Honolulu County | |
|---|---|
| City and County of Honolulu Kūlanakauhale a me ke Kalana o Honolulu (Hawaiian) | |
.jpg) Downtown Honolulu, the city and county urban center | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto(s): Haʻaheo No ʻO Honolulu (The Pride of Honolulu)[1] | |
 Location in the state of Hawaii (Northwestern Hawaiian Islands not shown) | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Hawaii |
| Incorporated | April 30, 1907[2] |
| Seat | Honolulu |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| • Mayor | Rick Blangiardi (I) |
| • Council | Members[3]
|
| Area | |
• Total | 2,128 sq mi (5,510 km2) |
| • Land | 601 sq mi (1,560 km2) |
| • Water | 1,527 sq mi (3,950 km2) 71.8% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 1,016,508 |
| • Density | 1,691/sq mi (653/km2) |
| GDP | |
| • MSA | $74.422 billion (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC−10 (Hawaii–Aleutian) |
| Area code | 808 |
| Website | honolulu.gov |
Honolulu County (Hawaiian:Kalana ʻo Honolulu), officially known as theCity and County of Honolulu and formerly asOʻahu County, is aconsolidated city-county in the U.S. state ofHawaii, one of fivecounties in the state. The city-county includes bothUrban Honolulu (the state'scapital andlargest community) and the rest of the neighborhoods on the island ofOʻahu, as well as several minor outlying islands, including all of theNorthwestern Hawaiian Islands (islands beyondNiʻihau) exceptMidway Atoll.[2]
Theconsolidated city-county was established in thecity charter adopted in 1907 and accepted by theLegislature of theTerritory of Hawaii.[2] As amunicipal corporation andjurisdiction it manages aspects ofgovernment traditionally exercised by both municipalities and counties in the rest of the United States.
As of the2020 Census, the population of Honolulu County was 1,016,508.[5] Because of Hawaii's municipal structure,[6] theUnited States Census Bureau divides Honolulu County into severalcensus-designated places for statistical purposes.
TheMayor of Honolulu County isRick Blangiardi. The county motto is "Haʻaheo No ʻO Honolulu (Honolulu Pride)".[7] About 70% of the state's population lives in Honolulu County. OnlyNevada has a higher percentage of its population living inits most populous county. 43.0% of residents identify as Asian or Asian American, the highest of any U.S. county.[8]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,128 square miles (5,510 km2), of which 601 square miles (1,560 km2) is land and 1,527 square miles (3,950 km2) (71.8%) is water.[9] However, the majority of this area is the Pacific Ocean that surrounds the islands. At over 1,380 miles (2,220 km) from end to end, it is by a significant margin the widest county in the United States.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 58,504 | — | |
| 1910 | 81,993 | 40.1% | |
| 1920 | 123,496 | 50.6% | |
| 1930 | 202,887 | 64.3% | |
| 1940 | 257,696 | 27.0% | |
| 1950 | 353,020 | 37.0% | |
| 1960 | 500,409 | 41.8% | |
| 1970 | 629,176 | 25.7% | |
| 1980 | 762,565 | 21.2% | |
| 1990 | 836,231 | 9.7% | |
| 2000 | 876,156 | 4.8% | |
| 2010 | 953,207 | 8.8% | |
| 2020 | 1,016,508 | 6.6% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 998,747 | [10] | −1.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13] 1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[5] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[15] | Pop 2010[16] | Pop 2020[17] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 175,633 | 181,684 | 175,530 | 20.05% | 19.06% | 17.27% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 19,583 | 17,929 | 19,356 | 2.24% | 1.88% | 1.90% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 1,574 | 1,699 | 1,116 | 0.18% | 0.18% | 0.11% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 396,531 | 410,019 | 429,410 | 45.26% | 43.01% | 42.24% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 74,430 | 86,235 | 97,063 | 8.50% | 9.05% | 9.55% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 1,533 | 1,287 | 3,174 | 0.17% | 0.14% | 0.31% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 148,143 | 176,921 | 198,537 | 16.91% | 18.56% | 19.53% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 58,729 | 77,433 | 92,322 | 6.70% | 8.12% | 9.08% |
| Total | 876,156 | 953,207 | 1,016,508 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of thecensus[18] of 2010, there were 953,207 people, 311,047 households, and 217,842 families residing in Honolulu County. The population density was 1,461 inhabitants per square mile (564/km2). There were 315,988 housing units at an average density of 527 per square mile (203/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 43.9%Asian, 20.8%white, 9.5%Pacific Islander, 2.0%black orAfrican American, 0.3%Native American, 1.1% fromother races, and 22.3% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino residents of any race were 9.1% of the population. The largest ancestry groups were:[citation needed]
In the census of 2000, there were 286,450 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% weremarried couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.46.
