Neighbor isles
spur growthThe state's population has
risen 1.5 percent since 2000,
the 11th fastest rate nationally
The neighbor islands and Oahu's suburbs grew faster than urban Honolulu between the 2000 census and July 1, 2002, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
But that growth has also brought big-city problems to formerly rural areas, county officials say.
Overall the state's population grew 1.5 percent from July 2001 to July 2002 to 1,244,898 residents, the 11th-fastest growth rate among the 50 states, the Census Bureau reported. Over the two-year period, Hawaii's population grew 2.8 percent.
Maui's population grew the fastest, increasing to 134,007 by 5,913 residents -- a 4.6 percent growth rate from 2000 to 2002.
Lynn Araki-Regan, Maui County's Economic Development coordinator, said most of the population increase has occurred in South Maui.
"Being a Mauian, having lived here all my life, I have noticed the growth, especially in the last two years," she said. "It's just booming. It's a booming island."
But she said traffic has gotten worse, and there is a lack of affordable housing.
The Big Island saw 4.1 percent population growth to 154,794 residents in 2002, 6,117 more people than in April 2000.
Big Island Mayor Harry Kim thinks the census underestimated the growth on his island.
"Right now, it (population growth) means that Hawaii island, like the rest of the state, is going though tremendous changes," he said. "Life is changing, lifestyle is changing."
The undercounted population includes part-time residents who are not counted by the census, Kim said. He said all the growth has meant an increase in demands for water, power, roads and county services like public safety.
"We try to stay a step ahead of growth and changes, and for the most part I think people feel that we are probably behind especially in terms of roads and infrastructure," he said.
Suburban Oahu saw its population grow by 13,365 residents, a 2.3 percent increase. Kauai's population increased to 59,463 by 1,483 residents, a 2.5 percent rate of growth.
Meanwhile, the area between Hawaii Kai and Red Hill, which the Census Bureau designates as metropolitan Honolulu, saw the slowest rate of growth: an increase of 6,498 residents, or 1.7 percent, over two years.
The population on Oahu is now estimated at 896,019, which would make the City and County of Honolulu the 12th-largest municipality in the nation, between San Jose and Indianapolis.
But since the census considers only the metropolitan Honolulu population, we rank as the 45th-largest city with a population of 378,155.
The growth in the suburbs and rural areas has been driven in part by cheaper housing prices in Ewa and on the neighbor islands, said Gary Fuller, population studies program director at the University of Hawaii.
The census figures also show a large number of immigrants to Hawaii compared with the mainland.
"There are so many immigrant kids going to school here that it provides a special burden on the educational system here," Fuller said.
The growth in the first part of this decade is in contrast to the 1990s, when population growth slowed and even declined in 1999.
