Virginia to Hawaii Moving Guide
Updated June 10, 2025

Planning a interstate move from Virginia to Hawaii? This moving guide will help you compare living in Virginia vs Hawaii across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like harsh winters vs tropical climate), food & health (like Ham vs Poke), real estate & housing (colonial, cape cod vs plantation, modern), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Hawaii), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Ham and BBQ Pork, but get your taste buds ready for Poke & Spam Musubi
- Hawaii housing costs are 122% more expensive than they are in Virginia
- Rent in Hawaii is 60.21% more expensive than in Virginia
- Our top recommended Virginia to Hawaii movers is ARS Movers
Top Virginia to Hawaii Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Virginia to Hawaii movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

ARS Movers
Best moving company overall for Virginia to Hawaii
A Change of Place Movers

Matthew's Nationwide Moving
Virginia to Hawaii Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Virginia to Hawaii
- Harsh winters
- Traffic congestion
- Limited beaches
- High property taxes
- Tropical climate
- Laid-back lifestyle
- Stunning coastlines
- No state income tax
- Higher cost of living
- Isolated location
- Limited job market
- High import costs
- Rich history
- Four seasons
- Job opportunities
- Cultural diversity
Pros of moving from Virginia to Hawaii
- Say goodbye to harsh winters and hello to tropical climate
- Look forward to moving away from traffic congestion and moving to Hawaii with a laid-back lifestyle
- Swap the limited beaches of Virginia for stunning coastlines in Hawaii
- Get ready for no state income tax in Hawaii
Cons of moving from Virginia to Hawaii
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from rich history in Virginia to live with a higher cost of living in Hawaii
- You'll lose out on the pro of four seasons and have to settle for the con of an isolated location
- Time to bid farewell to job opportunities and get used to a limited job market in Hawaii
- Swap cultural diversity for high import costs
Virginia vs. Hawaii: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Virginia | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Ham | Poke |
Most popular meat dish | BBQ Pork | Spam Musubi |
Most popular street food item | Peanuts | Shave Ice |
Most popular vegan food | Vegetarian Chili | Acai Bowl |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Virginia to Hawaii, you will be trading the iconic Ham of Virginia for the equally delicious Poke of Hawaii. And while the locals in Virginia rave about their flavorful BBQ Pork and sumptuous Peanuts, Hawaii residents know they have tasty Spam Musubi and Shave Ice to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Vegetarian Chili they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Acai Bowl of Hawaii. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Virginia eateries like The Inn at Little Washington, Lemaire Restaurant, and Zynodoa. After the boxes are unpacked in Hawaii, don't wait too long before making your way to Hawaii's acclaimed eateries like Helena's Hawaiian Food, Leonard's Bakery, and Mama's Fish House.
When comparing lifestyles, Hawaii shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Virginia. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Hawaii compared to what you are used to in Virginia. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Hawaii.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Virginia and Hawaii
Comparison | Virginia | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Colonial, Cape Cod | Plantation, Modern |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Historic details, Ample yards | Ocean view, Sustainable features |
- The Colonial and Cape Cod architecture that Virginia is known for will be replaced with the Plantation and Modern architecture typical of Hawaii.
- Compared to Virginia's real estate listings that commonly reference historic details and ample yards, Hawaii's real estate listings often highlight features like ocean views and sustainable features.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Hawaii is more walkable than Virginia.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. Hawaii is more bike-friendly than Virginia.
- Hawaii has more of an urban feel than Virginia.
- Hawaii housing costs are 122% more expensive than they are in Virginia, with a median home price of $858,106 compared to Virginiaβs $385,780.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Hawaii have increased by 38% compared to a 42% increase in Virginia.
- Rent in Hawaii is 60.21% more expensive than in Virginia.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Virginia and Hawaii
Comparison | Virginia | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Floods | Volcanoes, Tsunamis |
