Maui County unemployment at year’s end dips under 4 percent

Unemployment in Maui County dipped slightly to 3.8 percent in December, just under the 4.2 percent reported in November and an improvement over the 5.3 percent recorded in December 2021.

Molokai led the county with the highest jobless rate at 4.4 percent last month, which is down from 6.8 percent in November and 7.7 percent in December 2021, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Maui island’s rate of 3.8 percent was down from 4.2 percent in November and 5.2 percent in December 2021, while Lanai’s rate of 1.3 percent was nearly identical to its 1.1 percent rate in November and an improvement over a rate of 3.9 percent in December 2021.

Aside from Kauai County at 4 percent, all other counties hovered below a 4 percent unemployment rate in December. Hawaii County matched Maui County at 3.8 percent, and Honolulu County had the lowest rate at 3.4 percent.

Statewide, the unemployment rate was 3.6 percent in December, while the U.S. rate was 3.3 percent.

The rates were not seasonally adjusted, meaning they do not take into account the hiring and layoff patterns that go along with the winter holiday and summer vacation seasons.

Seasonally adjusted, the statewide rate was 3.2 percent in December, slightly under the U.S. rate of 3.5 percent.

The size of the state’s labor force ticked downward from November to December but was still an improvement over the previous year.

Out of a total labor force of 672,300 in December, there were 651,000 people employed and 21,300 without a job, compared to 642,600 employed people and 28,900 unemployed people in December 2021.