Quality of Life Score
50.49
State Comparison
California vs Hawaii
California is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in California, Hawaii has higher incomes, Hawaii has lower state income tax, and California gets more sunshine.
California
16
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
Hawaii
15
/ 31
metrics won
HI wins Housing
CA wins Quality of Life
CA wins Climate
CA wins Demographics
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
California
winner
vs
Hawaii
California scores higher on quality of life — 1.11 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
California is 48.3 points cheaper overall
California has the lower cost-of-living index. California is at 138.5, while Hawaii is at 186.8.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $4.18 further in California
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $92.31 of local buying power in California, versus $88.13 in Hawaii.
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Income
Hawaii income is 4.6% higher
Hawaii has the higher median household income at $88,005, compared with $84,097 in California.
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Jobs
California has the higher minimum wage
California has the higher statewide minimum wage at $16.50/hr, compared with $16.00/hr in Hawaii.
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Housing
Hawaii homes cost about 1.2x more
California has the lower median home value at $693,700, versus $814,500 in Hawaii.
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Taxes
Hawaii has lower state income tax
Hawaii has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 11.00%, compared with 13.30% in California.
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Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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California
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 13.3%)
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- After state tax
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- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Hawaii
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 11.0%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (113.4 for California, 119.3 for Hawaii). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
California
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: California
- California has a lower overall cost of living.
- California has a lower housing cost index.
- California has lower median home values.
- California education proxy is higher.
- California has more sunny days.
Cons
- California shows lower median income.
- California has higher property tax rates on average.
- California has a higher violent crime rate.
- California job growth trend is weaker.
- California health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- California health coverage access proxy is weaker.
Hawaii
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Hawaii
- Hawaii shows higher median income.
- Hawaii has lower property tax rates on average.
- Hawaii has a lower violent crime rate.
- Hawaii job growth trend is stronger.
- Hawaii health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Hawaii health coverage access proxy is stronger.
Cons
- Hawaii has a higher overall cost of living.
- Hawaii has a higher housing cost index.
- Hawaii has higher median home values.
- Hawaii education proxy is lower.
- Hawaii has fewer sunny days.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
CA
|
HI
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Sacramento | Honolulu |
|
State Color
|
Solid Blue | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
39,538,223
|
1,455,271
|
|
Median Income
|
$84,097
|
$88,005
|
|
Cost of Living
|
138.5
|
186.8
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$693,700
|
$814,500
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.70%
|
0.27%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
13.30%
|
11.00%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$16.50/hr
|
$16.00/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$5.929/gal
|
$5.595/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
30.29 c/kWh
|
39.79 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
50.49
|
49.38
|
|
Average Temperature
|
59.4°F
|
70.0°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
146 days
|
90 days
|
|
Land Area
|
163,696 sq mi
|
10,932 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
241.5 per sq mi
|
133.1 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
September 9, 1850 (#31)
|
August 21, 1959 (#50)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
17
shown
Saving Money
California is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 138.5 vs 186.8 in Hawaii. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
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Gas Price
Hawaii is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $5.595/gal in Hawaii vs $5.929/gal in California. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Minimum Wage
California has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $16.50/hr in California vs $16.00/hr in Hawaii. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
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Electricity Rates
California has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 30.29 c/kWh in California vs 39.79 c/kWh in Hawaii. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
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Buying a Home
California is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 8.25x in California vs 9.26x in Hawaii. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
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Renting
Hawaii is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 25.0% in Hawaii vs 26.5% in California. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
Population
California has a larger population than Hawaii by 38,082,952 people.
Population Density
California is more densely populated than Hawaii.
Bachelor's Degree
California has a higher college-educated share than Hawaii.
Advanced Degree
California has a higher advanced-degree share than Hawaii.
People Also Ask
California vs Hawaii - Common Questions
Q Is California cheaper to live in than Hawaii?
California has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), California scores 138.5 versus 186.8 for Hawaii - a gap of 48.3 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - California or Hawaii?
$100 goes further in California. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $92.31 in California, compared with $88.13 in Hawaii.
Q Which state is bigger - California or Hawaii?
California is larger, covering 163,696 sq mi compared with 10,932 sq mi for Hawaii - roughly 15.0x the size.
Q Does California or Hawaii have more people?
California has the larger population at 39,538,223, compared with 1,455,271 in Hawaii.
Q Which state has higher household income - California or Hawaii?
Hawaii has the higher median household income at $88,005, versus $84,097 in California.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - California or Hawaii?
Hawaii has the lower state income tax top rate at 11.00%, compared with 13.30% in California.
Q Is housing cheaper in California or Hawaii?
Homes are cheaper in California, where the median home value is $693,700, versus $814,500 in Hawaii.
Q Which state is more densely populated - California or Hawaii?
California is more densely populated at 241.5 per sq mi people per sq mi. Hawaii is more spread out at 133.1 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.