Quality of life comparison
If you lived in California instead of Hawaii, you would:
Health
live 1.7 years less
In Hawaii, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2020. In California, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 10.9% more likely to be obese
In Hawaii, 25.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In California, that number is 28.4% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 31.0% more money
Hawaii has a GDP per capita of $64,124 as of 2024, while in California, the GDP per capita is $84,028 as of 2024.
be 2.3 times more likely to be unemployed
In Hawaii, 2.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In California, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.
be 19.4% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Hawaii, 9.8% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In California, however, that number is 11.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.7 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Hawaii has a violent crime rate of 187 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 503 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 37.7% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Hawaii has a property crime rate of 1,672 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 2,303 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 14.0% less for a home
The median home value in Hawaii is $808,200 as of 2023, compared to $695,400 in California as of 2023.
be 10.9% less likely to own your home
In Hawaii, 62.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In California, that number is 55.8% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 69.4% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Hawaii, 7.2% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In California, that number is 12.2% as of 2023.
be 12.6% less likely to be food insecure
In Hawaii, 11.9% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In California, that number is 10.4% as of 2021.
commute 2.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Hawaii takes 26.4 minutes as of 2023. In California, it takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 88.9% more likely to be uninsured
In Hawaii, 3.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In California, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 3.0 years older on average
The median age in Hawaii is 40.6 years as of 2023. In California, the median age is 37.6 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 11.9% more densely populated
Hawaii has a population density of 86.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In California, that number is 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
