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If you could work anywhere in the world, where would you work? Majestic green mountains, towering waterfalls, sparkling blue water and powerful waves may put Hawaii at the top of your list of places to work. With the rise in popularity of remote work, working from home in Hawaii is becoming more accessible to people whose employers are located around the world. 

At the height of the coronavirus epidemic, it is estimated that more than 70 percent of employees were working from home. And as COVID-19 restrictions eased and technology continued to transform industries, some employers continued to work from home. But before you pack your bags to work from home in Hawaii, research Hawaii’s economy and industry to decide if remote work in Hawaii is right for you. 

And if you decide to move, our best tips for working remotely from Hawaii can help ease your transition to paradise.  

How is the economy doing in Hawaii? 

While Hawaii has some of the best waves in the world, its economy isn’t that great. Hawaii’s economy ranks near the bottom of other U.S. states on a number of measures, including GDP and savings. According to the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis, Hawaii ranked 38th and California ranked first in gross domestic product, or GDP, at the end of 2020. In general terms, GDP is the value of goods and services produced minus the value of the goods and services needed to produce them. Classify:  

State of GDP (million $)  

1. California 3,120,386  
2. Texas 1,772,132  
3. New York 1,705,127  
4. Florida 1,111,614  

• 24 Oregon 253,849  
• 38 Hawaii 89,866  
• 50 Vermont 33,278  

Hawaii also ranks low compared to other U.S. states for low average retirement savings, ranking 45th out of 51 (including Puerto Rico), according to Daily Capitol data as of April 2021.  

Categorize Condition | Average retirement savings  

1. Connecticut $523,568  
2. New Hampshire $494,562  
3. New Jersey $489,664  
4.  Alaska $489,070  

• 45 Hawaii $345,401  
• 50 North Dakota $310,766  
• 51 Utah $300,392  

As the world’s most isolated island chain and increasingly dependent on imports, Hawaii’s economy is not the best. Additionally, the cost of living in Hawaii is among the highest in the United States, with high costs for food, gas, building materials, and housing. According to the Council for Social and Economic Research, Hawaii has the highest cost of living of any US state. At the start of 2021, Hawaii’s cost of living index was 196.3, meaning the cost of living in Hawaii is 96.3% higher than the U.S. average. The Housing Index was 336.3, which is not surprising since median sales prices for single-family homes on Oahu as of May 2021 were approaching $1,000,000. The cost of living index also includes costs for groceries, utilities and transportation, with Hawaii ranking nearly highest in all categories.  

Classify Condition Cost of Living Index  $

1. Hawaii 192.9  
2. California 151.7  
3. New York 139.1  
4. Oregon 134.2 48  

• 48 Oklahoma 87
• 49 Arkansas 86.9  
• 50 Mississippi 86.1  

Thus, Hawaii’s economy is not stellar and the cost of living is high. However, working from home in Hawaii with a high salary on the US mainland or for an international company can make the cost of paradise a viable option. 

Additionally, if more people with high-paying jobs move to Hawaii to work remotely, this could gradually shift Hawaii’s economy in a more positive direction, especially since there are currently only a few limited industries in Hawaii.  

What are Hawaii’s major industries? 

If you’re considering working remotely in Hawaii, you might be wondering what do people typically do at work in Hawaii? The isolated Hawaiian Islands have only a few major industries that employ the majority of Hawaii’s residents.  

Tourism is by far the largest industry in Hawaii. Although COVID-19 has slowed travel, tourism in Hawaii is rebounding. According to the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, Hawaii received 10,387,000 visitors in the first quarter of 2019 and 6,637,000 visitors in the first quarter of 2021. In both years, tourism contributed more than $95,045 million to gross domestic product.  

After tourism, the United States military is also a large part of Hawaii’s economy, with military installations for the Air Force, Army, National Guard, Marines and Coast Guard on Oahu. The federal government provides nearly 35,000 civilian jobs in Hawaii and tens of thousands more jobs for all military personnel who call Hawaii home.  