In the county, 23.80% of the population was under the age of 18, 10.1% was from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.
TheUnited States Office of Management and Budget has designated Honolulu County as the Urban Honolulu, HI Metropolitan Statistical Area.[19] TheUnited States Census Bureau ranked the Urban Honolulu, HI Metropolitan Statistical Area as the54th most populousmetropolitan statistical area and the61st most populousprimary statistical area of the United States as of July 1, 2012.[20][21]
According to the county's 2022Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,[22] the top employers in the county are the following:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | State of Hawaii | 66,900 |
| 2 | United States Government | 34,700 |
| 3 | City and County of Honolulu | 18,600 |
| 4 | The Queen's Health Systems | 8,426 |
| 5 | Hawaii Pacific Health | 7,119 |
| 6 | Kaiser Foundation Health Plan | 4,382 |
| 7 | Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. | 3,649 |
| 8 | Kamehameha Schools | 3,357 |
| 9 | Oahu Transit Services Inc. | 2,063 |
| 10 | First Hawaiian Bank | 1,858 |
Other major companies headquartered in Honolulu CDP includeHawaiian Airlines,[23]Aloha Air Cargo, andBank of Hawaii.[24][25]
Honolulu County is administered under amayor–council system of governance overseeing municipal services: civil defense, emergency medical, fire, parks and recreation, police, sanitation, transportation, and water, among others. For 2013, the county has an annual operating budget ofUS$2.16 billion.[26][27]
The government of Honolulu County has three major divisions of municipal power:
Honolulu County is divided into 36 neighborhood boards. The office of neighborhood board member is an advisory position for public policy and civil investment. Members are elected to two-year terms.
TheU.S. Census Bureau lists this government as a municipal government and not as a county government.[31]
Honolulu County has nine districts, each of which elects a member of the city-county council. The boundaries of each district arerevised every ten years in conjunction with theU.S. census.
Thecivic center is coextensive with what is known as theCapitol District indowntown Honolulu. The official seat of governance for the Honolulu County is located within the district atHonolulu Hale, established in the 1920s as a city hall structure and houses the chambers of the mayor of Honolulu and the Honolulu City Council. In the 1960s and 1970s,Mayor Frank Fasi developed the modern civic center as it is known today. He took controversial and aggressive measures to reclaim property, demolish massive concrete structures in the area, construct underground parking facilities and open a green campus above ground with manicured lawns and specially commissioned sculpted artwork. He also oversaw the construction of new government buildings, to house the departments that fell within mayoral jurisdiction. The most prominent of those new buildings were the Honolulu Municipal Building and Hale Makaʻi, the headquarters of the Honolulu Police Department. Civic centers were also constructed off the Capitol District campus, including theKapiʻolani Bandstand,Neal S. Blaisdell Center, and theWaikīkī Shell.
The Honolulu County collects various forms oftaxes, including aproperty tax. Revenue from those taxes is used to provide several services for the residents.
Services include:
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TheHawaii Department of Public Safety operates three prisons, including theHalawa Correctional Facility, theWaiawa Correctional Facility, and theWomen's Community Correctional Center,[32] on the island of Oʻahu in the City and County of Honolulu.[33] In addition the Oʻahu Community Correctional Center, the jail on Oʻahu, is in the county.[34]
TheUnited States Postal Service operates post offices in Honolulu County. The main one is located by theHonolulu International Airport at 3600 Aolele Street.[35]Federal Detention Center, Honolulu, operated by theFederal Bureau of Prisons, is in the CDP.[36] TheFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Honolulufield office is inKapolei.[37] TheKunia Regional SIGINT Operations Center of theNational Security Agency (NSA) and theWheeler Army Airfield are in Honolulu County.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1960 | 65,541 | 48.75% | 68,915 | 51.25% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 33,536 | 21.58% | 121,859 | 78.42% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 71,259 | 39.11% | 108,141 | 59.35% | 2,794 | 1.53% |
| 1972 | 132,844 | 63.32% | 76,957 | 36.68% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 108,041 | 48.56% | 111,389 | 50.07% | 3,046 | 1.37% |
| 1980 | 99,596 | 44.27% | 96,472 | 42.88% | 28,927 | 12.86% |
