Maui County

Maui County, Hawaii — key demographics (latest Census/ACS)

Population size

• 168,000 (July 1, 2023 estimate); 164,754 (2020 Census)

Age

• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~20%
• Median age: ~41–42 years

Gender

• Female: ~49%
• Male: ~51%

Racial/ethnic composition (percent of total population)

• White (alone): ~36%
• Asian (alone): ~29%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (alone): ~11%
• Black or African American (alone): ~0.6%
• American Indian and Alaska Native (alone): ~0.4%
• Two or more races: ~24%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~12%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~26%

Household data

• Households: ~56,800
• Average household size: ~2.9 persons
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~64%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey; Vintage 2023 Population Estimates). Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

• Estimated email users: ~120,000 adults in Maui County (population ~164,000; ~80% adults; ~93% of adults online; ~95% of online adults use email).
• Age distribution of email users (approximate share of users): 18–34: 24%; 35–49: 26%; 50–64: 28%; 65+: 22%. Older cohorts are slightly underrepresented in email use but still highly engaged.
• Gender split: ~50% female, ~50% male among users; adoption gap is under 2 percentage points, effectively parity.
• Digital access trends: ~95% of households have a computer and ~89% have a broadband subscription (ACS 2022). About 13% are smartphone‑only internet households. 5G is widely available in population centers; fiber/cable dominate Central and South Maui, while East Maui, Moloka‘i, and Lāna‘i show more reliance on cellular and fixed‑wireless.
• Local density/connectivity facts: Population density ~140 people per square mile, with service strongest in the Kahului–Wailuku–Kīhei corridor and West Maui. Public libraries and county sites provide free Wi‑Fi. Fixed 100/20 Mbps service is available to most households in populated areas (FCC 2023). Overall email reach is high and tracks closely with the county’s strong but uneven broadband footprint.

Based on ACS (Computer and Internet Use), FCC broadband data (2023), and Pew Research on email adoption by age/gender.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Maui County, Hawaii

Resident user base (estimates)

• Residents: roughly 165,000. Adults (18+): about 130,000–135,000.
• Mobile phone users (any cellphone): approximately 125,000–130,000 adults (about 95–97% of adults).
• Smartphone users: approximately 115,000–122,000 adults (about 88–90% of adults).
• Wireless-only for voice (no landline at home): roughly 70–75% of adults, modestly higher than the state average, reflecting fewer active landlines outside the Honolulu urban core.
• Cellular-only home internet (households relying on a cellular data plan without cable/fiber/DSL): approximately 14–17% of households in Maui County versus roughly 11–13% statewide.

Demographic usage patterns

• Age: Adults 18–34 have near-universal smartphone adoption (97–99%); adults 65+ are lower (75–82%). Because Maui County skews slightly older than Honolulu County, overall smartphone adoption is a bit lower than the state average.
• Income: Lower-income households show higher reliance on smartphones as their primary internet connection and higher cellular-only internet rates than the state average, particularly on Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i where wireline options are sparse.
• Race/ethnicity and geography: Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) households and residents in rural districts (Hāna, Upcountry, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i) exhibit higher mobile-dependency for internet access than county averages, driven by cost and availability of fixed broadband.
• Workforce and tourism: Hospitality and seasonal employment contribute to a higher share of prepaid and bring-your-own-device plans than in Honolulu County. Visitor volumes create noticeable, location-specific surges in mobile data demand in resort areas.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Networks: All three national carriers provide 4G LTE across populated areas of Maui; coverage is thinner and less overlapping on Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i than on Maui island.
• 5G footprint:
  • Low-band 5G covers most populated corridors of Maui island (Kahului–Wailuku–Kīhei–Wailea and along Honoapi‘ilani Highway); coverage on Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i is more limited.
  • Mid-band 5G (e.g., 2.5 GHz or C-band) is concentrated in urban/tourist hubs (Kahului, Wailuku, Kīhei/Wailea, and west Maui). Density and capacity are lower than in Honolulu County.
• Capacity hotspots: Airport/Kahului industrial zone, Kīhei/Wailea resorts, and west Maui resorts experience sustained high mobile traffic; community centers on Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i see peak-time strain due to fewer sectors and limited backhaul.
• Backhaul and resilience: Central Maui has better fiber backhaul; rural districts rely more on microwave. Post-2023 wildfire work in west Maui included rapid deployment of portable cell sites, site hardening, and expanded backup power; permanent rebuild has improved redundancy but mid-band 5G density still lags O‘ahu.
• Fixed wireless access (FWA): Adoption is comparatively higher than the state average outside Honolulu, filling gaps where cable/fiber are unavailable or costly. A meaningful share of net-new home broadband in 2023–2024 in Maui County came via 5G FWA.

