Hawaii County Commute Time Map & Patterns
HelpCommuting in Hawaii County, Hawaii: how long it takes, when people leave home and how they get to work. Ask Map AI about any address.
Commute Time Burden in Hawaii County: Annual Hours and Cost
Commuters in Hawaii County spend about 43 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 179 hours, about 7.4 full days, spent commuting. That is 6% less time on the road than the Hawaii average of 22.8 minutes each way, a difference of 1.3 minutes.
Hawaii County holds about 14.2% of Hawaii's population but accounts for roughly 13.4% of its total commuting time.
Working from home just 2 days a week in Hawaii County would save about 71 hours of drive time a year, worth roughly $2,215 at the same national wage assumption used above.
| Area | One-Way Commute | Daily Round-Trip | Yearly Time Spent | Estimated Yearly Cost | Local Road Traffic (VPD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii County | 21.4 min | 42.9 min | 179 hrs/yr | $5,537 | 1,180 |
| Hawaii | 22.8 min | 45.5 min | 190 hrs/yr | $5,883 | 2,478 |
| United States | 22.4 min | 44.8 min | 187 hrs/yr | $5,790 | 1,355 |
The estimated yearly cost applies a single national rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area - treat it as a rough estimate, not a paycheck figure. Local road traffic counts, vehicles per day on non-highway roads, come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Commute Time Map: Hawaii Counties
- Kalawao County (4.4 min)
- Maui County (18.9 min)
- Kauai County (21.4 min)
- Honolulu County (23.5 min)
- Hawaii County (21.4 min)
- Kauai County (21.4 min)
Compare commute times among different counties
On average, it takes 21.4 minutes to get to work in Hawaii County. That's 4% shorter than the 22.4-minute U.S. average.
The most common departure window is 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM, followed by 06:30 AM – 06:59 AM. Driving is the most common commute choice, followed by working from home. About 12.1% work from home.
How People Get to Work in Hawaii County
- Car: 83.1%
- Worked at Home: 12.1%
- Walked: 1.8%
- Other: 1.6%
- Public Transportation: 0.7% unusually low
- Bicycle: 0.3%
- Motorcycle: 0.2%
- Taxi: 0.2%
Public transit is unusually rare in Hawaii County: 5.6 times less than the Hawaii average (0.7% vs 3.8%).
Commute Mode Trends in Hawaii County, 2009-2024
This chart shows how workers in Hawaii County get to work, as a share of all workers aged 16 and over, across 16 U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) releases from 2009 to 2024. Each release is a 5-year estimate: the 2024 figures cover surveys taken from 2020 to 2024. Because neighboring releases share most of their survey years, the lines move gradually, and a sudden change such as the rise of remote work in 2020 spreads across several releases. Hover over or tap a line to highlight it, and use the legend to show or hide a mode. Driving starts hidden so the smaller modes stay readable.
Show commute mode data by year
| Year | Car | Worked at Home | Walked | Other | Public Transportation | Bicycle | Taxi | Motorcycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 85.7% | 8.2% | 2.6% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| 2010 | 84.7% | 8.9% | 2.7% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| 2011 | 85.1% | 8.7% | 2.5% | 1.0% | 1.6% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| 2012 | 85.3% | 8.2% | 2.7% | 1.0% | 1.6% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| 2013 | 84.8% | 8.8% | 2.6% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.7% |
| 2014 | 85.3% | 8.4% | 2.5% | 1.2% | 1.4% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| 2015 | 86.6% | 7.7% | 2.2% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| 2016 | 86.4% | 8.0% | 2.2% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| 2017 | 86.4% | 8.4% | 2.2% | 1.0% | 1.2% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| 2018 | 87.4% | 7.5% | 2.3% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| 2019 | 87.8% | 7.3% | 2.2% | 0.6% | 1.2% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| 2020 | 86.6% | 8.6% | 2.3% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 85.9% | 9.5% | 2.2% | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| 2022 | 84.9% | 10.3% | 2.0% | 1.3% | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| 2023 | 84.4% | 10.9% | 1.9% | 1.4% | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| 2024 | 83.1% | 12.1% | 1.8% | 1.6% | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
Driving was the most common way to get to work in every release from 2009 to 2024. Its share peaked in 2019 at 87.8%. Overall it fell from 85.7% in 2009 to 83.1% in 2024, down 2.6 percentage points. It has fallen in each of the last 5 releases.
