Data Dive: Maui Renters Were Having A Tough Time Even Before The Fires
Census data released earlier this month reflects some of the housing challenges that existed even before the Lahaina fire.
New national data released last week gives a more concrete glimpse of just how bad things have gotten for Maui renters.
The number of renters paying more than $3,000 a month for a place to call home on Maui doubled between 2019 and 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, with nearly one in five renters in the highest tier of rent tracked by the agency last year. That’s still not as bad as Honolulu, where nearly 24% of renters shelled out more than $3,000 a month in 2023, but it’s still a dramatic increase over the last five years.
Data for the latest American Community Survey was collected throughout 2023, which means it only reflects some of the economic aftermath of the Maui fires. The data also shows the median household income dropped from $98,699 in 2022 to $83,691 in 2023.
More than half of renters across the state are considered cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
The survey also shows that a growing number of people on Maui are living with roommates, while the number of people living in family households is declining.
Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui County is supported in part by a grant from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation.
