Hawaii Zombie Survival Index: 71/100

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The three tests

Hawaii scored three times

A state that handles shamblers can get erased by sprinters. Here is how Hawaii performs under each outbreak model.

Walking DeadThe Walking Dead

83

Slow zombies reward time, distance, terrain, local food and the ability to build a perimeter that does not need constant heroics. Hawaii has about 1,432,820 people and 1.05 million acres in farm operations, plus 135,000 cattle and calves and diverse tropical crops.

World War ZWorld War Z

85

Fast zombies erase the luxury of a slow evacuation — unless the ocean gets there first. At 85, this is Hawaii's best scenario by a wide margin. If infection is external and inter-island movement is controlled, the Pacific does work no highway system can replicate.

Last of UsThe Last of Us

46

Yes, we know they're not technically zombies. This is where the index stops asking whether you can escape and starts asking whether you can live there for ten years. At 46, Hawaii posts the lowest single scenario score in the entire project. The ocean that saved you now starves you.

What helps

Volcanic mountains, lava fields, steep valleys, rainforests, cliffs and ocean barriers
High-rainfall watersheds, aquifers and streams provide strong freshwater on many islands, but supply is highly location-specific
1.05 million acres in farm operations across 6,500 farms
135,000 cattle and calves
Local production including cattle, coffee, macadamia nuts, papayas, avocados and other tropical crops, though total food volume is limited relative to population needs
3,369 MW of net summer capacity in 2024, with major solar, wind and geothermal potential despite petroleum still dominating
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Schofield Barracks, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Pacific Missile Range Facility and Hawaii National Guard forces

What hurts

Import dependence — fuel, parts, medicines and much food arrive by ship or air
Hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfire, landslides, drought and flash flooding
Each island is its own logistics problem; ocean barriers stop infected and supplies equally
Oahu concentrates population, port and military capacity in one place

If the outbreak is already outside Hawaii, close the door and keep it closed. Long-term, favour Hawaii Island rural agricultural areas with dependable water, local energy potential and enough population to maintain services without relying on Oahu imports.

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The reason for the score

Hawaii's zombie superpowers

Volcanic mountains, lava fields, steep valleys, rainforests, cliffs and ocean barriers are central to the score because terrain decides how movement gets channelled, where settlements can hide and which routes become mandatory.

1 · The Pacific Ocean is a moat

No mainland state can replicate this. If infection is external and inter-island movement is controlled, Hawaii begins with extraordinary containment potential.

2 · Terrain is aggressively defensive

Volcanic slopes, cliffs, valleys and lava fields create natural barriers and observation advantages — a perfect 10.

3 · Renewable energy potential is real

Solar, wind and geothermal resources give Hawaii a path away from imported fuel, especially on islands where local generation can be maintained.

4 · Year-round agriculture is possible

Tropical climates allow continuous production where water and soil are suitable, and climate survivability scores 9.

The catch

Modern Hawaii imports too much

The state's biggest long-collapse problem is not zombies. It is that many essential goods arrive by ship or air. Fuel, parts, medicines and much food are vulnerable to a maritime cutoff.

Each island is its own logistics problem

Ocean barriers stop infected — and also stop you from casually moving supplies between islands.

Oahu concentrates too much population

Honolulu and the military and port complex make Oahu a powerful organised-response centre and a dangerous collapse centre at the same time.

Natural hazards are unusually diverse

Volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, wildfire and earthquakes all remain in play.

The framework

25 survival factors, scored 1–10

Every state is measured on the same 25 factors. Weighting shifts by scenario — terrain matters more against sprinters, agriculture matters more in a long collapse.

