Census: Honolulu Residents Head West
On Oahu, residents are headed west, out of downtown Honolulu and toward the long-discussed “second city,” the 2010 U.S. Census shows.
Official 2010 Census data released to the public Thursday shows that Pearl City’s population increased by half while Ewa Gentry’s tally more than quadrupled in the last decade.
At the same time, Mililani Mauka, Kapolei and Royal Kunia are now among the state’s largest towns after being left off the Census map 10 years ago. Meanwhile, Kailua’s growth was slow and Kaneohe’s population actually decreased.
2000 Population vs. 2010 Population
| Place1 | 2000 Population | Rank | 2010 Population | Rank | Change | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu CDP | N/A | N/A | 337,256 | 1 | N/A | N/A |
| East Honolulu CDP | N/A | N/A | 49,914 | 2 | N/A | N/A |
| Pearl City CDP | 30,976 | 6 | 47,698 | 3 | 16,722 | 54.0% |
| Hilo CDP | 40,759 | 2 | 43,263 | 4 | 2,504 | 6.1% |
| Kailua CDP (Honolulu County) | 36,513 | 3 | 38,635 | 5 | 2,122 | 5.8% |
| Waipahu CDP | 33,108 | 5 | 38,216 | 6 | 5,108 | 15.4% |
| Kaneohe CDP | 34,970 | 4 | 34,597 | 7 | -373 | -1.1% |
| Mililani Town CDP | 28,608 | 8 | 27,629 | 8 | -979 | -3.4% |
| Kahului CDP | 20,146 | 9 | 26,337 | 9 | 6,191 | 30.7% |
| Ewa Gentry CDP | 4,939 | 43 | 22,690 | 10 | 17,751 | 359.4% |
| Mililani Mauka CDP | N/A | N/A | 21,039 | 11 | N/A | N/A |
| Kihei CDP | 16,749 | 10 | 20,881 | 12 | 4,132 | 24.7% |
| Makakilo CDP | N/A | N/A | 18,248 | 13 | N/A | N/A |
| Wahiawa CDP | 16,151 | 11 | 17,821 | 14 | 1,670 | 10.3% |
| Schofield Barracks CDP | 14,428 | 13 | 16,370 | 15 | 1,942 | 13.5% |
| Wailuku CDP | 12,296 | 16 | 15,313 | 16 | 3,017 | 24.5% |
| Kapolei CDP | N/A | N/A | 15,186 | 17 | N/A | N/A |
| Ewa Beach CDP | 14,650 | 12 | 14,955 | 18 | 305 | 2.1% |
| Royal Kunia CDP | N/A | N/A | 14,525 | 19 | N/A | N/A |
| Halawa CDP | 13,891 | 14 | 14,014 | 20 | 123 | 0.9% |
Source: 2010 U.S. Census Bureau [xls]
To be sure, Census Designated Places can’t tell the whole story. Tract-by-tract or block-by-block data analysis will be necessary to get a clear picture of exactly what happened. But the first glimpse reveals a picture of Honolulu as a city in transition.
The calls for expansion into the Ewa Plain, and proposed developments at Koa Ridge and Hoopili are moving the ball in that general direction. If the rail project comes to fruition, transit-oriented development could turn Kapolei into a true “second city.” The shifts may be even more pronounced in the 2020 Census.
The Census data also confirms the Big Island, Maui and Kauai had comparatively large population gains since the 2000 Census. That trend had been evident in produced every July for the last decade.
| Geographic area | 2000 Population | 2010 Population | Change | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii County | 148,677 | 185,079 | 36,402 | 24.5% |
| Maui County | 128,094 | 154,834 | 26,740 | 20.9% |
| Kauai County | 58,463 | 67,091 | 8,628 | 14.8% |
| Honolulu County | 876,156 | 953,207 | 77,051 | 8.8% |
| State of Hawaii | 1,211,537 | 1,360,301 | 148,764 | 12.3% |
Source: 2010 U.S. Census [xls]
As we pore over the data, we’ll have more analysis. Until then, the Census Bureau has put together a nifty tool to see the state of things in Hawaii.
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Data shown for places are for census designated places (CDPs) which are statistical areas defined for concentrations of population outside of incorporated places. All places shown for Hawaii are CDPs. Hawaii is the only state that has no incorporated places.
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