In Honolulu, health care costs 8.69% of median monthly income, 15th highest in USA.  And most of the top 15 cities have substantially lower median incomes ....

... information to purge allegedly fraudulent recipients ....

... some properties were re-classified within high-risk zones — known as Special Flood Hazard Areas — for the first time ....

... We identify prior addresses and follow vacancy chains across multiple rounds of moves ....

... The current use of deed restrictions traps residents, preventing them from downsizing or upsizing as their needs change without facing a financial penalty ....