Hawaii’s construction industry posted $9.8 billion in total spending in 2023, and the momentum shows up everywhere from Honolulu’s 4,200 residential permit units to $850 million in highway awards. Even with the scale of new housing and infrastructure, safety, labor, and permitting compliance continue to shape what gets built and how quickly. Let’s break down the key statistics that explain both the investment and the on the ground reality across the islands.
Key Takeaways
- Total construction spending in Hawaii reached $9.8 billion in 2023, up 6.5% YoY
- Residential building permits in Honolulu County: 4,200 units valued at $2.1 billion in 2023
- Highway construction contracts awarded: $850 million in Hawaii FY2023
- In 2022, Hawaii construction contributed $4.8 billion to state GDP, 5.1% of total
- Construction permits issued in Hawaii generated $12.3 billion in valuation in 2023
- Hawaii construction industry tax revenues totaled $620 million in FY2023
- In 2023, Hawaii's construction industry employed 28,450 workers, representing 4.2% of total state employment
- The average annual wage for construction laborers in Hawaii was $58,270 in 2022, 32% above the national average
- Hawaii construction managers earned a mean hourly wage of $52.14 in May 2023, highest in the nation for the occupation
- Hawaii construction employment projected to grow 8.2% by 2030 to 31,200 workers
- Sustainable building permits expected to rise 25% by 2025 in Hawaii
- Infrastructure spending forecast: $15 billion over next 5 years from IIJA
- In 2022, Hawaii construction fatality rate was 12.4 per 100,000 workers, above national 9.6
- Fall from height incidents: 45% of construction fatalities in Hawaii 2022
- OSHA citations issued to Hawaii contractors: 1,240 in FY2023, fines totaling $2.1 million
In 2023, Hawaii construction hit $9.8 billion, supporting thousands of jobs while key public and private projects expanded.
Related reading
01 · Category
Construction Volumes and Spending17 stats
01
Total construction spending in Hawaii reached $9.8 billion in 2023, up 6.5% YoY
02
Residential building permits in Honolulu County: 4,200 units valued at $2.1 billion in 2023
03
Highway construction contracts awarded: $850 million in Hawaii FY2023
04
New single-family home starts: 1,850 units in Hawaii 2023, average size 2,100 sq ft
05
Commercial building permits: 320 projects valued at $1.4 billion across Hawaii islands 2023
06
Public school construction spending: $420 million in Hawaii DOE projects 2023
07
Multi-family housing starts: 2,450 units valued at $1.8 billion in 2023
08
Federal aid for wastewater infrastructure: $150 million spent on 12 projects in 2023
09
Hotel renovation projects: 15 major ones totaling $650 million in Hawaii 2023
10
Affordable housing units permitted: 1,200 units under HHFDC programs 2023
11
Renewable energy construction: 250 MW solar farms built, $900 million investment 2023
12
Airport improvement program spending: $320 million at HNL and ITO 2023
13
Flood control projects: 8 dams and channels upgraded for $180 million in 2023
14
Office building square footage added: 450,000 sq ft in Oahu 2023
15
Heavy civil engineering contracts: $1.1 billion awarded statewide 2023
16
Hospital expansions: $280 million in healthcare facilities constructed 2023
17
Retail center developments: 6 projects adding 200,000 sq ft for $240 million 2023
Interpretation
Construction Volumes and Spending Interpretation
Hawaii is simultaneously patching its potholes, cramming in condo towers, and chasing sunbeams with solar panels, all while trying to convince both tourists and residents that the island can be more than a pretty postcard.
02 · Category
Economic Impact19 stats
01
In 2022, Hawaii construction contributed $4.8 billion to state GDP, 5.1% of total
02
Construction permits issued in Hawaii generated $12.3 billion in valuation in 2023
03
Hawaii construction industry tax revenues totaled $620 million in FY2023
04
Multiplier effect: each construction job in Hawaii supports 2.8 additional jobs statewide
05
Residential construction spending in Hawaii: $3.2 billion in 2023, up 7.4%
06
Supplier purchases by Hawaii contractors: $2.1 billion annually in 2022
07
Construction wages paid in Hawaii: $1.9 billion in 2023
08
Induced economic output from construction: $1.4 billion in Hawaii 2022
09
Hawaii construction exports of services: $180 million in 2023, mainly to Pacific islands
10
Property value increase from new construction: $8.5 billion in Hawaii 2023
11
Construction industry supported 65,000 total jobs in Hawaii economy via direct, indirect, induced effects in 2022
12
Federal funding to Hawaii construction: $1.2 billion in infrastructure grants 2023
13
Tourism-related construction spending: $950 million in Hawaii 2023
14
Employee compensation from construction: 28% of industry value added in Hawaii 2022
15
Construction R&D spending in Hawaii: $45 million in 2023, focused on sustainable materials
16
Number of construction firms in Hawaii: 2,850 in 2022, generating $15.7 billion revenue
17
Construction payroll taxes contributed $210 million to Hawaii state budget in FY2023
18
Impact on household income: construction boosted median income by 4.2% in affected counties 2022
19
Hawaii construction industry establishment count grew 2.7% to 3,120 in 2023
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
Though the endless symphony of jackhammers might sound like an annoyance to some, it's actually the percussive beat driving Hawaii's economy, generating billions, supporting tens of thousands of jobs, and quite literally building the state's financial future from the ground up.
