Rural population in Jamaica
Jamaica: Rural population was 42.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Jamaica, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Jamaica is 42.2%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Jamaica peaked at 58.7% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 42.2%, in 2024.
Jamaica ranks 84th of 214 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Rural population in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 58.7% | — |
| 1971 | 58.1% | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 57.6% | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 57.1% | -0.9% |
| 1974 | 56.5% | -0.9% |
| 1975 | 56.0% | -1.0% |
| 1976 | 55.4% | -1.0% |
| 1977 | 54.9% | -1.0% |
| 1978 | 54.4% | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 53.8% | -1.0% |
| 1980 | 53.3% | -1.0% |
| 1981 | 52.7% | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 52.2% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 52.0% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 51.8% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 51.6% | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 51.4% | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 51.2% | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 51.0% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 50.8% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 50.6% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 50.3% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 50.1% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 49.9% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 49.6% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 49.4% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 49.1% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 48.9% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 48.7% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 48.4% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 48.2% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 47.9% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 47.7% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 47.6% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 47.4% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 47.2% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 47.0% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 46.8% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 46.6% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 46.4% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 46.3% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 46.1% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 45.9% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 45.6% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 45.4% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 45.2% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 44.9% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 44.6% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 44.3% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 44.0% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 43.7% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 43.3% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 43.0% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 42.6% | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 42.2% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 56.3% | 53.8% | 58.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 51.8% | 50.8% | 53.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.5% | 48.4% | 50.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 47.3% | 46.4% | 48.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.2% | 44.0% | 46.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.0% | 42.2% | 43.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More population data for Jamaica
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.7 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -3.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 2,494 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.1905 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1.76 (2100)
- Population density 98.5 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 35,987 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Jamaica?
- Rural population in Jamaica was 42.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 58.7% in 1970.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.2% in 2024.
- How does Jamaica rank for rural population?
- Jamaica ranks 84th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release