Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Jamaica
Jamaica: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 59.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
59.4%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
145th
of 238 countries
All-time high
59.4%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Jamaica, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Jamaica is 59.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Jamaica peaked at 59.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Jamaica ranks 145th of 238 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.4% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 1.2% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 1.4% | +19.0% |
| 1720 | 1.6% | +12.5% |
| 1730 | 1.8% | +12.5% |
| 1740 | 2.0% | +12.5% |
| 1750 | 2.3% | +12.5% |
| 1760 | 2.6% | +12.5% |
| 1770 | 2.9% | +12.5% |
| 1780 | 3.3% | +12.5% |
| 1790 | 3.7% | +12.5% |
| 1800 | 4.1% | +12.5% |
| 1810 | 4.6% | +12.5% |
| 1820 | 5.2% | +12.5% |
| 1830 | 5.9% | +12.5% |
| 1840 | 6.6% | +12.5% |
| 1850 | 7.4% | +12.5% |
| 1860 | 8.4% | +12.5% |
| 1870 | 9.4% | +12.5% |
| 1880 | 10.6% | +12.5% |
| 1890 | 11.9% | +12.5% |
| 1900 | 13.4% | +12.5% |
| 1910 | 15.1% | +12.5% |
| 1920 | 16.9% | +12.5% |
| 1930 | 19.1% | +12.5% |
| 1940 | 21.4% | +12.5% |
| 1950 | 22.0% | +2.4% |
| 1951 | 22.6% | +3.0% |
| 1952 | 23.3% | +3.1% |
| 1953 | 24.0% | +3.1% |
| 1954 | 24.8% | +3.1% |
| 1955 | 25.6% | +3.1% |
| 1956 | 26.4% | +3.1% |
| 1957 | 27.2% | +3.1% |
| 1958 | 28.0% | +3.1% |
| 1959 | 28.9% | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 29.7% | +3.0% |
| 1961 | 30.7% | +3.3% |
| 1962 | 31.9% | +3.8% |
| 1963 | 33.2% | +4.0% |
| 1964 | 34.5% | +4.0% |
| 1965 | 35.8% | +3.9% |
| 1966 | 37.2% | +3.7% |
| 1967 | 38.4% | +3.4% |
| 1968 | 39.6% | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 40.6% | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 41.4% | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 42.2% | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 42.9% | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 43.5% | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 44.2% | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 44.8% | +1.4% |
| 1976 | 45.3% | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 45.8% | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 46.3% | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 46.8% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 47.2% | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 47.5% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 47.8% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 48.1% | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 48.3% | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 48.5% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 48.7% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 48.9% | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 49.1% | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 49.3% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 49.4% | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 49.7% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 49.9% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 50.1% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 50.3% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 50.6% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 50.8% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 51.0% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 51.3% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 51.5% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 51.7% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 51.9% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 52.1% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 52.4% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 52.6% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 52.8% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 53.0% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 53.2% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 53.4% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 53.6% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 53.8% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 54.0% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 54.2% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 54.9% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 55.2% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 55.5% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 55.9% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 56.3% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 56.7% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 57.1% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 57.5% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 58.0% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 58.5% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 58.9% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 59.4% | +0.8% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 59.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 91% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 59.4% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 72.0%, 82% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Jamaica changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1710s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1720s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
| 1730s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 1740s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1750s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
| 1760s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 1770s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 1 |
| 1780s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 1 |
| 1790s | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 1 |
| 1800s | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 1 |
| 1810s | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 1 |
| 1820s | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 1 |
| 1830s | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 1 |
| 1840s | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1 |
| 1850s | 7.4% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 1 |
| 1860s | 8.4% | 8.4% | 8.4% | 1 |
| 1870s | 9.4% | 9.4% | 9.4% | 1 |
| 1880s | 10.6% | 10.6% | 10.6% | 1 |
| 1890s | 11.9% | 11.9% | 11.9% | 1 |
| 1900s | 13.4% | 13.4% | 13.4% | 1 |
| 1910s | 15.1% | 15.1% | 15.1% | 1 |
| 1920s | 16.9% | 16.9% | 16.9% | 1 |
| 1930s | 19.1% | 19.1% | 19.1% | 1 |
| 1940s | 21.4% | 21.4% | 21.4% | 1 |
| 1950s | 25.3% | 22.0% | 28.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 35.2% | 29.7% | 40.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 44.3% | 41.4% | 46.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 48.3% | 47.2% | 49.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.5% | 49.4% | 51.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.7% | 51.7% | 53.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.1% | 53.8% | 56.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.2% | 57.1% | 59.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More reference data data for Jamaica
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.045 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.1808 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.2582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0003 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.2582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1508 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0583 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.8486 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0015 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Jamaica?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Jamaica was 59.4% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 59.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Jamaica rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Jamaica ranks 145th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Do more people live in urban or rural areas?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.