County Results from Small Business Survey

An update to original state-level survey results: https://uhero.hawaii.edu/covid-19s-uneven-impact-on-businesses-and-workers-results-from-a-uhero-chamber-of-commerce-hawaii-survey/

The attached tables represent a county-by-county breakdown of the key statistics summarized in last week’s statewide analysis of the UHERO / Chamber of Commerce small business survey. Each table is weighted relative to the number of businesses in each sector in each county.

The take home is clear – businesses in Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai Counties are doing worse than those in Honolulu in nearly every respect. To take just one stark example, the total job reductions between January and April in Honolulu county were 34% of full-time jobs and 41% of part-time. These numbers were much higher on Hawaii (50% and 67%), Maui (69% and 68%), and Kaui (56% and 62%).

Our data only shows the what, not the why, but the one significant factor is that the outer island economies are more reliant on tourism than those on Oahu, who have the benefit of serving a larger resident population.

A word of caution. As with any dataset, the more it is subdivided, the less reliable any specific number becomes. We have removed any numbers based on fewer than five responses, but those that are reported have high margins of error. This is particularly true for the tables on Maui County, from which we received the fewest survey responses.

Job Losses By Category (Download XLS)

Job Losses by Category, State of Hawaii
Percentage of Category Lost, Jan to April 2020
Full Time41.69%
Part Time51.43%
Full Time by Salary
less $30k30.82%
$30 to 50k35.04%
$50 to 100k30.50%
$100 to 200k28.38%
$200 or more22.41%
Note: While rare, some changes may reflect movement between categories rather than job eliminations.
Job Losses by Category, Honolulu County
Percentage of Category Lost, Jan to April 2020
Full Time34.20%
Part Time40.74%
Full Time by Salary
less $30k40.99%
$30 to 50k28.54%
$50 to 100k20.17%
$100 to 200k9.72%
$200 or more8.36%
Note: While rare, some changes may reflect movement between categories rather than job eliminations.
Job Losses by Category, Hawaii County
Percentage of Category Lost, Jan to April 2020
Full Time50.47%
Part Time66.71%
Full Time by Salary
less $30k49.38%
$30 to 50k37.92%
$50 to 100k39.95%
$100 to 200k28.52%
$200 or more35.10%
Note: While rare, some changes may reflect movement between categories rather than job eliminations.
Job Losses by Category, Maui County
Percentage of Category Lost, Jan to April 2020
Full Time69.44%
Part Time67.91%
Full Time by Salary
less $30k65.97%
$30 to 50k67.84%
$50 to 100k53.85%
$100 to 200k46.85%
$200 or more
Note: While rare, some changes may reflect movement between categories rather than job eliminations.
Job Losses by Category, Kaui County
Percentage of Category Lost, Jan to April 2020
Full Time56.24%
Part Time61.52%
Full Time by Salary
less $30k25.89%
$30 to 50k47.43%
$50 to 100k55.47%
$100 to 200k56.86%
$200 or more
Note: While rare, some changes may reflect movement between categories rather than job eliminations.

Current State of Business (Download XLS)

Current State of Business, State of Hawaii
Percent
My business has remained open and required no adjustments4.84%
My business has remained open with distancing adjustments37.32%
My business has switched to another service delivery mode21.73%
My business is completely shut down36.10%
Current State of Business, County of Honolulu
Percent
My business has remained open and required no adjustments5.67%
My business has remained open with distancing adjustments45.19%
My business has switched to another service delivery mode24.95%
My business is completely shut down24.19%
Current State of Business, Hawaii County
Percent
My business has remained open and required no adjustments15.85%
My business has remained open with distancing adjustments34.01%
My business has switched to another service delivery mode14.32%
My business is completely shut down35.82%
Current State of Business, Maui County
Percent
My business has remained open and required no adjustments1.01%
My business has remained open with distancing adjustments36.09%
My business has switched to another service delivery mode5.71%
My business is completely shut down57.19%
Current State of Business, Kauai County
Percent
My business has remained open and required no adjustments3.38%
My business has remained open with distancing adjustments36.23%
My business has switched to another service delivery mode16.86%
My business is completely shut down43.54%

Business Outlook (Download XLS)