How Maui County trends differ from state-level

• Slightly lower overall smartphone penetration than the state average, driven by older age mix and rural share.
• Higher dependence on cellular-only internet in rural tracts (Hāna, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i) relative to the state, reflecting fewer fixed-broadband options.
• Lower mid-band 5G site density and capacity than Honolulu County; performance is more variable by location and time of day.
• Greater sensitivity of mobile traffic to tourism patterns, with pronounced resort-area peaks and airport-adjacent congestion, unlike the more commuter-centric Honolulu profile.
• Infrastructure recovery and hardening after the 2023 wildfire is a uniquely Maui County factor, leading to improved backup power and temporary coverage solutions in west Maui, but with ongoing capacity balancing as permanent sites are rebuilt.

Notes on methodology

• Counts are derived by applying recent statewide adoption rates (Pew and ACS-based measures) to Maui County’s adult population and adjusting for Maui’s older and more rural profile; cellular-only internet shares are based on ACS S2801-style household subscription distributions with county-level adjustments.
• Figures are presented as bounded estimates to reflect realistic variance while providing definitive, decision-ready order-of-magnitude statistics.

Maui County, HI social media snapshot (2024–2025)

User base and penetration

• Population: ~165,000 (U.S. Census Bureau 2023 estimate; Maui County includes Maui, Moloka‘i [except Kalaupapa], Lāna‘i, Kaho‘olawe)
• Adults (18+): ~130,000
• Social media users (adults using at least one platform): ~105,000–110,000 (≈80–85% of adults; modeled from Pew Research Center 2024 U.S. adoption)

Most-used platforms (share of adults; Maui estimates aligned to Pew 2024 U.S. rates)

• YouTube: 83% (108k adult users)
• Facebook: 68% (88k)
• Instagram: 47% (61k)
• TikTok: 33% (43k)
• Pinterest: 35% (46k)
• LinkedIn: 30% (39k)
• Snapchat: 27% (35k)
• X (Twitter): 22% (29k)
• Reddit: 22% (29k)
• WhatsApp: 21% (27k)
• Nextdoor: 19% (25k)

Age profile and platform tendencies (local age structure skews slightly older than U.S. average; adoption rates based on Pew 2024 patterns)

• 18–29: Very high overall use (≈90%+). Heaviest on Instagram (70–80%), TikTok (60%+), Snapchat (60%+), YouTube (95%).
• 30–49: High use (≈85–90%). Facebook (70–75%), YouTube (90%+), Instagram (45–55%), TikTok (35–45%), LinkedIn (~35%).
• 50–64: Solid use (≈70–80%). Facebook (70%+), YouTube (80%+), Instagram (25–35%), TikTok (20–30%), Pinterest (35–45%), Nextdoor (20%+).
• 65+: Moderate use (≈45–60%). Facebook (55–60%), YouTube (60%+), Instagram (10–20%), Nextdoor (20%), LinkedIn/TikTok lower.

Gender breakdown (directional differences consistent with Pew 2024)

• Overall user base ≈ evenly split by gender in Maui.
• Platform skews: Pinterest is female-skewed (women ~50% vs men ~18% in the U.S.); Reddit and YouTube skew male; Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok slightly female-skewed; Facebook broadly balanced with stronger usage among women 50+.

Behavioral trends observed locally

• Community and mutual-aid reliance: Facebook Groups (neighborhood, buy/sell/trade, school and sports, wildfire recovery) and Nextdoor are primary for hyperlocal info, lost-and-found, housing leads, and event coordination.
• Small business and tourism marketing: Instagram and Facebook drive discovery and bookings for food trucks, tours, artisans, and wellness. Short-form video (Reels/TikTok) showcasing beaches, hikes, and local food performs best; UGC and creator collabs are common.
• Customer messaging: DMs (Instagram/Facebook) and WhatsApp are widely used for reservations, order pickups, and customer support, especially by microbusinesses.
• Civic and emergency comms: Residents follow County of Maui and local news on Facebook/YouTube for live updates (weather, road closures like Hāna Hwy, wildfire and recovery info). Posts with official sources and clear calls-to-action get higher engagement due to heightened scam awareness.
• Content norms: High engagement for culturally respectful, sustainability-minded content (reef-safe sunscreen, marine life etiquette, “pack in–pack out”). Scenic sunrise/sunset, surf, and trail conditions posts drive recurring daily engagement.
• Posting cadence: Peaks in early evening and weekends; real-time updates (traffic, surf, closures) outperform scheduled posts. Cross-posting between Instagram and Facebook remains standard practice.

Notes on methodology and sources

• Counts and percentages are derived by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult platform adoption rates to Maui County’s adult population from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2023). Platform and demographic skews reflect Pew 2024; local behavioral insights reflect Hawaii/Maui media usage patterns observed by newsrooms, public agencies, and small businesses.