| 1984 | 140,323 | 56.08% | 107,444 | 42.94% | 2,470 | 0.99% |
| 1988 | 120,258 | 45.97% | 138,971 | 53.13% | 2,348 | 0.90% |
| 1992 | 103,937 | 39.10% | 123,908 | 46.61% | 37,996 | 14.29% |
| 1996 | 85,779 | 33.61% | 143,793 | 56.33% | 25,684 | 10.06% |
| 2000 | 101,310 | 39.58% | 139,618 | 54.54% | 15,062 | 5.88% |
| 2004 | 144,157 | 48.29% | 152,500 | 51.08% | 1,890 | 0.63% |
| 2008 | 88,164 | 28.74% | 214,239 | 69.83% | 4,410 | 1.44% |
| 2012 | 88,461 | 29.81% | 204,349 | 68.86% | 3,932 | 1.33% |
| 2016 | 90,326 | 31.61% | 175,696 | 61.48% | 19,768 | 6.92% |
| 2020 | 136,259 | 35.66% | 238,869 | 62.51% | 6,986 | 1.83% |
| 2024 | 130,489 | 38.28% | 204,301 | 59.93% | 6,131 | 1.80% |
Honolulu County, like the rest of Hawaii, is a stronghold of theDemocratic Party. Despite this, it has tended to be the mostRepublican-leaning county in the state, with the exception of the 2024 election, whenKauai County claimed this distinction. The urban center of Honolulu itself, and the whole southeastern portion of Oahu, including Kaneohe and Kailua, is where most of the Democratic strength in the county lies. Republican majorities can be found around the southwest and western shores, and also the far north shore.[39]
Several countries have diplomatic missions in Honolulu:
Australia (Consulate General)[40]
Federated States of Micronesia (Consulate General)[41]
Japan (Consulate General)[42]
Marshall Islands (Consulate General)[43]
New Zealand (Consulate General)
Philippines (Consulate General)[44]
South Korea (Consulate General)[45]
Taiwan (Economic and Cultural Office)
Located on the western end of the Honolulu census-designated place,Honolulu International Airport (HNL) is the principal aviation gateway to the state of Hawaii. Numerous airlines fly Pacific-wide to and from Honolulu International Airport. Locally basedHawaiian Airlines also operates flights to destinations within the islands of Hawaii and to major destinations across the Pacific.
H-1
H-2
H-3
H-201
Route 61
Route 63
Route 65
Route 72
Route 80
Route 83
Route 93
Route 95
Route 99
Route 750
Route 801
Route 803
Route 830
Route 930The City and County of Honolulu's Department of Transportation Services oversees two public transportation services, each operated under contract. The fare system is shared between both services and can be paid using theHOLO card.
TheBus is thetransit bus service of the city and county of Honolulu. The system consists of 106 routes, including three express routes and two limited-stop routes.
In 2024, TheBus had a ridership of 43,206,000, or about 129,200 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2025. As of December 2017, TheBus is the nation's most heavily used public transportation system per capita among major cities.[46] The system is operated in contract with the nonprofit Oahu Transit Services Inc.
Skyline is alight metro line in the city and county of Honolulu. The first 10.8-mile (17.4 km) phase of the line betweenEast Kapolei (on theʻEwa Plain) andAloha Stadium, opened on June 30, 2023. The second phase, connecting toPearl Harbor andDaniel K. Inouye International Airport before reaching Middle Street, is anticipated to open in the summer of 2025. The final phase, continuing the line across urban Honolulu to Downtown, is due to open in 2031.
Skyline was planned, designed, and constructed by the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART), a semi-autonomous agency of the city-county government.[47] The line is operated in contract with Hitachi Rail, who also built the railcars used on the service.
Public institutions in Honolulu County are operated by theUniversity of Hawaiʻi System, which consists ofUniversity of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa,Honolulu Community College andKapiʻolani Community College in the Honolulu CDP;Leeward Community College in Pearl City;University of Hawaiʻi at West Oʻahu in Kapolei; andWindward Community College in Kaneohe. The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa houses the system's main offices.[48]
Private institutions serving the county includeChaminade University andHawaii Pacific University in the Honolulu CDP andBrigham Young University–Hawaii in Laie CDP.
TheHawaii Department of Education operates public schools and charter schools in Honolulu County.[49]
Honolulu County has one of the highest rates of private school enrollment in the United States.[50]Private schools in Honolulu County includeKamehameha Schools–Kapālama,Punahou School,ʻIolani School,Mid-Pacific Institute,Le Jardin Academy, andIsland Pacific Academy. Private religiously affiliated schools includeMaryknoll School,St. Louis School,Hawaii Baptist Academy,Hanalani Schools,Damien Memorial School,Sacred Hearts Academy, andPacific Buddhist Academy.