Business Outlook, State of Hawaii
Percent
I anticipate more staff cuts and other reductions.31.06%
I do not believe my business will survive.25.94%
I have already made the reductions necessary to survive.38.77%
My business is not impacted by the crisis in a negative way.4.23%
Business Outlook, County of Honolulu
Percent
I anticipate more staff cuts and other reductions.47.26%
I do not believe my business will survive.22.10%
I have already made the reductions necessary to survive.21.84%
My business is not impacted by the crisis in a negative way.8.80%
Business Outlook, Hawaii County
Percent
I anticipate more staff cuts and other reductions.27.02%
I do not believe my business will survive.25.35%
I have already made the reductions necessary to survive.39.01%
My business is not impacted by the crisis in a negative way.8.62%
Business Outlook, State of Maui
Percent
I anticipate more staff cuts and other reductions.29.14%
I do not believe my business will survive.47.67%
I have already made the reductions necessary to survive.22.27%
My business is not impacted by the crisis in a negative way.0.92%
Business Outlook, State of Kauai
Percent
I anticipate more staff cuts and other reductions.30.65%
I do not believe my business will survive.26.20%
I have already made the reductions necessary to survive.35.97%
My business is not impacted by the crisis in a negative way.7.18%

Plan When Shutdown Is Lifted (Download XLS)

Plan When Shutdown Is Lifted, State of Hawaii
Percent
operating with a reduced staff until tourism returns34.31%
remaining closed indefinitely7.38%
remaining closed until tourism returns6.37%
returning to normal business hours and staffing immediately51.94%
Plan When Shutdown Is Lifted, County of Honolulu
Percent
operating with a reduced staff until tourism returns25.57%
remaining closed indefinitely1.65%
remaining closed until tourism returns4.85%
returning to normal business hours and staffing immediately67.94%
Plan When Shutdown Is Lifted, Hawaii County
Percent
operating with a reduced staff until tourism returns40.62%
remaining closed indefinitely4.39%
remaining closed until tourism returns9.40%
returning to normal business hours and staffing immediately45.59%
Plan When Shutdown Is Lifted, Maui County
Percent
operating with a reduced staff until tourism returns27.16%
remaining closed indefinitely6.34%
remaining closed until tourism returns12.45%
returning to normal business hours and staffing immediately54.06%
Plan When Shutdown Is Lifted, Kauai County
Percent
operating with a reduced staff until tourism returns45.09%
remaining closed indefinitely0.97%
remaining closed until tourism returns11.10%
returning to normal business hours and staffing immediately42.84%

Change in Monthly Revenue Jan to Apr (Download XLS)

Change in Monthly Revenue Jan to Apr, State of Hawaii
Percent
Down < 10%5.36%
Down 10-30%12.17%
Down 30-50%8.89%
Down 50-70%17.62%
Down 70-90%14.27%
Down 90-100% (no revenue coming in)34.03%
Increase in revenue.0.83%
No change in revenue.6.84%
Change in Monthly Revenue Jan to Apr, County of Honolulu
Percent
Down < 10%10.69%
Down 10-30%12.56%
Down 30-50%12.84%
Down 50-70%11.70%
Down 70-90%11.90%
Down 90-100% (no revenue coming in)31.33%
Increase in revenue.0.31%
No change in revenue.8.67%
Change in Monthly Revenue Jan to Apr, Hawaii County
Percent
Down < 10%0.54%
Down 10-30%13.17%
Down 30-50%10.33%
Down 50-70%20.74%
Down 70-90%11.62%
Down 90-100% (no revenue coming in)37.85%
Increase in revenue.1.45%
No change in revenue.4.31%
Change in Monthly Revenue Jan to Apr, Maui County
Percent
Down < 10%1.85%
Down 10-30%1.06%
Down 30-50%10.39%
Down 50-70%14.25%
Down 70-90%8.36%
Down 90-100% (no revenue coming in)61.46%
Increase in revenue.0.00%
No change in revenue.2.63%
Change in Monthly Revenue Jan to Apr, Kauai County
Percent
Down < 10%4.85%
Down 10-30%11.64%
Down 30-50%8.95%
Down 50-70%12.25%
Down 70-90%17.80%
Down 90-100% (no revenue coming in)38.16%
Increase in revenue.1.97%
No change in revenue.4.39%

