Hawaii Dashboard Revealed Resident Retention Risks
The new data highlights high out-migration intent, posing significant workforce planning challenges for local employers.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Remote Work
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The University of Hawaiʻi and the Office of Wellness and Resilience have launched an interactive quality of life dashboard tracking resident sentiment statewide. The findings include a stark look at the factors influencing workforce retention and economic stability in Hawaii.
Why it matters
With 46% of residents having considered moving out of state in the past year, the dashboard provides a critical data set for owners to benchmark their talent retention strategies. Understanding these local economic pressures is essential for planning compensation and operational resilience.
The survey of 10,000 residents indicates that 46% considered leaving the state, with 37% of those citing the high cost of living as a primary driver. Additionally, 24% of residents reported experiencing workplace violence.
The players
University of Hawaiʻi
The state's public university system responsible for higher education and large-scale research initiatives.
Office of Wellness and Resilience
A government entity focused on monitoring and improving the health and well-being of the state's population.
The details
The interactive dashboard allows employers to filter quality of life metrics by region and demographic. By mapping these trends against specific community data, operators can better identify the specific cost-of-living and safety challenges affecting their local employee base. The data provides a granular view that can inform internal policies regarding wage adjustments and workplace safety protocols.
Timeline
2024: Baseline survey data was collected for comparison.
October 12, 2026: The University of Hawaiʻi launched the quality of life dashboard.
Market Landscape
This tool updates the 2024 University of Hawaiʻi quality of life baseline to track how migration intentions and economic pressures have changed for the local workforce. It follows a growing trend of state-backed data initiatives designed to quantify the link between cost of living and human capital stability.
Business owners should evaluate whether their current compensation packages account for the high cost of living pressures highlighted by the new data. Monitoring these regional trends can help inform proactive retention efforts before key talent considers moving.
The takeaway
The high percentage of residents considering relocation suggests that workforce stability remains a major operational risk for Hawaii-based businesses. Owners should use the new dashboard data to conduct a pulse check on their own employee retention metrics and cost-of-living support strategies.
Further reading
For more on how shifts in labor stability impact local businesses, see our Remote Work section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KHON2.
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