Hawaii Rent Highest In Nation

Renters in Hawaii are continuing to pay more than anywhere else in the country for their living spaces, according to new Census data.

By /

Hawaii renters continued to pay more for their living spaces in 2015 than those on the mainland, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday.

The median housing costs for renter-occupied units increased from $1,448 in 2014 to $1,500 last year, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Honolulu residents are paying more than those living in Maui, Kauai or Hawaii counties.

Waikiki Honolulu Aerial2
Honolulu residents are paying more to rent their places than those on the neighbor islands. Cory Lum/Civil Beat

The state’s median gross rent ranged from $987 for a studio to $2,108 for a three-bedroom space.

In Honolulu, residents were paying $1,046 for a studio on up to $2,408 for a three-bedroom.

Kauai is the cheapest place for a studio, at $566 median gross rent, while Hawaii County was the least expensive for a three-bedroom place, at $1,315.

The Census Bureau also released data showing Hawaii’s median housing value increased from $528,000 in 2014 to $566,900 last year, according to DBEDT. That kept the state in the top spot nationally.

What it means to support Civil Beat.

Supporting Civil Beat means you’re investing in a newsroom that can devote months to investigate corruption. It means we can cover vulnerable, overlooked communities because those stories matter. And, it means we serve you. And only you.

Donate today and help sustain the kind of journalism Hawaiʻi cannot afford to lose.

Donate

About the Author