Hawaii to Washington Moving Guide
Updated June 5, 2025

Planning a interstate move from Hawaii to Washington? This moving guide will help you compare living in Hawaii vs Washington across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like high cost of living vs lower housing prices), food & health (like Poke vs Salmon), real estate & housing (plantation, modern tropical vs craftsman, contemporary), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Hawaii), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Poke and Kalua Pig, but get your taste buds ready for Salmon & Prime Rib
- Washington housing costs are 31% less expensive than they are in Hawaii
- Rent in Washington is 32.76% more affordable than in Hawaii
- Our top recommended Hawaii to Washington movers is Seattle Moves & More
Hawaii to Washington Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Hawaii to Washington
- High cost of living
- Limited job opportunities
- Tropical storms
- Remote location
- Lower housing prices
- Diverse job market
- Milder climate
- Closer to mainland
- Fewer sunny days
- Cooler temperatures
- Less cultural diversity
- Faster-paced lifestyle
- Beautiful beaches
- Year-round warm weather
- Rich Hawaiian culture
- Laid-back lifestyle
Pros of moving from Hawaii to Washington
- Say goodbye to the high cost of living and hello to lower housing prices
- Look forward to moving away from limited job opportunities and moving to Washington with a diverse job market
- Swap the tropical storms of Hawaii for a milder climate in Washington
- Get ready for being closer to the mainland in Washington
Cons of moving from Hawaii to Washington
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from beautiful beaches in Hawaii to live with fewer sunny days in Washington
- You'll lose out on the pro of year-round warm weather and have to settle for the con of cooler temperatures
- Time to bid farewell to rich Hawaiian culture and get used to less cultural diversity in Washington
- Swap a laid-back lifestyle for a faster-paced lifestyle
Hawaii vs. Washington: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Hawaii | Washington |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Poke | Salmon |
Most popular meat dish | Kalua Pig | Prime Rib |
Most popular street food item | Spam Musubi | Hot Dogs |
Most popular vegan food | Taro | Quinoa Salad |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪 | 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪 |
Abundance of Food Trucks | 🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚 | 🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚 |
Foodie Scene | 🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴 | 🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴 |
Vegan Friendly | 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 | 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 |
If you're moving from Hawaii to Washington, you will be trading the iconic Poke of Hawaii for the equally delicious Salmon of Washington. And while the locals in Hawaii rave about their flavorful Kalua Pig and sumptuous Spam Musubi, Washington residents know they have tasty Prime Rib and Hot Dogs to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Taro they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Quinoa Salad of Washington. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Hawaii eateries like Helena's Hawaiian Food, Leonard's Bakery, and Duke's Waikiki. After the boxes are unpacked in Washington, don't wait too long before making your way to Washington's acclaimed eateries like Canlis, Pike Place Chowder, and Salumi.
When comparing lifestyles, Washington shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Hawaii. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Washington compared to what you are used to in Hawaii. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in Washington.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Hawaii and Washington
Comparison | Hawaii | Washington |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Plantation, Modern Tropical | Craftsman, Contemporary |
Walkability | 👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟 | 👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟 |
Bikeability | 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 | 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 |
Urban Lifestyle | 🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️ | 🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Ocean view, Lanai | Energy efficiency, Smart home |
- The Plantation and Modern Tropical architecture that Hawaii is known for will be replaced with the Craftsman and Contemporary architecture typical of Washington.
- Compared to Hawaii's real estate listings that commonly reference ocean view and lanai, Washington real estate listings often highlight features like energy efficiency and smart home technology.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Washington is more walkable than Hawaii.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. Washington is more bike-friendly than Hawaii.
- Washington has more of an urban feel than Hawaii.
- Washington housing costs are 31% less expensive than they are in Hawaii, with a median home price of $591,148 compared to Hawaii’s $858,106.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Washington have increased by 49% compared to a 38% increase in Hawaii.
