But that's just replacing the old sugar fields. It's also easy to explain the growth on Maui, where Ma'alaea and Kihei are the fastest-growing areas, with 7,000 more people than a decade ago, said Que Martyn, a broker for Quality Real Estate. Population declines across the Islands can be traced to military shifts in places such as Pearl Harbor, but in some areas, the shifts are harder to explain. On O'ahu's north side, new census numbers reflect 4,338 people living in the Hale'iwa-Kawailoa census tract, a nearly 141 percent increase over a decade ago. Board member Warren Scoville and President Kathleen Pahinui echoed his statement.
Economists there say the population information is the most requested data from the census.
But it will be up to state and county planners to analyze the reasons for the shifts and how to handle the changes, state economist Pearl Imada Iboshi said. People who have been here fall in love with the place and go home and tell their friends. I think this is just about the most desirable place to live on the island. The Honolulu Advertiser, a division of Gannett Co .