Fellows mentioned in this story: Josh Wisch

From Hawai‘i News Now:

A 2025 Affordability Survey released by nonprofit Holomua Collective shows residents earning six figure salaries are feeling more pressure to move to the mainland, not just because of the high cost of living in Hawai‘i, but also the lack of opportunity, and higher pay for the same job elsewhere.

According to a 2025 CNBC report, the median income for a household of three in Hawai‘i is $95,322, with a range from $63,542 to $190,644 to be considered “middle class.” And while earning six figures used to mean living comfortably, for many in Hawai‘i, that’s no longer the case.

President and executive director Josh Wisch says the outmigration of these middle-income workers, including teachers, emergency response workers, healthcare providers, engineers and other professionals, has a devastating impact on our local economy.

“On paper our wages actually might look pretty good and the moment you adjust them for inflation, it’s actually quite bad,” Wisch said.

Watch at hawaiinewsnow.com.