1 Child
~19%
1.0pp above average
Data updated September 2026
2020 guideline data Melson Formula model OCSE FY2023 source
Hawaii Child Support Guidelines
Hawaii carries 48,445 Title IV-D cases - a light-third book on OCSE P-52 volume. The Melson Formula schedule (3 jurisdictions on this model) opens higher than most peers before deviations.
- 19%
- 1-child base rate
- #10 of 51
- base-rate rank
- #41
- enforcement caseload rank
- 83.7%
- cases with order
$1,393/mo
One-child base rate at Hawaii's median income
19% of $88,005, the Census ACS 2022 median household income for Hawaii, divided across twelve months, 46% above the median state. An index for comparing states, not a case estimate: guidelines apply to the obligor's income, or to combined parental income under the Income Shares model, and a court sets the actual order. How this is derived.
OCSE guideline posture brief
Hawaii Title IV-D posture in this snapshot
Entity-varying stamps from NCSL guideline tables and OCSE FY2023 preliminary reporting (P-52 caseload, P-4 collections, P-64 order share) - not a clone nationwide scaffold.
- 19% published one-child starting rate #10 of 51
- Melson 3 jurisdictions share this model
- 83.7% caseload with support order (OCSE P-64) #40 nationally
- 48,445 Title IV-D caseload (OCSE P-52) #41 by volume
- $1,709 distributed collections per case (our calc)
- Colorado nearest rate peer (Δ 0.0 pts)
- 2020 guideline vintage on registry
One-child rate neighbourhood
Published starting percentages among the nearest rate peers (snapshot September 2026).
Melson Formula · MEL · MID
National context
Where Hawaii's one-child starting rate sits
Each bar counts states with a published one-child base rate in that 3-point band. Hawaii's higher-third 19% mark is highlighted. Counts are exact from the 51-jurisdiction dataset.
Hawaii's 19% published one-child base rate is higher than 34 of 51 recorded state rates. The comparison describes guideline starting percentages, not a complete child-support estimate. Hawaii sits in a higher-rate band on this histogram.
Source: State guideline records, 51 jurisdictions with published one-child base rates
2 Children
~27%
1.3pp above average
3 Children
~33%
1.7pp above average
4 Children
~37%
1.8pp above average
Income Cap
None
uncapped
Smaller Title IV-D caseload
Hawaii in the light-caseload third
48,445 active cases put Hawaii in the lightest third by OCSE P-52 volume (#41).
Hawaii carries 48,445 Title IV-D cases - a light-third book on OCSE P-52 volume. The Melson Formula schedule (3 jurisdictions on this model) opens higher than most peers before deviations. Unlike capped states, the formula applies to full reported income before deductions. Nearest one-child rate peer: Colorado at 19% (Δ 0.0 pts). Hawaii allows a parenting-time adjustment when the non-custodial parent exercises substantial overnight time. A percentage figure alone does not determine the dollar amount - compare Hawaii to other guideline models →
On OCSE FY2023 tables, Hawaii ranks #40 of 51 on order-establishment share and #41 by caseload volume (~$1,709 distributed per case, our calc on P-4/P-52). Source: HHS Office of Child Support Services, FY 2023 Preliminary Report.
How Hawaii Calculates Child Support
Hawaii uses the Melson Formula, a three-step calculation that first ensures each parent's self-support reserve, then determines primary child support needs, and finally adds a standard of living adjustment (SOLA). Its one-child base rate is in line with the national middle range. That higher-third starting rate is the schedule's open before deviations.
Melson Formula. Self-support reserve, primary needs, then standard of living adjustment.
Hawaii guideline parameters
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Formula Model | Melson Formula |
| Income Floor | None |
| Income Ceiling | Uncapped |
| Parenting Time Adjustment | Available |
| Median Household Income | $88,005/yr |
| Single-Child Base | 19% (rank #10 of 51) |
Not legal advice for Hawaii: figures here are published-guideline estimates only. Actual orders can differ under judicial discretion, deviation factors, and the current Hawaii schedule. Consult a family law attorney licensed in Hawaii.
Hawaii Child Support Enforcement
48,445
Active Cases
$82.8M
Annual Collections
83.7%
Cases with Orders
$1,709
Collected per case (our calculation)
Hawaii vs national average (51 reporting states)
Cases with orders 83.7%
national
83.7% of Hawaii's caseload has a support order established; average across the 51 jurisdictions 86.6%.
Source: HHS Office of Child Support Services, FY 2023 Preliminary Report, Tables P-52 (caseload), P-4 (distributed collections) and P-64 (cases with orders)
F
State Support Program Score
16/100
Hawaii
Based on order-establishment rate, per-case collection efficiency, and calculator access from federal OCSE and Census ACS data, not the guideline percentage itself, case outcomes, or any individual family's experience.
Order Establishment F
83.7%
Share of caseload with a support order in place (OCSE Table P-64); 51-state range 80.5%-93.8%, median 86.6%
Collection Efficiency F
$1,709/case
Dollars collected per enforcement case per year (OCSE Table P-4); 51-state range $1,522-$2,922, median $2,131
Income-Adjusted Collections F
1.94% of median income
Collections per case relative to state median household income (OCSE + Census ACS); 51-state range 2.39%-4.24%, median 3.16%
Calculator Access F
Not published
Whether the state publishes an official online support calculator
Interactive Calculator for Hawaii
The Hawaii interactive calculator is being finalized. Use the official state calculator below for your estimate.
Official HI CalculatorNearest one-child rate peers
Closest published starting percentages to Hawaii's 19% (MID band) - model stamps INC/PCT/MEL, not an A-Z clone list.
Read our methodology - how Hawaii guideline and OCSE figures on this page are sourced.
Data sources for Hawaii
Guideline parameters from Hawaii statutes and published schedules; enforcement columns from HHS OCSS FY2023 Preliminary Report (P-52 / P-4 / P-64). See methodology. Retrieved and formatted by PlainChildSupport for Hawaii.