Local Resources for Living in Hawaiʻi
The practical stuff for settling in: utilities, health care, local news, and where to shop, island by island.
Jump to: Statewide · Oʻahu · Maui County · Big Island · Kauaʻi
Statewide Essentials
Electricity
- Hawaiian Electric : Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi
- Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative : Kauaʻi
Power is expensive in Hawaiʻi. If it isn’t included in your rent, ask the owner for a typical monthly bill.
Internet
Spectrum and Hawaiian Telcom serve most towns. Some rural homes rely on satellite service such as Starlink . Ask the owner what’s installed, and request a recent speed test if you work from home.
Emergency Alerts
- Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency : hurricane, tsunami, and emergency information
Sign up for your county’s alert system soon after you arrive. Each county website links to its own sign-up.
Airports
- Hawaiʻi Airports System : flight info, parking, and inter-island travel for every public airport
Your Car
Vehicle registration and driver licensing are handled by each county. If you’re shipping a car or staying long term, check your county website below.
Oʻahu
Home to Honolulu, most of the state’s jobs and hospitals, and the best public transit in the islands.
- County: City and County of Honolulu
- Water: Board of Water Supply
- Health care: The Queen’s Health Systems , including The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu
- Getting around: TheBus , Oʻahu’s island-wide bus system
- Airport: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
- News: Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Honolulu Civil Beat
- Farmers markets: Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau , which runs several weekly markets
Exploring Oʻahu? See our Oʻahu guide for regions, getting around, and what daily life is like.
Maui County
Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi. Each island has its own pace, and Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi are quite rural.
- County: County of Maui
- Electricity: Hawaiian Electric
- Health care: Maui Health , including Maui Memorial Medical Center
- Getting around: Maui Bus
- Airports: Kahului (OGG) , Molokaʻi (MKK) , and Lānaʻi (LNY)
- News: The Maui News
Exploring Maui County? See our Maui County guide for regions, daily life, and a note on the West Maui recovery.
Big Island (Hawaiʻi Island)
Two very different sides: dry, sunny Kona and Kohala in the west, and green, rainy Hilo and Puna in the east.
- County: County of Hawaiʻi
- Water: Department of Water Supply . Some rural homes use rainwater catchment instead.
- Health care: Hilo Benioff Medical Center , Kona Community Hospital , and Queen’s North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital in Waimea
- News: Hawaii Tribune-Herald (Hilo), West Hawaii Today (Kona), and Big Island Now
- Groceries: KTA Super Stores , a family-owned Big Island grocer since 1916
- Farmers markets: Hilo Farmers Market , plus roadside fruit stands all over the island
- Getting around: Hele-On Bus
- Airports: Kona (KOA) and Hilo (ITO)
Exploring the Big Island? See our Big Island guide for all nine regions, climate, and what daily life is like.
Kauaʻi
The Garden Isle: small towns, one main road around most of the island, and a slower pace. As of fall 2026, Kauaʻi is recovering from Hurricane Lowell, which struck in September, so check current conditions before you go.
- County: County of Kauaʻi
- Hurricane recovery: KauaiRecovers.org , the county’s hub for closures, services, and visitor guidance
- Water: Department of Water
- Electricity: Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative
- Health care: Wilcox Medical Center in Līhuʻe, plus the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Kauaʻi Region hospitals in Waimea and Kapaʻa
- News: The Garden Island
- Getting around: The Kauaʻi Bus , with some express routes paused during recovery
- Airport: Līhuʻe Airport (LIH)
Exploring Kauaʻi? See our Kauaʻi guide for regions, daily life, and hurricane recovery updates.
Share Your Island
The best tips come from people who live here: a favorite farmers market, a reliable mechanic, the beach park that’s quiet on weekday mornings, what you wish you’d known when you arrived.
Live in Hawaiʻi and have something to add? Get in touch .
Links last checked: October 30, 2026. We’re not affiliated with the organizations listed here. They’re included because they’re useful.