
Population growth in Jamaica
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Jamaica increased from 1.63 million to 2.83 million people. This is a growth of 73.6 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Jamaica was recorded in 1982 with 1.69 percent. The biggest decrease in 2015 with -2.81 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in Jamaica rose by 1.90 years from 2012 to 2021 from 27.50 to 29.40 years (median value).
Around 57 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 0.9 percent annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Jamaica
Population development in Jamaica since 1960
(Data in millions of inhabitants)Year | Population Jamaica | Change Jamaica | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1961 | 1.65 M | 1.38 % | 40.8 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
1962 | 1.68 M | 1.54 % | 40.8 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
1963 | 1.70 M | 1.62 % | 40.7 ‰ | 8.6 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
1964 | 1.73 M | 1.59 % | 40.3 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
1965 | 1.76 M | 1.49 % | 39.8 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
1966 | 1.78 M | 1.37 % | 39.2 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
1967 | 1.80 M | 1.28 % | 38.3 ‰ | 8.3 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
1968 | 1.83 M | 1.25 % | 37.3 ‰ | 8.2 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
1969 | 1.85 M | 1.30 % | 36.3 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
1970 | 1.88 M | 1.40 % | 35.2 ‰ | 7.9 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
1971 | 1.90 M | 1.53 % | 34.1 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
1972 | 1.94 M | 1.62 % | 33.0 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
1973 | 1.97 M | 1.65 % | 32.0 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
1974 | 2.00 M | 1.59 % | 31.1 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
1975 | 2.03 M | 1.49 % | 30.3 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
1976 | 2.06 M | 1.35 % | 29.7 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
1977 | 2.08 M | 1.24 % | 29.3 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
1978 | 2.11 M | 1.21 % | 29.0 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
1979 | 2.13 M | 1.28 % | 28.9 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
1980 | 2.16 M | 1.41 % | 28.7 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
1981 | 2.20 M | 1.58 % | 28.6 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
1982 | 2.23 M | 1.69 % | 28.5 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
1983 | 2.27 M | 1.69 % | 28.3 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
1984 | 2.31 M | 1.52 % | 28.0 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
1985 | 2.34 M | 1.26 % | 27.6 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
1986 | 2.36 M | 0.97 % | 27.1 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
1987 | 2.38 M | 0.73 % | 26.6 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
1988 | 2.39 M | 0.59 % | 26.2 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
1989 | 2.40 M | 0.59 % | 25.7 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
1990 | 2.42 M | 0.68 % | 25.3 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
1991 | 2.44 M | 0.80 % | 25.0 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
1992 | 2.46 M | 0.89 % | 24.6 ‰ | 6.4 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
1993 | 2.48 M | 0.96 % | 24.3 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
1994 | 2.51 M | 0.98 % | 24.0 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
1995 | 2.53 M | 0.98 % | 23.7 ‰ | 6.2 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
1996 | 2.56 M | 0.98 % | 23.3 ‰ | 6.2 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
1997 | 2.58 M | 0.99 % | 22.9 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
1998 | 2.61 M | 0.97 % | 22.4 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
1999 | 2.63 M | 0.91 % | 21.9 ‰ | 6.4 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
2000 | 2.65 M | 0.84 % | 21.4 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
2001 | 2.67 M | 0.75 % | 20.8 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
2002 | 2.69 M | 0.68 % | 20.3 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
2003 | 2.71 M | 0.62 % | 19.9 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
2004 | 2.73 M | 0.57 % | 19.5 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
2005 | 2.74 M | 0.55 % | 19.1 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
2006 | 2.75 M | 0.53 % | 18.8 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
2007 | 2.77 M | 0.50 % | 18.6 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
2008 | 2.78 M | 0.49 % | 18.3 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
2009 | 2.80 M | 0.50 % | 18.0 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
2010 | 2.81 M | 0.52 % | 17.7 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
2011 | 2.83 M | 0.55 % | 17.5 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
2012 | 2.84 M | 0.57 % | 17.2 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
2013 | 2.86 M | 0.58 % | 17.0 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
2014 | 2.88 M | 0.57 % | 14.0 ‰ | 6.2 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
2015 | 2.79 M | -2.81 % | 14.1 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
2016 | 2.80 M | 0.30 % | 13.5 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
2017 | 2.81 M | 0.20 % | 12.7 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
2018 | 2.81 M | 0.12 % | 12.2 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
2019 | 2.81 M | 0.07 % | 12.0 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
2020 | 2.82 M | 0.24 % | 11.8 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
2021 | 2.83 M | 0.26 % | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |

Birth and death rate in Jamaica
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2020 in the graph: The population in Jamaica increased by about 6,660 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 7.6 per 1,000 people (~ 21,300 deaths) and the birth rate was 11.8 per 1,000 people (~ 33,200 births). As a result, around 5,240 inhabitants have migrated to other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 20,238 in Jamaica. The number of births was 40,159 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate