There was a battle for the title of first baby of the new year in Hawaii, although new data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Hawaii recently experienced the nation’s fifth-highest population decline.

The U.S. resident population increased by 0.4%, or 1,256,003, to 333,287,557 in 2022, according to data released by the U.S Census Bureau in late December.

Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the population division at the Census Bureau, said in a statement: “There was a sizable uptick in population growth last year compared to the prior year’s historically low increase. A rebound in net international migration, coupled with the largest year-over-year increase in total births since 2007, is behind this increase.”

Hawaii, however, didn’t follow the nationwide trend. It was one of 18 states that experienced a population decline in 2022. Hawaii’s population, which has been declining every year since 2016, fell by almost almost 7,000 people, or 0.5%, between July 2021 and July 2022.

On average, between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, Hawaii’s population decreased by 19 people a day, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. There was a natural increase of seven people per day, but, on average, the department reported that 26 more people moved out of the state per day than moved to the state per day.

While more people have been leaving Hawaii lately, at the start of the year more than a few couples were doing their part to help Hawaii’s population grow.

Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital in Waimea on the Big Island said a baby was born at 2:06 a.m. Sunday. Further details about the baby were unavailable other than it was the first baby born in 2023 among the four hospitals in The Queen’s Health System, which also includes Molokai General Hospital, The Queen’s Medical Center West Oahu, and The Queen’s Medical Center Punchbowl.

Another New Year’s baby was born to a Keaau couple at Hilo Medical Center. Keoni Gilbert Marpuri Norita, who was born at 2:48 a.m. Sunday to Kristine and Gus Norita, weighed 7 pounds and measured 20 inches.

Before going out to enjoy the New Year’s Eve fireworks, Kristine Norita says she was in nesting mode and was preparing for the arrival of their fifth child, who wasn’t due until Jan. 13. But labor began about 11 p.m.

Gus Norita said of his son’s birth, “It caught me off guard, I thought we still had time to prepare.”

The couple said fireworks lit up the sky as they made the 20-minute drive to the hospital in the rain.

Kristine Norita said Keoni was born in about three hours after only four pushes.

“He was like ‘I’m ready Mom, I want to see the world,’” she said. “It’s the most exciting New Year’s. Super memorable.”

Kristine hopes that Keoni will follow in his grandfather Gilbert Marpuri’s success and profession as a two-star general in the Philippines who also later served as a U.S. Marine.

The family credits Hilo Medical Center’s obstetrics nursing staff, Chanti De Mattos-Filkins, Olivia Brinkman, Anna Golden Ka‘aua Neva Tsang, Gail Bento, nurse manager Caitlyn Brock and Dr. Emily Stickley for a safe and natural birthing experience.

Two more of the first babies born across the state arrived Sunday at Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center. ‘Ihilani Keama was born at 3:04 a.m., making her the first baby of the new year born at Kaiser’s Moanalua center. Her parents are Maikalani Keama and Caitlyn Chee of Kaneohe. Kathleen Cacacho of Ewa Beach also welcomed baby boy, Elias, who was born around 8 a.m., making him the first born boy of the new year at Kaiser Moanalua.

There were other births across Hawaii on New Year’s Day. However, the families of the babies declined to allow the hospitals to release the information.

Statistics from the state Department of Health showed that statewide births dropped for at least each year of the decade ended 2021.

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii says the state’s high cost of living is the main reason for its dwindling population.

Grassroot Institute of Hawaii President and CEO Keli‘i Akina said in a statement, “Too many local families who have lived in Hawaii for generations are seeing their children move to the mainland or out of the country to better support themselves.

“In addition to facing this emotional toll, those of us who still live in Hawaii are left to foot the bill for our oversized government.”

Akina said state and county lawmakers could start to reverse the negative population trend by reducing the size of government, lowering taxes and making it easier to build housing.

The institute said its conversations with people who left Hawaii, which are documented in its “Why we left Hawaii” series, confirm that high housing costs are driving residents away.

Former Wahiawa resident Colyn Slocum, who now lives in Las Vegas, told the institute this fall, “Rent is far too high, even if splitting the costs with a friend.”

“One day, I do wish to return. But until the economic possibilities make it appealing enough, there is little to incentivize anything other than a few return trips,” Slocum said.