It's natural to make assumptions about ourselves that are based only on emotional opinion.
This haircut looks great!
Man, you've dropped a few and you're looking good.
Hey, give me the mic. I've got another karaoke song!
Then the reality sets in.
Dude, what happened to your dome? Were you mugged walking down the Apache trail?
Brother, you better start buying bigger clothes. Slim cut is not for you.
Ummmm... they gave last call and that means last song. LAST SONG!!!
We may have a self-serving impression of ourselves but it's the truly objective perhaps even analytical assessment that gives a more accurate picture. It's this process that applies to personal evaluations and even communities at large.
You may have heard of WalletHub. It's often cited in TV news stories, radio talk shows, print and online news sites and social media platforms.
But what is WalletHub?
WalletHub is mainly a financial services company, helping people with their credit scores, budgeting, investing and more. It also conducts numerous surveys of where states rank in regard to fiscal and social categories. Their conclusions are based on publicized metrics and seemingly don't have a dog in the fight. Data drives the rankings. This is likely where you've seen, heard or read about WalletHub receiving attribution for the source of new stories.
So where does Hawai‘i fit in? `
We make some broad assumptions about living in Hawai‘i.
One is that there is no doubt that we are the "happiest state." We'll c'mon. We live in the beautiful islands nestled deep in the Pacific Ocean. We have (most of the time) the nicest weather on the planet (mahalos brother Guy Hagi) and we have, yes, the Aloha Spirit.
What does WalletHub say?
Hawai‘i is the Happiest State in America, ranked No. 1. Here's what went into that ranking:
If you were sensing that we are the Happiest State in comparison to others, well, you are correct.
You can see the value assigned to the metrics used to determine our No. 1 ranking.
How do you think we fare in regard to public education?
There are a couple different areas so let's focus on being a public school teacher in Hawai‘i.
We all are aware that teachers face challenges on the job. One that comes to mind is safety in the classroom. Another is teachers funding students with school supplies out of their own pockets. I get it. It's a gift to be caring and generous. But that's not your responsibility. And this is no breaking news. A frustration is there are challenges and issues that have existed for decades. Supplies are just one component. Conversely, there are positives that are cited such as housing subsidies, strong union representation plus technically a nine month work year or close to that depending on specific tracks.
What does Wallet Hub say?
According to the WalletHub study, Hawai‘i ranked 50th overall for teachers. Technically, the worst in the nation.
- 51st for average starting teacher salary adjusted for cost of living.
- 51st for average teacher salary adjusted for cost of living.
- 42nd for school system quality.
- 23rd for pupil-to-teacher ratio.
- 18th for public-school spending per student.
- 21st for teacher income growth potential.
- 37th for projected teacher competition in 2034.
An interesting aspect of these numbers is that despite being in the top third in the nation on spending per student we are virtually dead last overall for our teachers in this state.
There has got to be one area on which we can all agree. Hawai‘i is a tremendous place for pets. I mean you look around and you see pets frolicking in the parks, walking with their owners in their neighborhoods, accommodation of pets in emergency shelters and this ecumenical love and affection for pets shared by all.
What does Wallet Hub have to say?
WalletHub ranked Honolulu 96th out of the 100 largest U.S. cities.
This makes Honolulu the 5th least pet-friendly city in America according to its 2026 rankings.
Notable Honolulu rankings included:
- 64th for veterinary care costs
- 42nd for dog insurance premiums
- 54th for veterinarians per capita
- 15th for pet businesses per capita
- 46th for dog-friendly restaurants per capita
- 27th for dog parks per capita
- 20th for walkability
- 60th for animal shelters per capita
- 97th for pet caretakers per capita
I have to admit this one is a bit of a surprise. But for those who have been or currently are pet owners this analysis may resonate with you. Again, these collective conclusions are the result of data analysis of selected metrics proprietary to WalletHub. It appears these findings are bereft of any agenda nor political influence.
A natural reaction would be to take exception to critical findings relating to Hawai‘i and to high-five one another when the findings are good. Understandable.
There is value with an objective, data based conclusion of performance in comparison to others. Ideally, the critical information would be a catalyst to pursue overall improvement in those categories and the accolades in others would foster positive reinforcement to continue excellence.
You can find additional 2026 WalletHub reports here.
Rick Hamada can be reached at rickhamada@aol.com.
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