Your voice matters: Hawaiʻi launches second statewide Quality of Life and Well-Being Survey

What does it take to build a healthier, more resilient Hawaiʻi?

More than 8,000 residents helped answer that question in 2024 by participating in the first Hawaiʻi Quality of Life and Well-Being Survey.

Their voices informed policymakers about issues facing their constituents, supported grant proposals that brought new resources to communities and were shared through a public dashboard, legislative briefings as well as events attended by hundreds of community members.

Two years later, the state of Hawaiʻi and University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa are asking residents to again share their experiences by completing the second statewide Hawaiʻi Quality of Life and Well-Being Survey, which is now live online.

The anonymous survey takes about 15 minutes to complete on a phone, tablet or computer, and is open to all Hawaiʻi residents ages 18 years old and older.

It asks about health and well-being, housing and cost of living, transportation, community concerns and solutions, work and school, access to services and more.

Respondents are asked to complete the survey by the end of March.

“When we ground our decisions in the lived experiences of our neighbors, we create smarter policies and stronger communities,” said Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green in an announcement about the survey going live. “This survey helps ensure every voice has a role in shaping the future of Hawaiʻi.”

Understanding the needs and everyday challenges of Hawaiʻi residents is critical to developing public policies and programs that improve quality of life and well-being.

“The first survey showed us just how powerful it is to listen directly to our communities,” said Hawaiʻi Office of Wellness and Resilience Director Tia Roberts Hartsock in the announcement. “We used the findings to brief lawmakers, strengthen funding proposals and connect with partners across the state. It gave us real data to guide real action and we’re excited to continue that work with the 2026 survey.”

Through this new effort, progress will be tracked through time, building on the success of the first survey and identifying emerging concerns while ensuring decisions are grounded in the lived realities of people throughout the islands.

This iteration of the survey will place a stronger emphasis on reaching residents who were underrepresented previously — including those living on neighbor islands — to better reflect the full diversity of experiences throughout Hawaiʻi.

“For policymakers, having reliable, local data makes all the difference,” said Oʻahu state Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz in the announcement. “The dashboard helps us better understand the challenges my constituents are facing, from economic pressures to access to services, and it directly informs the priorities we bring to the Legislature.”

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Social Sciences Associate Dean for Research and Project Principal Investigator Jack Barile said the survey provides an opportunity to hear directly from the people of Hawaiʻi about what it is like to live and work here.

“By listening consistently, we can better align resources and solutions with what residents truly need,” Barile said in the survey announcement.

The project is led by the Partnership for Wellness and Resilience, a collaboration between Hawaiʻi Office of Wellness and Resilience and University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Health Policy Initiative.

Results will once again be shared publicly through dashboards and reports to better inform legislative activity, coordination throughout agencies and investments that support families and communities.

“This collaboration underscores our commitment to research that serves the public good,” said University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Social Sciences Dean Denise Eby Konan in the survey announcement. “By gathering these insights, we are empowering our communities to help drive the data that informs meaningful policy changes and improves the quality of life for all residents across the islands.”