Data Dive: Hawaii Has The Oldest Farmers In The U.S.

Hawaii’s farmers are aging fast. The latest national agricultural census, conducted in 2022 and released earlier this year, shows that nearly half — 44% — of the state’s food producers are over the age of 65. Roughly 1 in 7 Hawaii farmers — just over 14% — are over 75. 

Average age: 60.8 years

Aging farmers are a concern everywhere, with the average age of food producers steadily rising. But even in a national context, Hawaii is an outlier. The average age of farmers in the state is 60.8. That’s the highest of any state and above the national average of 58.1.

Why it matters

Hawaii faces numerous obstacles to increasing food production and easing the state’s dependency on imports. But if the state is unable to entice young people to begin farming, many of its current efforts may be pointless. Programs to increase the number of young farmers over the last decade appear to be bearing little fruit.

Only 6% of farmers in Hawaii are under the age of 35.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, State of Hawaii Data Book 2023

Data Dives are Civil Beat’s quick takes on numbers and data sets with a Hawaii angle.

“Hawaii Grown” is funded in part by grants from the Stupski Foundation, Ulupono Fund at the Hawaii Community Foundation and the Frost Family Foundation.