Rising Prices, Increasing Poverty, Slowing Job Growth: Hawaii’s Economy Faces Grim Times
The Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice’s Hawaii Budget and Policy Center last week pointed to new census data showing poverty in the state increased by 1.9% for individuals and 1.6% for families between 2019 and 2021. That means 28,000 more individuals and 6,400 more families were living in poverty in 2021 than 2019. Median incomes decreased by 3.6%, representing a loss of $3,200 in annual income.