- Rent in Washington is 32.76% more affordable than in Hawaii.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Hawaii and Washington
Comparison | Hawaii | Washington |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ | ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | 💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦 | 💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦 |
Avg. UV Index | 🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️ | 🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Tsunamis | Volcanoes, Earthquakes |
Air Quality | Good | Moderate |
Average Summer High/Low (°F) | 85°F / 70°F | 75°F / 55°F |
Average Winter High/Low (°F) | 78°F / 63°F | 47°F / 36°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 63" | 38" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 0" | 48" |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from Hawaii to Washington. Washington gets 44% fewer sunshine days than Hawaii.
- Washington has higher humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Hawaii.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and tsunamis in Hawaii, but be on the lookout for potential volcanoes and earthquakes in Washington.
- Get ready for colder summers. The average summer high temperature in Washington is 10 degrees colder than in Hawaii.
- The average winter lows are 27 degrees colder than they are in Hawaii.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Washington. Washington receives 25 fewer inches of rain compared to Hawaii.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Hawaii and Washington
Comparison | Hawaii | Washington |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $92,458 | $91,306 |
Cost of Living Index | 165.7 | 104.1 |
State Income Tax | 11% | 0% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.28% | 0.93% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 4.44% | 9.17% |
Top 3 Industries | Tourism, Military, Agriculture | Technology, Aerospace, Biotechnology |
Affluence | Comfortable | Prosperous |
Poverty | Moderate | Low |
Homelessness | High | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Washington tend to earn about 1% less than in Hawaii
- The COLI in Washington is 37% lower than what you are used to living in Hawaii
- Hooray, moving to WA means you'll no longer have state income taxes
- The affluence in Washington is prosperous compared to comfortable in Hawaii
- The poverty level is low in Washington compared to moderate in Hawaii
- In terms of homelessness, it is high in Hawaii and moderate in Washington
Political and Religious Climate in Hawaii vs. Washington
Comparison | Hawaii | Washington |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Democratic | Democratic |
Local Politics | Moderate with liberal leanings | Liberal, especially in urban areas |
Religion | Diverse: Christianity, Buddhism, etc. | Diverse with a higher percentage of unaffiliated |
- Hawaii tends to lean Democratic in its political climate
- Washington, on the other hand, is often described as Democratic
- Washington's religious environment can be described as diverse with a higher percentage of unaffiliated
- Hawaii's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as diverse, including Christianity, Buddhism, and more
Education Guide When Moving from Hawaii to Washington
Comparison | Hawaii | Washington |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Hawaii at Manoa Brigham Young University-Hawaii Hawaii Pacific University | University of Washington Washington State University Western Washington University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Momilani Elementary School (Pearl City) Noelani Elementary School (Honolulu) Mililani Ike Elementary School (Mililani) | Cascade Ridge Elementary School (Issaquah) Challenge Elementary School (Mountlake Terrace) Discovery Elementary School (Gig Harbor) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Iolani School (Honolulu) Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus (Honolulu) Punahou School (Honolulu) | International School (Bellevue) Odle Middle School (Bellevue) Washington Middle School (Seattle) |
Top 3 High Schools | President Theodore Roosevelt High School (Honolulu) President William McKinley High School (Honolulu) Maui High School (Kahului) | International Community School (Kirkland) Newport High School (Bellevue) Mercer Island High School (Mercer Island) |
Top 3 private high schools | Iolani School (Honolulu) Punahou School (Honolulu) Hawaii Preparatory Academy (Kamuela) | Lakeside School (Seattle) The Overlake School (Redmond) Seattle Academy (Seattle) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Le Jardin Academy (Kailua) Montessori Community School (Honolulu) Trinity Christian School (Kailua) | The Bush School (Seattle) Tacoma Baptist Schools (Tacoma) Seattle Waldorf School (Seattle) |
Top 3 School Districts | Honolulu School District Central Oahu School District Hawaii Department of Education (statewide) | Bellevue School District Lake Washington School District Issaquah School District |
Top Hawaii to Washington Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Hawaii to Washington movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.
Seattle Moves & More
Best moving company overall for Hawaii to Washington