Maui County unemployment at 3.9% for October, slightly above state’s 3.5%

Maui County’s unemployment rate for October was 3.9%, which was up from 3.7% in September and slightly higher than the statewide unemployment rate of 3.5% and the US rate of 3.7%, according to the Hawai‘i State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.

Honolulu County has the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 3.4%, with the Big Island at 3.7% and Kaua’i at 4%.

The breakdown for Maui County: Lānaʻi’s unemployment rate remained at an extremely low 1.7% while Moloka’i’s rate rose to 8.4%, 1.1% higher than in September. Maui Island’s unemployment rate ticked up to 3.8%.

When seasonally adjusted, the statewide unemployment fell to 3.4% (from 3.5% in September) and the US rate rose to 3.7% (from 3.5% in September).

Seasonally adjusted reflects hiring and layoff patterns that accompany regular events such as the winter holiday season and the summer vacation season and are done in accordance with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics methodology. These adjusted rates are not available for individual counties and islands.

Statewide, 654,050 were employed and 22,850 were unemployed in October for a total seasonally adjusted labor force of 676,900. This labor force is up 150 from October, with 800 more employed people and 650 less unemployed people.

In a separate measure of employment, total nonagricultural jobs increased by 4,900 in October over September. Job gains were experienced in leisure & hospitality (+3,800); education & health services (+400); construction (+300); financial activities (+300); information (+200); manufacturing (+100); and trade, transportation, & utilities (+100).

Within leisure & hospitality, expansion was primarily in food services & drinking places, and secondarily in accommodation; and arts, entertainment & recreation.

For the second consecutive month, all the rise in the education & health services grouping was in health care & social assistance.

Employment remained stable in professional & business services.

Job losses occurred in other services (-100). Government employment contracted by 200 jobs.

Over-the-year (October 2021 was the 19th month of pandemic effects), nonfarm jobs have gone up by 25,200, or 4.2%. However, in comparison with March 2020 (last month prior to pandemic effects), nonfarm jobs were down by 35,700, or -5.4%.