The Most Comprehensive Data Snapshot of How Island Youth are Doing Across Diverse Socioeconomic Indicators
Līhue, Hawai‘i—The latest edition of the Kaua‘i Youth Report is now available to the public, summarizing the state of our island’s keiki and young adults across a broad spectrum of measurements and revealing weaknesses and strengths in comparison to statewide indicators.
“This report was designed to be a resource for everyone who shares responsibility for the future of Kaua‘i’s keiki. Our goal is not only to present data but to make it meaningful and actionable, offering insights that can be applied in homes, classrooms, community programs, and policy decisions alike,” said Kaua‘i Planning & Action Alliance Executive Director Alice Luck.
Since 2012, KPAA has published the Kaua‘i Youth Report, offering a snapshot of how Kaua‘i’s young people are doing from birth to workforce entry. The 2022 edition added new indicators on the physical, mental, and emotional health of island youth, highlighting both social-emotional well-being and the social determinants of health. Data included physical health and risk behaviors (such as physical activity, screen time, substance use, and sexual activity), social and emotional health (adult relationships, abuse and neglect, bullying, depression, and suicide), academic performance (absenteeism, test scores, preschool participation), and college and career readiness (credential completion, college enrollment, and youth not in school or working).
The 2025 report goes further, adding early childhood indicators (prenatal to age 5), weaving reflections from community members, and spotlighting promising community practices that support youth well-being. This report is intended to be hopeful, anchored in Kaua‘i’s strengths, and shaped by cross-sector collaboration with a unifying call to action rooted in local solutions.
Encouraging data points worth highlighting include drops in child maltreatment (down to 4% from 6% in 2022) and suicide (down to 2.4% from a peak of 12.1% in 2017 among middle-schoolers), as well as leading the state in preschool participation (55.8%) and gains in school attendance compared to previous years (75% in 2023-24 compared to 67% in 2021-22). Reported substance abuse among Kaua‘i middle and high-school students is also lower than statewide averages.
Areas for improvement include bullying at school, which rose in recent years. Economic pressures also contribute to increasing instability and anxiety for local families. While a comparatively low percent of children on Kaua‘i are living below the Federal Poverty Level (7% vs. 11.4% statewide), more than half of Kaua‘i parents (51%) report that financial strain is a major source of stress in their lives. 34.4% of Kaua‘i families work hard and earn money, but still don’t make enough to cover essentials like rent, food, or childcare. 32% of Kaua‘i households are at risk of homelessness, meaning they could lose housing within three months if their primary income stopped—often called “precariously housed.” With 24% of families reporting that unstable housing is a major source of stress, this affects children’s health, learning, and overall ‘ohana stability.
“For parents and caregivers, the report underscores how the conditions surrounding families—financial security, safe housing, access to health care, and opportunities for growth—directly shape the well-being of the next generation,” said Luck. “For community leaders, service providers, and funders, these findings offer a clear lens on where Kaua‘i is making progress and where urgent challenges remain. Indicators related to family stress, health, education, and housing can guide thoughtful investments, strengthen partnerships, and inspire new approaches.”
The full report can be viewed and downloaded at keikitocareer.org.
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About the Kaua‘i Planning and Action Alliance
In 2002, the Kaua‘i Planning and Action Alliance (KPAA) was founded by community leaders across government, business, social services, education, healthcare, and the environment to strengthen island-wide collaboration. Their vision was to strategically plan, leverage resources, and implement priority projects that could achieve far greater impact together than any single entity could alone. Today, KPAA continues to coordinate the Keiki to Career Initiative, guided by our mission to bring people together for collaborative planning and action that advances shared community goals. Keiki to Career Kaua‘i is a network of partners in education, health, human services, youth programs, families, and businesses, all working to ensure our young people are “ready to learn and ready for life.”
