HONOLULU (KHON2) — In the United States, cities and states are often ranked based on various factors like how educated people are or how well they’re doing financially.

Two important studies that looked at this recently were the “Most Educated Cities” study and the “Best-Performing Cities” report.

Both of these studies show how different areas are doing in terms of education and income, but Hawaiʻi’s cities have some very interesting rankings; so, let’s dive into what these studies found, out about Hawaiʻi.

First up, let’s talk about education.

One of the studies called “Most Educated Cities” ranked cities across the U.S. based on how many people have high school diplomas, college degrees and advanced degrees.

It also looked at things like the quality of education in the area and how fair the educational opportunities are for everyone.

So, where does Hawaiʻi stand?

Well, Honolulu, the biggest city in Hawaiʻi, came in at 28th on the list. It’s not in the top 10, but it’s definitely doing well compared to other cities.

What’s even more interesting is that Honolulu has some really cool features that make it stand out.

It ranks high when it comes to the quality of its universities; so, this means there are good places to go to school if you want to study in Hawaiʻi.

Now, Hawaiʻi is known for being a beautiful place with sandy beaches, amazing mountains and lots of fun activities; but it’s also a place where education is important.

In fact, more than 93% of people in Hawaiʻi have a high school diploma. That’s pretty good, right? When you think about it, getting your high school diploma is a huge achievement. And in Honolulu, a lot of people continue their education after high school.

It’s clear that education matters a lot in Hawaiʻi, just like it does in other parts of the country.

The study also looked at something called the “attainment gap”, which examines the difference in education levels between different groups of people.

Hawaiʻi’s ranking in this area is pretty impressive, too. The state works hard to make sure everyone, no matter their background, has a chance to get a good education.

This means that more people in Hawaiʻi are going to college or even getting advanced degrees when compared to places with bigger education gaps.

But what about money?

The second study we looked at, the “Best-Performing Cities” report that focused on how cities are doing in terms of their economy and how much money people are making.

This study is really important because it looks at both how well people are earning money and how fast a city is growing. When we look at Hawaiʻi, Honolulu again shows up; but in a different light.

It ranks 48th out of all U.S. cities in terms of economic performance.

While that may not sound great at first, it’s important to remember that Hawaiʻi has some unique challenges.

The cost of living in Hawaiʻi is really high which means things like food, gas and housing cost more than in other states. So, even though the money people make in Hawaiʻi might not be as high as in some other places, they still have to deal with higher costs.

In fact, Hawaiʻi ranks in the middle of the pack when it comes to income. The median household income in Honolulu is pretty good; but because the cost of living is also so high, it means that people don’t have as much left to spend on fun things after paying for basics like rent and food.

Even so, it’s not all bad. Hawaiʻi’s economy is growing at a steady pace; and there are job opportunities, especially in tourism, healthcare and education.

So, even though it might not be in the top 10 of the “Best-Performing Cities” list, Hawaiʻi still manages to keep its economy moving forward with tourism.

One of the coolest things to come from these studies is how Hawaiʻi is balancing both education and economic growth.

While there are challenges, the state is working hard to create more opportunities for people. The quality of education in Honolulu is getting better; and as more people get degrees, they’re able to get better jobs. Plus, the beautiful islands attract tourists, which helps the economy grow.

While Hawaiʻi might not be number one in the “Most Educated Cities” or “Best-Performing Cities” rankings, it’s definitely holding its own.

Honolulu is ranked pretty high for education. Even though it has a high cost of living, the economy is growing for tourism.

You can click here to read more about the most and least educated states and here for cities.

So, if you ever find yourself in Hawaiʻi, you can be proud to know that people here are working hard to get good educations and build strong careers, all while enjoying some of the best weather in the country!