About Hawai‘i County
The Island of Hawai‘i (a.k.a. the Big Island) is composed of 4.1M acres of land. Approximately 32% of this land area is forested and 32% is in crop land. In 2002, 62% of the farms on this island were less than 9 acres (2,009 farms), and 25% were between 10 to 49 acres (818 farms). Hawai‘i Island is a geographically and biologically diverse island with six of the 12 soil orders, and an amazing 25 of the 130 life zones found world-wide.
The total market value of diversified agriculture (crops, livestock, and aquaculture) in Hawai‘i Island during 2007 is $334M. The top 7 diversified agricultural industries on this island are:
- a) flowers and nursery production ($51.8 M, 49% of state total);
- b) coffee ($25.6 M, 69% of state total value);
- c) macadamia nuts ($24.6 M, 100% of state total value);
- d) fruits excluding pineapple ($22.8M, 75% of state total value);
- e) aquaculture ($20.2M, 80% of state total value);
- f) cattle ($19.7 M, 75% of state total value); and
- g) vegetables, ginger root, herbs and melons ($10.1M, 21% of state total value).
The landscape industry is not included in the Statistics of Hawai‘i Agriculture, but its value state-wide was estimated at $500M in 2000, and it was projected to increase. The value of forestry (high-value hardwoods, mostly koa) in the state of Hawai`i was estimated as $30.7M in 2001, and most of the forests are located on Hawai‘i Island.
The Island of Hawai‘i has a population of over 171,000 people in 2006 or 13% of the state’s population (State of Hawai‘i DBEDT, 2008). Between 2000 and 2006, the population on Hawai‘i Island increased 15% compared to the statewide increase of 6%. The median household income in Hawai‘i County is $42,000 compared to the statewide median of $51,400.