Working from home gained the most ground in Hawaii County: its share of workers rose from 8.2% in 2009 to 12.1% in 2024, up 3.9 percentage points. Most of that increase, 4.8 points, came in the releases after 2019, which include the pandemic years.
Walking lost the most ground, falling from 2.6% to 1.8% of workers (down 0.8 percentage points).
Commute Start Times in Hawaii County
What Time Do People Leave for Work in Hawaii County?
The bars show when commuters in Hawaii County leave home for work, as a share of everyone who commutes (people who work from home are not counted), from the 2024 ACS 5-year estimates. The thin violet marks show Hawaii for comparison. Hover over or tap a row for the exact numbers.
| 12:00-4:59 AM |
12:00-4:59 AM
Hawaii County7.0%
Hawaii6.7%
|
7.0% |
|---|---|---|
| 5:00-5:29 AM |
5:00-5:29 AM
Hawaii County4.6%
Hawaii5.6%
|
4.6% |
| 5:30-5:59 AM |
5:30-5:59 AM
Hawaii County5.4%
Hawaii6.7%
|
5.4% |
| 6:00-6:29 AM |
6:00-6:29 AM
Hawaii County9.6%
Hawaii11.1%
|
9.6% |
| 6:30-6:59 AM |
6:30-6:59 AM
Hawaii County11.2%
Hawaii11.0%
|
11.2% |
| 7:00-7:29 AM |
7:00-7:29 AM
Hawaii County15.6%
Hawaii14.5%
|
15.6% |
| 7:30-7:59 AM |
7:30-7:59 AM
Hawaii County10.7%
Hawaii9.4%
|
10.7% |
| 8:00-8:29 AM |
8:00-8:29 AM
Hawaii County9.7%
Hawaii9.3%
|
9.7% |
| 8:30-8:59 AM |
8:30-8:59 AM
Hawaii County3.5%
Hawaii3.8%
|
3.5% |
| 9:00-9:59 AM |
9:00-9:59 AM
Hawaii County6.2%
Hawaii6.2%
|
6.2% |
| 10:00-10:59 AM |
10:00-10:59 AM
Hawaii County2.8%
Hawaii2.8%
|
2.8% |
| 11:00-11:59 AM |
11:00-11:59 AM
Hawaii County1.8%
Hawaii1.5%
|
1.8% |
| 12:00-3:59 PM |
12:00-3:59 PM
Hawaii County7.5%
Hawaii6.9%
|
7.5% |
| 4:00-11:59 PM |
4:00-11:59 PM
Hawaii County4.4%
Hawaii4.4%
|
4.4% |
Hawaii County Hawaii Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year estimates
The busiest time to head out in Hawaii County is 7:00-7:29 AM, when 15.6% of commuters leave home, compared with 14.5% across Hawaii. Early starts are less common than in Hawaii: 17.0% of commuters leave before 6 AM, versus 19.0% there. The morning rush is more concentrated than in Hawaii: 47.3% of departures fall in the two hours from 6:30 to 8:29 AM, versus 44.2% there. About 1 in 4 commuters (22.7%) leave at 9 AM or later, which usually points to shift work, flexible hours or part-time jobs.
When people leave matters as much as how far they go. Rush-hour traffic shrinks how much ground a 20-minute trip covers, so a trade area drawn as a simple circle often takes in neighborhoods that customers or staff would never drive from and misses others that are an easy trip. A drive-time zone, also called an isochrone, outlines every place within a set number of minutes of an address, which makes it the more honest way to size a store's catchment, a hiring area or the commute from a new home.
See it for yourself on the interactive map: click any spot in Hawaii County, pick a 5, 10, 15 or 30-minute drive and see the local demographics of the people who live within that exact drive time.