Agriculture and fishing were once important industries in Hawaii. However, over the years they have decreased. Sugar cane and pineapple plantations were important historical industries in Hawaii, making Hawaii one of the most productive agricultural states in the country. According to the State of Hawaii, currently 85 to 90 percent of food in Hawaii is imported, making food expensive in Hawaii and food security a real threat, especially if a natural disaster were to hit the islands.  

What are other important industries in Hawaii? The production of primarily construction materials such as cement and steel accounts for about 2% of Hawaii’s gross domestic product. 

Energy is another major industry in Hawaii, with Hawaii Electric Company or HECO having a near monopoly on Oahu. Hawaii has a variety of energy sources and continues to shift more to renewable energy sources, including geothermal, solar and wind power.  

Here are the top industries in Hawaii, according to the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, as of the second quarter of 2021:  

Industry | Number of workplaces 

Health and social care 69,900  

Professional and business services 67,200  

State Government 64,900  

Retail trade 59 100  

Catering services and drinking establishments 48,600  

Natural resources, Mining, Construction 36,600  

Remote work in Hawaii has the potential to add many new industries to the economy.

In fact, there have been some incentive programs to attract remote workers to Hawaii, even offering free flights and professional connections to other remote workers from Hawaii. Many Hawaii residents and government officials advocate strengthening Hawaii’s economy by adding new economic sectors, and remote workers may offer one solution to Hawaii’s troubled economy. 

Remote Work in Hawaii: Top Tips Want to boost Hawaii’s economy and diversify major industries by working remotely in paradise? Before you pack up your office and head to paradise, read on for our top three tips to make the transition to remote work easier in Hawaii. Make sure you have a reliable internet and mobile phone connection. Since some people still imagine Hawaiians living in grass shacks, some people may wonder: 

“What’s the Internet like in Hawaii? What about cell service? Staying connected is key to success when working remotely, so it’s important to live in a place with a reliable Internet connection. ” 

Although Hawaii has several internet providers, Hawaii ranks in the middle for broadband access compared to other US states. Fiber internet is also available in Hawaii, as well as mobile hotspots. However, don’t expect every area of ​​Hawaii to have access to the Internet or even cell phone service. Some road bends or deep in the forest or even some remote parts of Maui or the Big Island will be more difficult to connect to. Honolulu has good connectivity, so it can be a safe place to call the office when working remotely in Hawaii.  

Taking into account the time difference in Hawaii, make a schedule and stick to it. The desire to relax on the beach or go hiking in the mountains can prevent you from concentrating on your computer work; however, creating a schedule along with daily goals can help you stay focused. And after a working day, the beach will be waiting for you. 

Before you set up a remote work schedule in Hawaii, also consider the time difference with your home office or your clients. What is the time difference between New York and Honolulu? New York is six hours ahead. What is the time difference between California and Hawaii? California is three hours ahead. You may have to wake up earlier to make it to virtual meetings on time if you work remotely in Hawaii. On the plus side, you can finish work early – just in time to go surfing. In Hawaii, a typical workday runs from about 7:30 to 3:30, which is earlier than the typical 9 to 5 on the US mainland, so working earlier is usually normal in Hawaii.  

Take breaks to improve your productivity. When working from home, it’s easier to fall into the rut of work, work, work, no breaks, since you don’t necessarily have to have colleagues nearby to join them for coffee. It is important to take regularly scheduled breaks, including lunch and getting up every hour, to get the blood flowing. Even a 10-second micro-break with stretching can help re-focus and re-energize.  

Since the computer screen sometimes seems to bog down remote workers, you may want to set a timer to remind you when to take a break. Alternatively, setting a timer can motivate some people to complete a certain task by a certain time, which is important since remote work requires a lot of self-motivation. With more and more remote work options available from more employers around the world, the dream of remote work in Hawaii may become a reality for some lucky people. Remote work in Hawaii can boost the local economy and diversify industries. If working remotely suits you and you can find a reliable place to connect and create a busy schedule, Hawaii is inviting new workers to join the island lifestyle.