HONOLULU (KHON2) — By national reputation, Hawaiʻi is known as a welcoming place, a cultural crossroads in the Pacific where many ethnicities, languages and traditions live side by side. With our mix of people from across Asia, the Pacific, Europe and beyond, Hawaiʻi is often seen as a natural home for immigrants.
But when it comes to how Hawaiʻi ranks as a place to live for immigrants, the numbers paint a different picture.
According to a 2025 study that analyzed states across social, economic and legal factors, Hawaiʻi ranked 47th out of 50 states. Based on 17 different factors, the study gave Hawaiʻi a total score of just 39.57 out of 100, placing it amongst the bottom five states in the nation.
So, what’s behind this low ranking? Is Hawaiʻi really falling short or is the story more complex? Let’s take a closer look at what the report found and what it means for immigrants living in, or thinking about moving to, the Aloha State.
1. What the rankings measured
Researchers looked at three main areas:
- Social environment and support (e.g. kindness, access to healthcare, school quality).
- Economic environment (e.g. cost of living, employment, entrepreneurship).
- Legal environment and stability (e.g. hate crimes, incarceration rates, state laws on immigration enforcement).
These categories were based on 17 different metrics, including job growth, housing affordability, kindness rankings, crime rates and whether immigrants have access to healthcare and education. Each state was scored using a 100-point system, where higher scores meant better conditions for immigrants.
2. Where Hawaiʻi scored well (and where it didn’t)
Let’s break down how Hawaiʻi performed in each of the three categories:
- Social environment and support rank: 27th.
- Economic environment rank: 50th (last place).
- Legal environment and stability detractors rank: 6th.
While Hawaiʻi offers strong legal protections for immigrants and a relatively safe social environment, the high cost of living and economic challenges dragged down the state’s overall score.
3. Economic pressures are real
Hawaiʻi’s lowest score came in the Economic Environment category. In fact, the state ranked dead last: 50th out of 50. This category looked at several factors that affect how immigrants live and work, including:
- The cost of living.
- Job growth.
- Entrepreneurship.
- Rent affordability.
- Wage gaps between immigrants and non-immigrants.
One of the greatest concerns is housing. According to the study, many foreign-born residents in Hawaiʻi pay more than 30% of their income on rent, which means they are “rent burdened”. That makes it difficult to save money, start a business or invest in education.
Hawaiʻi also scored poorly on the cost of basic needs, including groceries, utilities, healthcare and transportation. For many families, living paycheck to paycheck is the norm rather than the exception.
4. Strong legal protections are a bright spot
On the other hand, Hawaiʻi ranked 6th in the nation in the Legal Environment & Stability Detractors category. This part of the study focused on how safe and legally supported immigrants are.
Metrics included:
- Hate crime rates.
- Violent and property crime rates.
- Incarceration rates.
- State immigration enforcement laws.
Hawaiʻi’s laws tend to protect immigrants rather than target them, and crime rates, especially hate crimes, are relatively low. This means immigrants in Hawaiʻi are less likely to face legal discrimination or violence compared to those in many other states.
5. A mixed picture for social support
Hawaiʻi landed in the middle of the pack at 27th when it came to social environment and community support. That category measured things like:
- Access to state-funded health coverage for immigrant children and pregnant people.
- Public school rankings.
- The percentage of immigrants in the population.
- The presence of community support organizations.
Given Hawaiʻi’s diverse population and long immigration history, it may be surprising that the state didn’t score higher here. The average quality of public schools and access to support services may be holding the state back, according to the study.
6. How does Hawaiʻi compare to other states?
According to the study’s ranking, the top five states for immigrants were Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas and Delaware.
These states scored higher due to lower costs of living, strong employment opportunities for immigrants and growing immigrant communities. While some may not have the same deep cultural diversity as Hawaiʻi, they offer better chances for financial stability.
7. What this means for immigrant families in Hawaiʻi
Hawaiʻi has long been shaped by immigrants from plantation laborers and seafarers to today’s students, business owners and care workers. Many continue to move here from the Philippines, Japan, Samoa, Micronesia and other parts of Asia and the Pacific.
But if the conditions aren’t sustainable — i.e. if people can’t afford to stay, start families or build lives — then Hawaiʻi could lose the very communities that make it unique.
8. What can be done?
The report can serve as a wake-up call for both lawmakers and community leaders. If Hawaiʻi wants to remain a place where people from all over the world feel safe and at home, then we must take action to address the issues affecting immigrant communities, according to the study.
Here are a few areas where change could help better Hawaiʻi’s ranking:
- Affordable housing: Supporting more affordable rental and homeownership options.
- Workforce development: Offering training and job placement for foreign-born workers.
- Language access: Improving access to services in multiple languages.
- Healthcare access: Expanding coverage for immigrant children and pregnant people.
9. What immigrants can do now
If you’re an immigrant living in Hawaiʻi, here are a few things you can do identified by the study:
- Know your rights: Hawaiʻi has stronger legal protections than most states. Learn about what’s available to you.
- Get involved: Join community groups and advocacy organizations that support immigrants.
- Speak out: Share your story and push for changes that can make the islands more affordable and supportive for all.
Hawaiʻi is rich in culture, kindness and history. For centuries, the people of the islands have welcomed travelers from across the world, each adding to the lāhui, the larger Hawaiian community.
You can click here to read the full report.
As this study shows, aloha isn’t just a feeling. It needs to be a policy. If Hawaiʻi is to remain a place where immigrants can not only arrive, but also live and grow, the study demonstrates that the state must take bold steps to lower costs, boost opportunity, and truly support the people who help make it thrive.