"It's 6:50 a.m. on Tuesday. I just got out of the water in Waikīkī. In about 15 minutes, I'll be home, unloading my surfboard and getting my 8-year-old out the door and off to school. That's one of the biggest perks to living in Hawaii, the place where I was born and raised and - despite the high cost of goods, an overpriced housing market, and the lack of IKEA and Trader Joe's - I chose to continue to live."
"When I returned to Hawaii after getting my master's degree at Northwestern University at the end of 1999, I got a job as a journalist at a local newspaper. I was 25 and earning $50,000 at a time when the average annual pay hovered around $35,296. The first thing I did was take my family out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. The bill was $300 for the five of us."
Hawaii exhibits very high well‑being metrics, including the second‑lowest depression rate, highest self‑reported life satisfaction, nearly 85% of adults in good or better physical health, and the longest life expectancy in the U.S. The state also maintains one of the lowest unemployment rates (2.7%) and a larger share of households earning over $75,000. Abundant natural attractions and diverse cuisine boost quality of life. However, the cost of living is extremely high, with expensive goods, housing, and limited retail options like IKEA or Trader Joe’s. Personal expenses such as rent, student loans, car loans, utilities, and childcare can strain incomes despite relatively higher wages.
Read at Apartment Therapy
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