Isles’ population
growth among
smallest in
nation: 0.1%
About 17,000 more U.S.
By Pete Pichaske
citizens moved away from
Hawaii than moved here
Star-BulletinWASHINGTON -- Hawaii's population grew by a minuscule 0.1 percent in the past year, one of the smallest rates in the nation and another reflection, demographers suggest, of the state's torpid economy.
Figures released today by the U.S. Census Bureau show Hawaii is estimated to have gained only 944 people from July 1997 to July 1998.
The state added about 10,000 people because of its historically high birth rates and low death rates, and another 6,400 newcomers arrived from abroad.
But those increases were nearly offset by domestic migration. Nearly 17,000 more Americans moved away from Hawaii than moved to the isles, a negative migration rate exceeded only by the District of Columbia.
"That's the factor holding down Hawaii's growth," said Census Bureau demographer Marc Perry. "More people are moving out than are moving in.
"Economic conditions definitely are one of the factors that drives migration," he added. "It's not the only one, but it's one of the main ones."
Two other factors bring Hawaii's net gain to 944, the Census Bureau said: the net federal movement, which includes military people, and the statistical residual, a technical numbers adjustment akin to the margin of error in a poll.
Nationally, population rose 1 percent, according to the Census Bureau.
Several states had noticeably higher rates, including Nevada (4.1 percent), Arizona (2.5) and Georgia and Colorado (2.0).
The only states with smaller growth rates than Hawaii actually lost population: North Dakota (-0.4 percent), West Virginia (-0.2) and Pennsylvania (-0.1).
Official state populations will not be determined until the 2000 Census is complete.
The figures are used to determine funding levels for many federal programs, as well as each state's representation in Congress.
The impact of population shifts on Hawaii will not be known for years, although it is now a near certainty that Hawaii will neither gain nor lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, according to a private analysis company, Election Data Service.
Population growth in the isles has slowed dramatically in the past few years.
According to Perry, the annual growth in the past four years has been 0.6 percent, 0.4 percent, 0.4 percent and this year's 0.1 percent.