03 · Category
Employment and Workforce20 stats
01
In 2023, Hawaii's construction industry employed 28,450 workers, representing 4.2% of total state employment
02
The average annual wage for construction laborers in Hawaii was $58,270in 2022, 32% above the national average
03
Hawaii construction managers earned a mean hourly wage of $52.14in May 2023, highest in the nation for the occupation
04
There were 4,120 construction supervisors employed in Hawaii in 2022, up 3.8% from 2021
05
Women comprised 8.7% of Hawaii's construction workforce in 2023, higher than the national 10.9% but growing at 2.1% annually
06
Hispanic or Latino workers made up 12.4% of Hawaii construction employees in 2022
07
Apprenticeship programs in Hawaii construction trained 1,250 new workers in 2023, focusing on carpentry and electrical trades
08
Union membership in Hawaii construction stood at 24.6% in 2022, above the state average of 21.8%
09
The construction industry in Hawaii had a labor force participation rate of 65.3% for workers aged 25-54 in 2023
10
Turnover rate in Hawaii construction firms averaged 18.2% in 2022, driven by housing costs
11
6,340 self-employed construction workers operated in Hawaii in 2023
12
Electrical power-line workers in Hawaii numbered 890 in 2022 with wages averaging $92,450annually
13
Construction unemployment rate in Hawaii was 4.1% in December 2023, below national 4.7%
14
2,150 construction estimators worked in Hawaii in 2023, earning $78,920mean wage
15
Veteran employment in Hawaii construction reached 9.2% of workforce in 2022
16
Plumbers and pipefitters in Hawaii: 1,780 employed, mean wage $84,310in 2023
17
Hawaii construction added 1,200 jobs in 2023, primarily in residential building
18
Age distribution: 35% of Hawaii construction workers under 35 in 2022
19
Operating engineers in Hawaii: 1,450 employed, $72,840average wage 2023
20
Disability employment rate in construction: 3.4% in Hawaii 2022
Interpretation
Employment and Workforce Interpretation
Hawaii’s construction industry is a high-wage, tight-knit, and paradoxically tight-lipped sector, where the workforce is both highly paid and squeezed by housing costs, slowly diversifying while building the state’s future one costly but meticulously planned project at a time.
More related reading
04 · Category
Future Projections and Trends20 stats
01
Hawaii construction employment projected to grow 8.2% by 2030 to 31,200 workers
02
Sustainable building permits expected to rise 25% by 2025 in Hawaii
03
Infrastructure spending forecast: $15 billion over next 5 years from IIJA
04
Housing shortage to drive 12,000 new units annually through 2030
05
Prefab construction adoption projected at 15% market share by 2028
06
BIM usage in Hawaii projects to reach 70% by 2026
07
Labor shortage: 5,000 unfilled construction jobs projected by 2027
08
Green energy projects: 500 MW additional renewables by 2030, $3B investment
09
Sea level rise adaptations: $2.5B in coastal defenses planned 2025-2035
10
Modular housing growth: 20% annual increase through 2028
11
Drone surveying adoption: 40% of firms by 2025, reducing costs 12%
12
Construction costs inflation forecast: 4.5% annually to 2028 due to materials
13
EV charging station builds: 2,500 new sites by 2030, $400M spend
14
Workforce upskilling programs to train 3,000 in digital tools by 2027
15
Resilient infrastructure bonds: $1B issued for 2024-2029 projects
16
AI in project management: 25% adoption by large contractors 2026
17
Water infrastructure upgrades: $800M planned 2025-2030
18
Tourism facility modernizations: $1.5B pipeline through 2030
19
Supply chain localization: 30% materials sourced locally by 2030
20
Construction GDP share to rise to 6.2% by 2030
Interpretation
Future Projections and Trends Interpretation
Hawaii's construction industry is frantically building a sustainable, high-tech fortress against climate change and housing crises, all while desperately trying to train enough people to wield the digital hammers.
05 · Category
Safety and Regulations20 stats
01
In 2022, Hawaii construction fatality rate was 12.4 per 100,000 workers, above national 9.6
02
Fall from height incidents: 45% of construction fatalities in Hawaii 2022
03
OSHA citations issued to Hawaii contractors: 1,240 in FY2023, fines totaling $2.1 million
04
Lost workday injury rate: 2.1 per 100 workers in Hawaii construction 2023
05
Heat-related illnesses reported: 180 cases in construction sites 2023
06
Crane accidents: 3 incidents in Hawaii ports 2022-2023
07
Hawaii DLNR construction permit compliance rate: 92% in 2023 audits
08
Silica exposure violations: 56 citations, $450,000fines in 2023
09
Electrical safety training completed by 85% of Hawaii workers 2023
10
Trenching collapse incidents: 2 fatalities, 12 injuries in 2022
11
Contractor licensing revocations: 45 for safety violations in 2023
12
PPE usage compliance: 94% on audited sites, up from 88% in 2022
13
Hurricane preparedness drills conducted on 420 sites in 2023
14
Lead paint abatement regulations enforced on 150 projects
15
Vehicle-related construction accidents: 210 incidents, 15 fatalities 2022
16
Ergonomic injury claims: 320 in construction insurance 2023
17
Fire safety violations: 78 citations in multi-story builds 2023
18
Scaffolding failures: 5 major incidents causing 22 injuries 2022-2023
19
Hawaii construction safety grant funding: $4.2 million from OSHA 2023
20
Hearing conservation programs implemented on 95% of large sites 2023
Interpretation
Safety and Regulations Interpretation
While Hawaii’s construction industry may boast a sky-high compliance rate on paper, the sobering truth is that its fatality rate is still climbing faster than a worker on faulty scaffolding.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Hawaii Construction Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hawaii-construction-industry-statistics
MLA
Catherine Wu. "Hawaii Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hawaii-construction-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Catherine Wu. 2026. "Hawaii Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hawaii-construction-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
41 datasets cited across this report