TheHawaii State Public Library System operates public libraries. TheHawaii State Library in the Honolulu CDP serves as the main library of the system,[51] while the Library for the Blind and Print Disabled, also in the CDP, serves disabled and blind people.[52] The system operates 22 branch libraries throughout the county.[53]
Established in 1900, theHawaii Symphony Orchestra is the oldest US symphony orchestra west of the Rocky Mountains. TheRoyal Hawaiian Band is even older, established in 1836 byKing Kamehameha III and holds the distinction of being the only full-time municipal band in the United States, as well as the only one with a royal legacy.[54][55] Other ensembles include theHawaii Opera Theatre. Honolulu is also a center forHawaiian music. The main music venues include theNeal Blaisdell Center Concert Hall, theWaikiki Shell, and theHawaii Theatre.
Honolulu also includes several venues for live theater, includingDiamond Head Theatre.
There are various institutions supported by the state and private entities for the advancement of the visual arts. TheHonolulu Museum of Art is endowed with the largest collection of Asian and Western art in Hawaii. It also has the largest collection of Islamic art, housed at theShangri La estate. Since the merger of the Honolulu Academy of Arts and The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu (now called theHonolulu Museum of Art Spalding House) in 2011, the museum is also the onlycontemporary artmuseum in the state. The contemporary collections are housed at main campus (Spalding House) inMakiki and a multi-level gallery indowntown Honolulu at theFirst Hawaiian Center. The museum hosts a film and video program dedicated to arthouse and world cinema in the museum's Doris Duke Theatre, named for the academy's historic patronessDoris Duke.
TheCapitol Modern Museum is located in downtown Honolulu inNo. 1 Capitol District Building and has a collection of art pieces created by local artists as well as traditionalHawaiian art. The museum is administered by theHawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.
Recognized internationally as the premier cultural institution of Hawaii,[56] theBishop Museum is the largest of Honolulu's museums.[57] It is endowed with the state's largest collection of natural history specimens and the world's largest collection of Hawaiiana and Pacific culture artifacts. TheHonolulu Zoo is the mainzoological institution in Hawaii while theWaikiki Aquarium is a workingmarine biology laboratory. The Waikiki Aquarium is partnered with theUniversity of Hawaiʻi and other universities worldwide. Established for appreciation ofbotany, Honolulu is home to several gardens:Foster Botanical Garden,Liliuokalani Botanical Garden,Walker Estate, among others.
Currently, Honolulu has no professional sports teams. Honolulu'sAloha Stadium was a long time host of theNFL's annualPro Bowl from 1980 to 2016. TheNCAA'sHawaii Bowl is played at Aloha Stadium annually. Games are hosted at Les Murakami and Hans L'Orange Park. Fans of spectator sports in Honolulu generally support thefootball,volleyball,basketball, andbaseball programs of theUniversity of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. High school sporting events, especially football, are especially popular. Venues for spectator sports in Honolulu include:
Honolulu's mild climate lends itself to year-round fitness activities as well. In 2004,Men's Fitness magazine named Honolulu thefittest city in the nation. Honolulu is home to three largeroad races:
Honolulu County is home to numerous forms media including newspapers, magazines, radio and television.
Honolulu'ssister cities are:[58]
Avarua, Cook Islands, 2024[59]Baguio, Philippines, 1991
Baku, Azerbaijan 1998
Bangkok, Thailand, 2025
Bruyères, France, 1960
Cali, Colombia, 2012Candon, Philippines, 2015
Caracas, Venezuela, 1990Cebu City, Philippines, 1990
Chengdu, China, 2011Chigasaki, Japan, 2014Edogawa, Japan, 2022Fengxian (Shanghai), China, 2012
Funchal, Portugal, 1979Fuzhou, China, 2021[60]Haikou, China, 1985
Havana, Cuba, 2002
Hegyvidék, Hungary, 2025Hiroshima, Japan, 1959
Huế, Vietnam, 1995Incheon, South Korea, 2003Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 1962
Kyzyl, Russia, 2004Laoag, Philippines, 1969Majuro, Marshall Islands, 2001Mandaluyong, Philippines, 2005Manila, Philippines, 1980
Mombasa, Kenya, 2000
Mumbai, India, 1970Nagaoka, Japan, 2012Naha, Japan, 1960
Noreña, Spain, 1960Qinhuangdao, China, 2010
Rabat, Morocco, 2007Saiki, Japan, 2003
San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1985Seoul, South Korea, 1976Shibuya, Japan, 2024Shonai, Japan, 2025Sintra, Portugal, 1998Uwajima, Japan, 2004Vigan, Philippines, 2003Zhangzhou, China, 2012Zhongshan, China, 1997
21°28′N157°58′W / 21.467°N 157.967°W /21.467; -157.967
Places adjacent to Honolulu County, Hawaii | ||||||||||||||||
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State ofHawaii | |
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Honolulu (capital) | |
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