Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Jamaica
Jamaica: Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 262.16 people per sq. km of land area in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
262.16 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
50th
of 216 countries
All-time high
262.21 people per sq. km of land area
in 2023
All-time low
154.5 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Population density in Jamaica, 1961–2024
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population density in Jamaica is 262.16 people per sq. km of land area, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Jamaica peaked at 262.21 people per sq. km of land area in 2023 and was at its lowest, 154.5 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
Jamaica ranks 50th of 216 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 154.5 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 156.69 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 158.92 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 161.18 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 163.36 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 165.42 people per sq. km of land area | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 167.39 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 169.32 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 171.29 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 173.43 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1971 | 175.78 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 178.35 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 181.09 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 183.83 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 186.43 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1976 | 188.88 people per sq. km of land area | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 191.2 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 193.43 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 195.71 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 198.12 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 200.72 people per sq. km of land area | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 203.5 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 206.36 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 209.1 people per sq. km of land area | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 211.51 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 213.49 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 215.13 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 216.6 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 218.09 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 219.75 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 221.69 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 223.89 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 226.22 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 228.55 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 230.85 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 233.1 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 235.26 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 237.28 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 239.13 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 240.8 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 242.33 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 243.82 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 245.3 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 246.74 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 248.11 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 249.4 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 250.58 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 251.68 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 252.72 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 253.79 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 254.89 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 256 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 257.04 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 257.96 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 258.77 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 259.46 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 260 people per sq. km of land area | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 260.4 people per sq. km of land area | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 260.69 people per sq. km of land area | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 261.38 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 262.02 people per sq. km of land area | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 262.15 people per sq. km of land area | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 262.21 people per sq. km of land area | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 262.16 people per sq. km of land area | -0.0% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 262.16 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 85.13 people per sq. km of land area, 3.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 262.16 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 103.62 people per sq. km of land area, 2.5× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 163.12 people per sq. km of land area | 154.5 people per sq. km of land area | 171.29 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 184.81 people per sq. km of land area | 173.43 people per sq. km of land area | 195.71 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 209.26 people per sq. km of land area | 198.12 people per sq. km of land area | 218.09 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 229.57 people per sq. km of land area | 219.75 people per sq. km of land area | 239.13 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 247.15 people per sq. km of land area | 240.8 people per sq. km of land area | 252.72 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 257.9 people per sq. km of land area | 253.79 people per sq. km of land area | 260.69 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 261.99 people per sq. km of land area | 261.38 people per sq. km of land area | 262.21 people per sq. km of land area | 5 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
- 47 Trinidad and Tobago 266.84 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 48 Seychelles 265.55 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 49 Luxembourg 262.97 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 51 British Virgin Islands 261.4 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 52 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 258.65 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 53 Nigeria 255.48 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Jamaica
- Population in the largest city 35.8% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 21.65 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in largest city 603,770 (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 23.18 Hectares (2020)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
- Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen 5.54 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Jamaica?
- Population density in Jamaica was 262.16 people per sq. km of land area in 2024, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 262.21 people per sq. km of land area in 2023.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 154.5 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Jamaica rank for population density?
- Jamaica ranks 50th out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population density rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.