Is Hawaii County Waking Up Earlier? Typical Departure Time, 2009-2024
Each line follows the typical (median) departure time: the moment by which half of commuters have already left home. Higher on the chart means a later start. Setting Hawaii County next to Hawaii and the U.S. shows whether local mornings are drifting earlier or later than everyone else's. The figures span 16 ACS 5-year releases, so changes build up gradually rather than jumping from one year to the next.
Show typical departure times by year
| Year | Hawaii County | Hawaii | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 7:18 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:37 AM |
| 2010 | 7:17 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2011 | 7:17 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2012 | 7:17 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2013 | 7:19 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:39 AM |
| 2014 | 7:20 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:39 AM |
| 2015 | 7:21 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2016 | 7:20 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2017 | 7:20 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2018 | 7:19 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:37 AM |
| 2019 | 7:18 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:37 AM |
| 2020 | 7:19 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:37 AM |
| 2021 | 7:19 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:37 AM |
| 2022 | 7:21 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:37 AM |
| 2023 | 7:21 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2024 | 7:24 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:38 AM |
In 2024, half of commuters in Hawaii County were on the road by 7:24 AM, 5 minutes later than in 2009 (7:18 AM). Hawaii followed the same path, with the typical start moving 7 minutes later. Commuters in Hawaii County now leave 14 minutes earlier than the typical American commuter (7:38 AM). Since the 2019 release, which covers the years just before the pandemic, the typical start in Hawaii County has moved 5 minutes later. The 2024 release is the latest typical start for Hawaii County in the whole series.
How does Hawaii County's commute time compare?
| Metric | Hawaii County | Hawaii | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Commute Time | 21.4 min | 22.8 min | 22.4 min |
| Departure Window | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM |
| Secondary Departure Window | 06:30 AM – 06:59 AM | 06:00 AM – 06:29 AM | 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM |
| Work From Home | 12.1% | 9.6% | 15.0% |
| Walked | 1.8% | 4.2% | 2.4% |
| Public Transit | 0.7% | 3.8% | 3.2% |
The average commute time in Hawaii County is 21.4 minutes, shorter than the 22.8 minutes in Hawaii.
0.7% commute by public transit, lower than the 3.8% in Hawaii. 1.8% commute by walking, lower than the 4.2% in Hawaii.
Hawaii County, HI Commute Compared With Nearby Counties
Hawaii County, HI is the 2nd largest of the 5 counties compared here, 204,351 residents against a local median of 119,126. Where Hawaii County, HI breaks from the counties next to it is work from home, sitting 37% above the local median of 8.9% at 12.1%.
The counties themselves spread 4.1% on work from home, so Hawaii County, HI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Hawaii County, HI has the highest work from home of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | One-way commute | Work from home | Typical departure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii County, HI | 204,351 | 21.4 min #4/5 | 12.1% #1/5 | 7:23 AM #3/5 |
| Maui County, HI | 164,522 | 18.9 min | 10.2% | 7:28 AM |
| Kalawao County, HI | 67 | 4.4 min | 6.1% | 5:55 AM |
| Kauai County, HI | 73,731 | 21.4 min | 8.6% | 7:24 AM |
| Honolulu County, HI | 997,376 | 23.5 min | 9.1% | 7:15 AM |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about commuting in Hawaii County, Hawaii.
Is living in Hawaii County, Hawaii good for avoiding long commute costs?
Commuters here spend an estimated 179 hours a year on the road, worth roughly $5,537 at a typical national wage. That's 6% less than the typical Hawaii commuter spends.
When is peak congestion during the morning commute in Hawaii County, Hawaii?
Traffic peaks between 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM in Hawaii County, Hawaii. Leaving before or after this window is the single easiest way to avoid the heaviest local congestion, though 06:30 AM – 06:59 AM also sees a secondary bump.
Is public transportation a realistic commute option in Hawaii County, Hawaii?
Public transit usage is significantly lower here than typical: about 0.7% of commuters use it versus 3.8% in Hawaii, meaning a personal vehicle is essential for most workers.
How do commute times compare across counties in Hawaii?
Among counties in Hawaii, the shortest average commutes are in Kalawao County (4.4 min), Maui County (18.9 min), Kauai County (21.4 min). The longest are in Honolulu County (23.5 min), Hawaii County (21.4 min), Kauai County (21.4 min).