Facing fewer job opportunities and rising rents, financial pressures for fire-impacted households remain extraordinary. Almost 20% of survey participants earn less than half of their pre-fire incomes.

More than twice as many fire-impacted households live in poverty now compared to before the fires. In total, this means that almost 30% of fire-impacted households in the survey have incomes below the poverty line. This is more than three times higher than the Maui County average in 2023 (9% of households below the poverty line). It suggests that fire-impacted households remain very vulnerable and at risk of long-term poverty.

Fire-impacted individuals face reduced job stability, with a large share working fewer hours and earning lower incomes, or having lost employment altogether. Fire-impacted individuals in the survey cohort are much more likely to be unemployed than the overall Maui population

The industry mix of employment on Maui is changing. Only about 70% of the survey participants who were employed in the tourism industry (accommodation, food and recreation services) before the fires still have jobs in the sector. Less than half kept their full-time employment in the tourism industry. We also see a similar decline in employment in local services industries and in the trade and transportation sector.

There is a high need for financial assistance, housing and food. Individuals not receiving government support are more likely to lack adequate resources, raising concerns about gaps in assistance. Additionally, those who do not receive assistance from either the government or community programs continue to report unmet needs.