State jobless rate in June remained steady at 2.8%

Hawaii’s unemployment rate held at 2.8% in June for the second month in a row as the low level continued to rank among the best in the country.

Until the last two months, the previous time the seasonally adjusted jobless rate hit 2.8% was in July 2023, according to data released today by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Prior to falling to 2.8% in May, the jobless rate had remained at 2.9% for two straight months after holding at 3.0% for the previous eight months

Hawaii’s 2.8% unemployment rate in June was tied for the fourth lowest in the nation and ranked behind only South Dakota, 1.8%; North Dakota, 2.5% and Vermont at 2.6%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Montana tied Hawaii at 2.8%.

Nationally, the unemployment rate in June dipped to 4.1% from 4.2% in May.

The state’s labor force, which includes those who are employed, those who are unemployed but actively seeking work and those who are self-employed, inched up to 689,100 in June from 688,800 in May.

Those employed increased to 669,750 from 668,350, while the number of people unemployed decreased to 19,350 from 19,500.

In a separate measure of employment, total nonagricultural jobs decreased by 1,200 in June from May. The largest loss was a decline of 1,200 positions in leisure and hospitality.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate rose in the state’s four major counties from May. State and national labor force data is adjusted for seasonal factors, but the county jobs data is not seasonally adjusted and thus does not take into account variations such as the winter holiday and summer vacation seasons.

Honolulu County’s rate rose to 3.1% from 2.4%, Hawaii County increased to 3.9% from 3.0%, Kauai County rose to 3.0% from 2.2% and Maui County increased to 3.6% from 2.9%. Within Maui County, Maui’s rate rose to 3.5% from 2.9%, Molokai’s rate rose to 6.5% from 4.0% and Lanai’s rate increased to 4.3% from 3.9%.