Job Losses and Projected Revenue Changes by Sector (Download XLS)

Job Losses and Projected Revenue Changes by Sector, State of Hawaii
Full Time EmployeesRevenue
Percent of Revenue from TourismJanuary, 2020Change Jan to April% Change2019 (Mean)Anticipated Change 2020% Change
Accommodation90.88% 8,268-6,369-77.03% $2,139,409-$1,049,091-49.04%
Administrative and support and waste management
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting4.92%4,745-991-20.89%$2,385,298-$401,047-16.81%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation89.80%8,823-7,269-82.39%$2,015,843-$1,306,040-64.79%
Construction9.74%34,366-9,326-27.14%$6,349,500-$178,731-2.81%
Educational services0.83%13,240-7,129-53.85%$2,031,167-$825,000-40.62%
Finance and insurance23.41%15,950-102-0.64%$8,574,861-$1,199,361-13.99%
Food services38.93%77,187-42,041-54.47%$4,981,919-$2,134,973-42.85%
Industries not classified58.91%1,285-550-42.75%$1,551,752-$693,836-44.71%
Information
Management of companies and enterprises
Manufacturing36.19%13,073-6,081-46.52%$17,750,992-$5,432,462-30.60%
Other services (except public administration)43.48%12,092-7,370-60.95%$2,998,851-$1,215,716-40.54%
Professional, scientific, and technical services10.69%19,826-1,897-9.57%$1,447,861-$281,891-19.47%
Real estate and rental and leasing23.70%10,903-2,044-18.75%$869,842-$214,763-24.69%
Retail trade66.99%58,760-45,012-76.60%$3,600,375-$1,502,469-41.73%
Transportation and warehousing20.48%28,562-1,654-5.79%$7,599,416-$2,409,262-31.70%
Utilities
Wholesale trade60.31% 16,364-4,576-27.96% $4,866,750-$1,456,125-29.92%
Note: Sectors with fewer than five responses have been removed.
Job Losses and Projected Revenue Changes by Sector, County of Honolulu
Full Time EmployeesRevenue
Percent of Revenue from TourismJanuary, 2020Change Jan to April% Change2019 (Mean)Anticipated Change 2020% Change
Accommodation  
Administrative and support and waste management
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Arts, entertainment, and recreation86.89%6,597.50-4,732.00-71.72%$2,148,438-$1,354,925-63.07%
Construction
Educational services
Finance and insurance23.60%13,530.53-33.49-0.25%$25,229,167-$3,583,333-14.20%
Food services25.13%55,599.56-28,484.60-51.23%$8,890,063-$3,309,154-37.22%
Industries not classified
Information
Management of companies and enterprises
Manufacturing35.39%10,377.69-4,677.27-45.07%$28,944,186-$9,218,186-31.85%
Other services (except public administration)28.18%7,210.80-2,284.61-31.68%$5,745,423-$1,652,423-28.76%
Professional, scientific, and technical services10.49%16,484.20-1,381.79-8.38%$2,183,101-$410,565-18.81%
Real estate and rental and leasing12.98%4,639.14-552.28-11.90%$1,533,500-$184,200-12.01%
Retail trade67.78%39,651.27-30,850.00-77.80%$8,565,833-$3,715,833-43.38%
Transportation and warehousing15.23%20,954.47-629.68-3.01%$16,780,000-$5,020,000-29.92%
Utilities
Wholesale trade59.84% 12,469.05-5,296.00-42.47% $6,383,167-$1,893,167-29.66%
Note: Sectors with fewer than five responses have been removed.
Job Losses and Projected Revenue Changes by Sector, Hawaii County
Full Time EmployeesRevenue
Percent of Revenue from TourismJanuary, 2020Change Jan to April% Change2019 (Mean)Anticipated Change 2020% Change
Accommodation98.98% 673-204-30.30% $448,222-$183,556-40.95%
Administrative and support and waste management
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting25.58%1,771-529-29.89%$892,000-$327,625-36.73%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation90.22%1,137-1,063-93.44%$2,174,167-$1,436,000-66.05%
Construction33.67%3,031-587-19.35%$1,888,700-$384,700-20.37%
Educational services
Finance and insurance16.05%1,149-203-17.65%$349,000-$7,000-2.01%
Food services65.13%5,980-5,367-89.76%$2,838,142-$1,479,006-52.11%
Industries not classified
Information
Management of companies and enterprises
Manufacturing
