5 Reasons Why Many People Don’t Live on the Big Island of Hawaii

RainbowJulie


One of the search terms someone used to find my blog today stated, “Why don’t many people live on the Big Island of Hawaii?”

I just have to throw a few in here, and if you have more  feel free to add to the list in the comments.

1. 70% of the Big Island is zoned agriculture-forever.

2. Out of the 70% of open farm/ranch land, 20% is covered in lava and national parks.

3. From what is left, a large percentage is taken by resorts/time shares and seasonally used condominiums and mansions.

4. Of the available homes that are left for us schmoes, they are increasingly getting more expensive and living on this island, you have the highest energy prices in the country.

5. It takes a certain person to live here..you either have been here for a long time and your family is here with you, or you left everything behind on the mainland and can fly back, have learned to use Skype effectively, or you stay for less than three years. Paradise has its price.

Many people don’t live on the island due to the hazard of losing their home to an active lava flow. Or getting caught up in a hurricane or tsunami.  When you live here, you take the risks of living on a volcanic island..we all do. It is the choice we have made to live here and for many of us, it is about affordability as much as it is about the natural beauty. We are a resilient bunch over here.

The good news for tourists is:

1. That there are no crazy freeways with thousands of people commuting to navigate

2. If you want to get away from the masses, well, you found a good place.

3. You want to eat fresh and local? Well, we have plenty of land growing it 365!

4. Looking for a five acre farm to realize your dream of growing coffee, cacao, mangos, avocados, papayas, lettuce, macadamias, and/or vanilla? Contact me at Julie@Ziemelis.com and I will send you listing information!

5. With only 186,000 of us living on a piece of land the size of Connecticut, you can rest assured that while you are visiting our lovely island that you won’t find too many crowds at the beaches, movies, concerts, or hiking trails. I can guarantee it!

But..you may find we have a few cracks in the roadways to keep the masses at bay! (Kidding! This is at the Volcanoes National Park after the eruption!)

If you are looking to make a move to the island, check out my Moving to Hawaii resources. 

Spread the word if you love what you heard! #365kona so we can say Thanks!

Meet the Author

Julie Ziemelis

Julie Ziemelis is an entrepreneur, business owner, author, blogger and vlogger in Kailua Kona. She created and moderates the “365 Things to Do in Kona” page and the Kona Newbies group on Facebook. She blogs at 365Kona.com and MoveToHawaii365.com and vlogs with her husband, Eric, at “365Hawaii” on YouTube. Julie also authored the books, “How to Move to Kona” and the “Insiders Guide to Buying Real Estate on the Big Island of Hawaii”. You will most likely find Julie in Kona hiking, running, biking, taking photos and sharing Aloha.

Leave a Question or Comment About this Topic

  • farid rushdi says:

    Thanks so much for this post. From the first day I saw a map of Hawaii in school, I wondered why it was that no one lived on the big island.

    People ask me all the time why all of Idaho’s residents (my home state) live along a line near the Utah border that goes from Oregon to Wyoming. I know that 3/4 of the state is mountains, but someone 1,000 miles away doesn’t.

    Knowledge is cool. Thanks.

    • Glad you enjoyed it! People also think that we can just keep building homes…well, we don’t have reservoirs either, so our fresh water supply is limited. Keeps the Big Island country!

      • Tom Scott says:

        Mahalo

        You have the right idea. There are too many people on a planet dwelling from 2 billion people in 1950 to 8 billion today.

        Keep Hawaii big island sparsely populated and beautiful.

      • Julie says:

        There’s enough fresh water under Hawaiian Paradise Park to supply the whole island if they wanted to tap it.

  • farid rushdi says:

    Thanks so much for this post. From the first day I saw a map of Hawaii in school, I wondered why it was that no one lived on the big island.

    People ask me all the time why all of Idaho’s residents (my home state) live along a line near the Utah border that goes from Oregon to Wyoming. I know that 3/4 of the state is mountains, but someone 1,000 miles away doesn’t.

    Knowledge is cool. Thanks.

  • James Clawson says:

    We just arrived for our first visit–and to Farid’s comment above, I felt like I was in my home state of Idaho–all the lava flows and dry road barrow pits. Thanks also for the why answer. Very helpful. I did meet a woman at the car rental center who has been here for 26 years–and she said right off, it’s not for everyone–but she fell in love with it at first sight– from Maryland.
    Aloha. Looking forward to exploring the Big Island.

  • Kristi Harris says:

    Or could be they are leary of madame Pele. Anyone watching the news the last few days might have a change of heart.

  • Kristi Harris says:

    Or could be they are leary of madame Pele. Anyone watching the news the last few days might have a change of heart.

  • Allison says:

    Well based on this map looks like all of HPP and lower Puna is supposed to be agricultural land. Weird there’s a bunch of residential subdivisions down there.

    • Julie Ziemelis says:

      Each lot in HPP is an acre and most of the other lots also include acreage, so no high density housing.

  • Greg Green says:

    We visited kona 2 weeks ago and i happened upon your book in our condo. I read your book and I usually never read books. Thanks for being so informative I learned alot it was great. I annoyed my entire family with Hawaii facts I had learned from you.

  • Walter Gondeck Sr says:

    Is investing in a lot a good idea?

    • Julie Ziemelis says:

      In general, real estate is always a good investment in that the demand is so high here and except for the recent lava flows, not much more is being made! Now, if you were buying a lot in Puna District, you may have to spend ALOT of money to clear the land, connect it to services and such, which can be expensive. If you buy a lot closer to a town, the investment is going to get your higher returns in the future, especially if you are able to build on it.