Air Quality | Good to Moderate | Good |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 86/66 | 88/75 |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 47/27 | 78/63 |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 44 | 63 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 10 | 0 |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Virginia to Hawaii. Hawaii gets 32% more sunshine days than Virginia.
- Hawaii has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to Virginia.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and floods in Virginia, but be on the lookout for potential volcanoes and tsunamis in Hawaii.
- The average summer high temperature in Hawaii is 2 degrees warmer than in Virginia.
- The average winter lows are 36 degrees warmer than they are in Virginia.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Hawaii. Hawaii receives 19 more inches of rain compared to Virginia.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Virginia and Hawaii
Comparison | Virginia | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $85,873 | $92,458 |
Cost of Living Index | 96.6 | 165.7 |
State Income Tax | 5.75 | 8.25 |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.80 | 0.28 |
Avg. Sales Tax | 5.3 | 4.5 |
Top 3 Industries | Technology, Agriculture, Government | Tourism, Agriculture, Military |
Affluence | Comfortable | Wealthy |
Poverty | Moderate | High |
Homelessness | Low | Severe |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Hawaii tend to earn about 8% more than those in Virginia
- The COLI in Hawaii is 72% higher than what you are used to living in Virginia
- The state income tax in HI is 8.25 compared to 5.75 in VA
- The affluence in Hawaii is wealthy compared to comfortable in Virginia
- The poverty level is high in Hawaii compared to moderate in Virginia
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Virginia and severe in Hawaii
Political and Religious Climate in Virginia vs. Hawaii
Comparison | Virginia | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Swing state, with a mix of Democratic and Republican representation | Strongly Democratic, with most elections heavily leaning towards Democratic candidates |
Local Politics | Varies significantly between urban and rural areas | Local politics heavily influenced by Indigenous and local interests |
Religion | Christianity is predominant, but with a notable presence of other faiths | Diverse religious landscape, including Christianity, Buddhism, Shinto, and native Hawaiian spiritual practices |
- Virginia tends to lean as a swing state, with a mix of Democratic and Republican representation in its political climate
- Hawaii, on the other hand, is often described as strongly Democratic, with most elections heavily leaning towards Democratic candidates
- Hawaii's religious environment can be described as a diverse religious landscape, including Christianity, Buddhism, Shinto, and native Hawaiian spiritual practices
- Virginia's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as Christianity being predominant, but with a notable presence of other faiths
Education Guide When Moving from Virginia to Hawaii
Comparison | Virginia | Hawaii |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Virginia Virginia Tech College of William & Mary | University of Hawaii at Manoa Hawaii Pacific University Chaminade University of Honolulu |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Arlington Science Focus School (Arlington) Nottingham Elementary School (Arlington) Westbriar Elementary School (Vienna) | Mililani Mauka Elementary School (Mililani) Momilani Elementary School (Pearl City) Noelani Elementary School (Honolulu) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Longfellow Middle School (Falls Church) Cooper Middle School (McLean) Frost Middle School (Fairfax) | Waikiki Elementary School (Honolulu) Kailua Intermediate School (Kailua) Ewa Makai Middle School (Ewa Beach) |
Top 3 High Schools | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Alexandria) McLean High School (McLean) Langley High School (McLean) | President Theodore Roosevelt High School (Honolulu) President William McKinley High School (Honolulu) Moanalua High School (Honolulu) |
Top 3 private high schools | The Madeira School (McLean) St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School (Alexandria) Episcopal High School (Alexandria) | Iolani School (Honolulu) Punahou School (Honolulu) Kamehameha Schools KapΔlama (Honolulu) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Flint Hill School (Oakton) Norfolk Academy (Norfolk) The Potomac School (McLean) | Le Jardin Academy (Kailua) Hawaii Preparatory Academy (Kamuela) Island Pacific Academy (Kapolei) |
Top 3 School Districts | Falls Church City Public Schools Loudoun County Public Schools Fairfax County Public Schools | Hawaii Department of Education (state-run) |