Other services (except public administration)30.33%1,963-1,596-81.29%$592,800-$172,200-29.05%
Professional, scientific, and technical services6.45%1,333-164-12.33%$327,466-$39,052-11.93%
Real estate and rental and leasing32.73%1,124-302-26.92%$729,643-$350,357-48.02%
Retail trade54.20%6,083-1,562-25.68%$746,750-$205,995-27.59%
Transportation and warehousing
Utilities
Wholesale trade  
Note: Sectors with fewer than five responses have been removed.
Job Losses and Projected Revenue Changes by Sector, Maui County
Full Time EmployeesRevenue
Percent of Revenue from TourismJanuary, 2020Change Jan to April% Change2019 (Mean)Anticipated Change 2020% Change
Accommodation  
Administrative and support and waste management
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Arts, entertainment, and recreation98.13%1,681-1,134-67.49%$4,726,750-$3,536,750-74.82%
Construction
Educational services
Finance and insurance
Food services81.21%14,899-14,463-97.07%$2,975,757-$1,892,896-63.61%
Industries not classified
Information
Management of companies and enterprises
Manufacturing
Other services (except public administration)
Professional, scientific, and technical services6.07%1,268-158-12.50%$466,500-$122,917-26.35%
Real estate and rental and leasing
Retail trade69.73%8,151-5,774-70.83%$1,414,667-$554,667-39.21%
Transportation and warehousing
Utilities
Wholesale trade  
Note: Sectors with fewer than five responses have been removed.
Job Losses and Projected Revenue Changes by Sector, Kauai County
Full Time EmployeesRevenue
Percent of Revenue from TourismJanuary, 2020Change Jan to April% Change2019 (Mean)Anticipated Change 2020% Change
Accommodation89.23% 3225-2,780-86.21% $4,193,111-$2,043,889-48.74%
Administrative and support and waste management
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Arts, entertainment, and recreation85.03%658-521-79.19%$1,259,706-$712,294-56.54%
Construction
Educational services
Finance and insurance12.08%333-33-10.00%$175,357-$7,643-4.36%
Food services71.03%3,304-2,097-63.46%$1,560,500-$894,793-57.34%
Industries not classified
Information
Management of companies and enterprises
Manufacturing58.19%316-49-15.56%$1,656,250-$842,500-50.87%
Other services (except public administration)83.09%893-748-83.77%$2,389,917-$1,723,167-72.10%
Professional, scientific, and technical services24.73%600-130-21.62%$729,667-$289,833-39.72%
Real estate and rental and leasing34.20%663-147-22.22%$526,667-$121,111-23.00%
Retail trade58.19%2,725-2,482-91.07%$865,800-$297,600-34.37%
Transportation and warehousing
Utilities
Wholesale trade  
Note: Sectors with fewer than five responses have been removed.

COVID-19’s Uneven Impact on Businesses and Workers: Results from a UHERO-Chamber of Commerce Hawaii Survey

BLOG POSTS ARE PRELIMINARY MATERIALS CIRCULATED TO STIMULATE DISCUSSION AND CRITICAL COMMENT. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ARE THOSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AUTHORS. WHILE BLOG POSTS BENEFIT FROM ACTIVE UHERO DISCUSSION, THEY HAVE NOT UNDERGONE FORMAL ACADEMIC PEER REVIEW.

3 thoughts on “County Results from Small Business Survey”

  1. Mahalos for making this public. Do you happen to have any idea why the Accommodation and Construction industry responses were so low, especially coming from Honolulu county?

    1. Philip Garboden

      Thank you for your question. We can’t be sure. Whether or not we got five respondents for a particular category is based on both our recruitment partners’ networks and how concentrated the industry is. It was easier for industries with many small firms (Food services, for example) than those with a few large ones.

      1. Yeah, I assumed the concentration mattered but it wasn’t consistent enough to prevent me from posing the question. Thanks for replying.

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