Business phone system for pharmacies and drug stores in Hawaii
128 pharmacies and drug stores operated in Hawaii in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 128CBP 2023
- Employees
- 2,211mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 8.9U.S. 12.3
- State rank
- 45th of 51by count
Pharmacies and drug stores in Hawaii by the numbers
Hawaii had 128 pharmacies and drug stores in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 446110, Pharmacies and Drug Stores). They employed 2,211 people in mid-March and reported $109.0 million in annual payroll. That is the 45th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Pharmacies and drug stores make up 0.39% of the 32,911 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Hawaii has 8.9 pharmacies and drug stores, 28.0% below the national rate of 12.3. The average establishment has 17.3 employees against 16.5 nationally. Payroll per employee is $49,308, 10.9% above the U.S. figure of $44,477.
| Measure | Hawaii | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 128 | 41,792 |
| Mid-March employees | 2,211 (moderate noise) | 691,152 |
| Annual payroll | $109,019,000 (moderate noise) | $30,740,561,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 17.3 | 16.5 |
| Payroll per employee | $49,308 | $44,477 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 8.9 | 12.3 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Hawaii's largest markets for pharmacies and drug stores
Census published pharmacy counts for 4 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Hawaii. The largest is Urban Honolulu, HI, with 76 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 100% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 76 | 1,424 | 7.6 |
| Kahului, HI | 20 | 339 | 12.2 |
| Hilo, HI | 19 | — | 9.1 |
| Kapaa, HI | 13 | 154 | 17.6 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at pharmacies and drug stores in Hawaii
17.3% of Hawaii's pharmacies and drug stores with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 18.4% nationally. 29.9% had fewer than ten. At that size the phone is shared, so routing (who rings, when, and what happens after hours) matters more than the number of desk phones.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 22 | 17.3% | 18.4% |
| 5–9 employees | 16 | 12.6% | 20.3% |
| 10–19 employees | 10 | 7.9% | 16.4% |
| 20–49 employees | 79 | 62.2% | 43.4% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 1.6% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls a pharmacy in Hawaii has to catch
Independent pharmacies take refill requests, prescriber calls and insurance questions throughout the day, often while pharmacists are filling prescriptions. Sorting calls by purpose keeps prescribers and patients from waiting in the same queue.
A few of the calls that come in to pharmacies and drug stores in Hawaii:
- A customer calls to ask whether a prescription is ready.
- A customer calls to request a refill.
- A prescriber's office calls to clarify a prescription.
Business texting for pharmacies and drug stores
Independent pharmacies text customers when a prescription is ready for pickup and when a refill needs attention.
Texting from a local number in Hawaii requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for pharmacies and drug stores in Hawaii
Pharmacies and drug stores in Hawaii average 17.3 employees, so the comparison uses a 17-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 17 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $510.00 a month and 17 on Ooma Office Pro cost $424.15. Callata comes to $339.00 a month for 17 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $2,052 less than RingCentral for a pharmacy in Hawaii of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $339.00 | $4,068.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $323.00 | $3,876.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $391.00 | $4,692.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $424.15 | $5,089.80 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $459.00 | $5,508.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $510.00 | $6,120.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Hawaii
Hawaii has 1 geographic area code in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a pharmacy can hold a number in more than one of them.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 808 | 693 | — | 1957 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for pharmacies and drug stores in Hawaii
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
Porting a number you already use in Hawaii is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
Practices that handle protected health information should review their own privacy obligations before recording calls, enabling AI summaries or texting appointment details, and keep clinical conversations out of text messages unless their policies allow it.
Frequently asked questions
How many pharmacies and drug stores are in Hawaii?
128 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 2,211 people in mid-March.
Which Hawaii metro area has the most pharmacies and drug stores?
Urban Honolulu, HI, with 76 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 17-person pharmacy?
$510.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $424.15 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $339.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Hawaii number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.