01 Population density Moderate population statewide, heavily concentrated on Oahu 8/10

02 Major city exposure Honolulu creates a major localised exposure 5/10

03 Road escape capacity Island roads are limited and cannot connect islands 5/10

04 Freshwater availability Many islands have strong aquifers and rainfall, but supply varies 8/10

05 Agricultural capacity 1.05 million farm acres 6/10

06 Food self-sufficiency Diverse crops and cattle, but not enough current-scale food independence 5/10

07 Wilderness & remote land Large remote areas on several islands 9/10

08 Natural defensive terrain Volcanic mountains, cliffs and ocean barriers are elite terrain 10/10

09 Climate survivability Year-round human survivability is excellent 9/10

10 Winter zombie suppression Almost no winter suppression 1/10

11 Natural disaster risk Volcanoes, tsunami, hurricanes, wildfire and earthquakes 4/10

12 Energy production Small grid with high imported-fuel dependence 5/10

13 Off-grid energy potential Excellent solar, wind and geothermal potential 10/10

14 Medical resources Good medicine on Oahu, much thinner elsewhere 8/10

15 Military & Guard presence Extremely large strategic military presence relative to population 10/10

16 Emergency management Strong hurricane, tsunami and volcanic-response capability 9/10

17 Supply & logistics Ports and airports are excellent until external supply stops 5/10

18 Infrastructure vulnerability Import dependence is a major vulnerability 3/10

19 Survival resource availability Fish, tropical crops, water and renewable energy are useful 8/10

20 Evacuation & refuge potential Excellent island refuge potential if self-sufficient 10/10

21 Natural barriers & water access Ocean is the strongest natural barrier in the index 10/10

22 Distance from population centers Extremely distant from mainland population centers 10/10

23 Chokepoint & bridge dependency Inter-island transport is inherently chokepoint-dependent 9/10

24 Hunting, fishing & foraging Outstanding fishing, useful hunting and tropical foraging 9/10

25 Long-term settlement potential Potentially strong on self-sufficient islands, weak under prolonged import cutoff 5/10

Tactics

What works, by scenario

Strategy	Walking Dead	World War Z	Last of Us
Rural farm or ranch with independent water	Excellent	Very good if reached early	Excellent
Small town near food production	Very good	Good	Excellent
Remote site with no local food system	Good early	Very good for isolation	Poor long-term
Major highway evacuation	Good early, bad late	Terrible late	Poor after collapse
Major metro shelter	Poor	Terrible	Poor
Distributed renewable power	Very good	Good	Excellent
Hunting and fishing supplement	Very good	Good	Very good
One-road refuge	Risky	Risky	Risky

Geography

Where to be

Best overall

Rural Hawaii Island

More agricultural land, more space and lower population concentration than Oahu, with strong terrain and renewable-energy options.

The most farmland in the state
Geothermal and solar potential
Real distance from Honolulu
Space to actually expand production

Runner-up

Upcountry Maui

Agriculture, elevation and defensible terrain help, but wildfire and island supply constraints matter.

Third

Kauai rural interior and coastal agricultural zones

Isolation and agriculture are strong, though total infrastructure depth is limited.

Where not to be

Avoid early

Honolulu urban core

The state's largest population concentration, primary port and major military hub become a magnet for movement.

Avoid

Any refuge dependent on shipped diesel

If the tanker's schedule is part of your survival model, your model is fragile.

Avoid

Tsunami evacuation zones with no high-ground plan

The ocean is a moat until the ocean itself becomes the hazard.

Verdict

71 out of 100 · Grade C− · Rank #40

Hawaii has the best natural quarantine advantage in the country. The Pacific Ocean blocks outside zombie migration, while the islands offer year-round growing conditions, rainfall, fishing, renewable energy, defensible terrain, and military infrastructure. The catch is isolation working both ways: dense population centers, limited farmland, dependence on imported food, fuel, medicine, machinery, and replacement parts, and no overland escape route mean survivors must become self-sufficient almost immediately.

Walking Dead 83. World War Z 85. Last of Us 46.

If the outbreak is already outside Hawaii, close the door and keep it closed. Long-term, favour Hawaii Island rural agricultural areas with dependable water, local energy potential and enough population to maintain services without relying on Oahu imports.

See the national survey board

Method & sources

Where the numbers come from

The Zombie Survival Index is a fictional entertainment ranking that uses real public data as its inputs. Every state is scored on the same 25 factors under three outbreak models, and the overall number blends those results. All fifty states have been assessed and normalised against the same national scoring set.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Population Estimates and QuickFacts
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2025 State Agriculture Overview
U.S. Energy Information Administration, State Electricity Profile
State water-resource and environmental agencies
State emergency-management agencies
U.S. Department of Defense and National Guard installation sources
State wildlife, hunting and fishing agencies
NOAA and state climatology and hazard sources