Some may say “good”. That would be extremely shortsighted. Oahu’s population fell below one million in 2022 as the exodus from our islands continues. Over 31,000 O`ahu residents moved; thus we have fewer people gathering in “The Gathering Place”. The implications and ramifications of out-migration have already begun to have a ripple effect that will impact the lives of those opting to stay.
As has been stated often, we already have a local labor shortage, so workers of all kinds moving away exacerbates that problem, now and further on down the road. Add in incessant local housing problems, lack of high-paying industries, and the creeping cost of living concerns, and these latest figures, while not really surprising, continue to be troubling. This is not an anomaly; we’ve lost population here annually from 2017-2022.
If the exercise of discussing what to do to alleviate the brain drain doesn’t result in some actions and bold business outreach soon, this trend will undoubtedly continue. Our remaining population continues to age, and getting things done in many areas will be more frustrating than ever. When asked in 2019 what makes it so tough to practice in Hawai`i, a group of neurologists blamed the cost of living, bureaucracy, lack of skilled specialists, and salaries/reimbursement rates as reasons for their greatest angst.
Have those issue improved pre-, during, and post-COVID? The top reasons for staying here included location, family ties, and lifestyle for these docs. “Should I stay or should I go?” self-chats surely increase anxiety- and this is just a snapshot from one highly-specialized and vital profession from four years ago.
Business and social exercises that take the time to offer treatises on the Hawai`i we’d like to see/have in 2050 and beyond will be moot if we don’t start to plug the emigration pukas; we’re leaking people.
Fewer residents portend lower overall spending rates- bad for business and for necessary tax garnering. With local birth rates declining over the past decade, it’s unlikely that we’re going to gain people “naturally”. Having/raising kids is expensive.
Tourism estimates for 2nd quarter and beyond are not shaping up well; so while having a quieter, less crowded O`ahu might have some advantages, sustaining that “good old days” mentality isn’t realistic in 2023 and beyond if we want to enjoy many of the things that still make Hawai`i special. Who’s going to step up and create bold action?
Think about it…