Based on the most recent estimates released by the US Census, we estimate the 2018 population of Hawaii at 1.43 million.

At the 2010 census the population of Hawaii was declared at a total of 1,360,301. Estimates of the population are produced in the years between censuses - and in 2015, this number had risen to 1,431,603.

This represents a 5.2% increase from the 1.36 million recorded during the 2010 Census.

Based on the most recent estimates, Hawaii is the 40th largest state in the union. Although small in terms of its population, Hawaii is big in terms of one area of census statistics – population density. In total, the islands make up 10,931 square miles (28,311 square kilometres), which makes its density 222.9 people per square mile. This ranks it 13th in the US in population density.

Population of Hawaiian Islands

There are eight major islands in Hawaii. Oahu is the largest, with a population of 953,207.

Next largest is Hawaii itself, holding 186,738 people, followed closely by Maui (144,444). The only other island with a sizeable population is Kauai (pop 66,921). The remaining islands are Molokai (7,345), Lanai (3,135), Niihau (170) and Kahoolawe (unpopulated).

Honolulu is the largest city in Hawaii, home to an estimated 350,399 of Oahu's people. There are no other cities with more than 50,000 people. The next largest is Pearl City, which is home to 47,698 people.

Hawaii Population History

Hawaii was an independent nation prior to being annexed by the United States in 1898; it was made a territory in 1900. On August 21, 1959, Hawaii was admitted as a State and assumed its present boundaries, omitting certain small islands formerly included in the territory.

Census coverage has included the whole of Hawaii since 1900. The Hawaiian government conducted at least 9 censuses between 1850 and 1898; see Robert C Schmitt, Historical Statistics of Hawaii (Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii, 1977).