The Survey | Characteristics of participants
Type of respondent
UHERO
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88% of survey participants lived in West Maui or Kula at the time of the wildfires. 60% of respondents worked in West Maui or Kula when the fires happened, and almost a quarter owned a business there.
Age
UHERO
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The survey participants are broadly representative of the age structure of the West Maui and Kula populations. We survey more middle-aged individuals between 35 and 54 and fewer people over 65 compared to the population. This may be because the survey was sent out via email, and older people tend to use computers less than younger cohorts.
Household members
UHERO
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Households in the survey cohort tend to be similar to those of the general West Maui and Kula population. We have a somewhat higher share of households of four or more people, and a somewhat smaller share of households of two people.
Area of residence
Over 80% of survey respondents resided in West Maui before the fires. The remaining participants are primarily concentrated in Upcountry Maui, since we also recruited participants from the Kula area affected by the wildfires. Some respondents also lived in Central and South Maui. Those who lived outside West Maui at the time of the wildfires, either worked or owned a business there.
Time on Maui
UHERO
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Most survey respondents are long-time residents of Maui. 70% have lived on the island for over ten years. Only 3% have been on Maui for a year or less.
Poverty
UHERO
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The survey sample has a larger share of lower-income individuals than the general population. A third of participants were just above the poverty line before the wildfires compared to about 11% in the general West Maui and Kula populations. This may affect some of the survey results. However, it is particularly important to monitor the recovery outcomes for low-income individuals because they are likely to be more vulnerable and have fewer safety nets.
Employment
UHERO
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Before the wildfires, survey participants had a lower unemployment rate compared to the total population of West Maui and Kula. Conversely, only 2% of the survey participants were unemployed, compared to 4% of the total population. Additionally, a smaller share of the survey participants were retired or not seeking employment than in the overall population.
Housing
UHERO
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Survey participants were less likely to own their homes compared to the overall population of West Maui and Kula. While under half of the survey respondents were homeowners, over half of the general population in these areas owned their homes. This aligns with the higher rate of low-income individuals in the survey cohort. It may also be related to the survey's distribution through disaster relief organizations, which primarily target individuals in more precarious housing situations, such as renters or those with unstable housing. These groups may not have benefited from homeowners insurance, making them more reliant on disaster assistance.