Hawaii’s unemployment rate in April remains steady at 3.1%

Hawaii’s unemployment rate held at 3.1% in April for the fourth consecutive month even as nonagricultural jobs decreased by 1,500 from March.

By comparison, the national jobless rate rose to 3.9% from 3.8%.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has been in a tight range over the past year with its low during that stretch at 2.8% in May, June and July, according to data released today from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. The jobless rate hasn’t exceeded 3.1% since December 2022 when it was at 3.2%.

The nonagricultural sectors with the most job gains in April were private education and health services, as well as construction, both with increases of 700. Government employment declined by 2,400 jobs, primarily due to an above-average seasonal release of workers in the Department of Education.

Hawaii’s labor force in April shrunk to 671,000, from 673,100 in the previous month. Employment ranks declined to 650,150 from 652,150. There were 20,850 people unemployed compared with 21,000 in the previous month.