LIHU‘E — The County of Kaua‘i labor market ended 2022 on a strong note, as key sectors of the economy added hundreds of positions to cap a 12-month, post-pandemic comeback.
Those employee additions helped send the unemployment rate down to 4 percent in December 2022 from 5.6 percent in December 2021, according to monthly data released by the Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development &Tourism.
The accommodation sector paced the growth last month, as its job rolls swelled to 4,000 from 3,500. That marked an increase of 14.3 percent in the period.
Food service and drinking places, and professional and business services each added 400 positions in December 2022. The arts, entertainment and recreation sector posted the highest percentage increase at 44.40 percent, as total employment leaped to 1,300 from 900 in the period.
Natural resources, mining and construction added 200 jobs in December 2022 to bring its total to 2,300. Health care and social assistance, other service and manufacturing rounded out the job producing sectors with each up 100.
On the downside, financial activities, retail trade and wholesale trade each shed 100 jobs in December 2022 from December 2021. Wholesale trade recorded the largest percentage drop at 20 percent.
The year-end data mark a solid turnaround for the local economy, which was hammered by the COVID-19 pandemic before slowly starting to rebound in 2022.
“You have to remember, we have been digging ourselves out of a big hole so you have to expect improvements,” said Peter Fuleky, an associate professor with The Economic Research Organization of the University of Hawaii’s Department of Economics.
Island highlights
Labor markets across the Hawaiian Islands also fared well last month. The unemployment rate in Honolulu fell to 3.4 percent in December 2022 from 4.1 percent in December 202, while the jobless rate in Hawaii County eased to 3.8 percent from 4.2 percent.
At the same time, the unemployment rate in Maui County sank to 3.8 percent from 5.3 percent. Statewide, the rate dropped to 3.6 percent from 4.4 percent. Data is not seasonally adjusted.
•••
Wyatt Haupt Jr., editor, can be reached at 808-245-0457 or whaupt@thegardenisland.com.
