Urban population (% of total population) in Jamaica
Jamaica: Urban population (% of total population) was 59.4% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Urban population in Jamaica, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in Jamaica is 59.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 3.3% over five years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Jamaica peaked at 59.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 57.5%, in 2021.
That places Jamaica 129th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Urban population (% of total population) in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 29.7% | — |
| 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 65.4%, 91% of the median. (59 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)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 climate change data for Jamaica
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 6.29 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 927.88 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 280.05 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 647.83 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1.06 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 23.14 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 37.75 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 35.64 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2.11 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.1345 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Jamaica?
- Urban population in Jamaica was 59.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 59.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.5% in 2021.
- How does Jamaica rank for urban population?
- Jamaica ranks 129th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.