By Benjamin Finnerty (S), REALTOR® (RS-83812) with Keller Williams Realty Maui · Kīhei, Maui · 808-481-9748

Quick Answer: The Maui job market is still tight. Maui island’s unemployment rate was 2.9% in August 2026 (not seasonally adjusted), up from 2.4% a year earlier, according to DLIR, versus 4.1% nationally. Maui visitor arrivals were up 6.0% for January to August 2026, and Hawaiʻi’s $16 minimum wage is scheduled to reach $18 on January 1, 2028.

I’m Benjamin Finnerty, a REALTOR® in Kīhei with Keller Williams Realty Maui, and the first question I hear from people thinking about moving to Maui is usually “Can I find work there?” The job question and the housing question are tied together here, so this is how I read the latest numbers.

How strong is the Maui job market in 2026?

By national standards, very strong. DLIR’s August 2026 figures, released September 17, show:

Area	August 2026 unemployment
Maui island	2.9%
Molokaʻi	3.6%
Lānaʻi	3.4%
Hawaiʻi statewide (seasonally adjusted)	2.7%
United States (seasonally adjusted)	4.1%

Maui’s rate edged up from 2.8% in July and 2.4% in August 2025, so the market has loosened slightly over the past year. Statewide, Hawaiʻi had about 692,750 people in the labor force in August, and nonfarm jobs were up 1,300 (0.2%) from a year earlier.

The month-to-month changes statewide show where hiring is shifting. In August, professional and business services added 700 jobs and government added 500, while leisure and hospitality lost 700 and private education and health services lost 500.

How is tourism affecting jobs on Maui in 2026?

Tourism had a rough August but is still ahead of 2025 for the year. Tourism remains Maui’s largest industry, so visitor numbers matter if you’re looking at hotel, restaurant, retail or activity jobs. The Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) reported:

Maui visitors	2026	2025	Change
August arrivals	201,789	213,639	-5.5%
August spending	$416.9 million	$461.3 million	-9.6%
January to August arrivals	1,819,840	n/a	+6.0%
January to August spending	$4.30 billion	$3.97 billion	+8.1%

DBEDT tied the August decline to Hurricane Lala (August 14 to 16) and Tropical Storm Moke (August 22 to 24), which disrupted flights across the state. Year to date, Maui’s visitor industry is still ahead of 2025, an encouraging sign for workers in those fields as West Maui continues to recover.

What does work pay, and what does it cost to live on Maui?

Hawaiʻi’s minimum wage went to $16.00 an hour on January 1, 2026, and the next step, to $18.00, is scheduled for January 1, 2028. Many jobs pay well above that, but it’s a useful floor when you’re planning.

Housing is the big number on the cost side. According to the REALTORS® Association of Maui, the Maui County median from January through August 2026 was $1,225,000 for a single-family home and $650,000 for a condo. For a sense of local incomes, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey estimates Wailuku’s median household income at $102,942.

Utilities add up too. My post on Maui electricity rates in 2026 explains why bills have risen sharply this year, so ask about utility costs whenever you compare rentals or homes.

What should I do before moving to Maui for work?

Line up the job first if you can, then rent before you buy. Here is how I break it down:

• Line up the job first. A signed offer makes it much easier to rent, and later to qualify for a mortgage. Lenders generally want to see stable, documented income.
• Rent before you buy. Six to twelve months of renting lets you learn the commute and the neighborhoods before making a long-term decision. My post on renting on Maui before you buy covers current rent data.
• Think about the commute. Many jobs are in Central Maui (Kahului and Wailuku), while many resort jobs are in Wailea, Kāʻanapali and Kapalua. Where you live affects your daily drive more than most newcomers expect. See my guide to living in Wailuku and Kahului if Central Maui is on your list.
• If you work remotely, plan for time zones. Hawaiʻi doesn’t observe daylight saving time, so you’ll be two to three hours behind the West Coast and five to six hours behind the East Coast, depending on the season.
• Talk with a local lender early. Even if you’ll rent first, knowing what you can qualify for helps you plan your savings and timeline.

My Take: What I’m Telling People Moving to Maui

Low unemployment means finding work is usually not the hardest part. The bigger challenge for most newcomers is matching pay to Maui’s housing costs. With a $1,225,000 countywide single-family median and a $650,000 condo median for January through August 2026, I encourage people to run the numbers on a specific job offer before they sign a lease, not after.

I also watch the tourism figures closely. August’s storm-driven dip is a reminder that visitor-industry income can swing month to month, while the year-to-date gains of 6.0% in arrivals and 8.1% in spending point the other way. If your income depends on tourism, I suggest building a cushion into your budget rather than planning around a strong month.

Finally, choose where you live around where you’ll work. A home in South Maui and a job in Kāʻanapali is a very different daily life than living and working in Central Maui.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the unemployment rate on Maui?

DLIR reported Maui island’s unemployment rate at 2.9% for August 2026, not seasonally adjusted.

Is it hard to find a job on Maui?

Unemployment is low, so employers in many fields are hiring. The bigger challenge for most newcomers is matching pay to Maui’s housing costs, not finding work at all.

What is the minimum wage in Hawaiʻi in 2026?

$16.00 an hour since January 1, 2026, rising to $18.00 on January 1, 2028.

How is Maui tourism doing in 2026?

Visitor arrivals and spending fell in August because of storms, but for January through August 2026 Maui arrivals were up 6.0% and spending up 8.1% from 2025.

Ask Benjamin

If you’re weighing a move, I’m happy to talk through areas near where you’ll work, what renting and buying cost today, and how to time it all. I’m Benjamin Finnerty, and you can call or text me at 808-481-9748 or email benjamin@the808team.com whenever it’s convenient.

Sources: Hawaiʻi DLIR August 2026 unemployment release (via the Office of the Governor); Maui Now (Sept. 18 and Sept. 30, 2026); Hawaiʻi DBEDT August 2026 visitor statistics; Hawaiʻi DLIR minimum wage release (Dec. 15, 2025); REALTORS® Association of Maui; U.S. Census Bureau.