Number of people living in extreme poverty in Jamaica
Jamaica: Number of people living in extreme poverty was 2.80 million people in 2021. ▲ Rising
Number of people living in extreme poverty in Jamaica, 1988–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in extreme poverty in Jamaica is 2.80 million people, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 0.3% over five years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in extreme poverty in Jamaica peaked at 2.81 million people in 2018 and was at its lowest, 1.95 million people, in 1993.
Jamaica ranks 105th of 120 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Number of people living in extreme poverty in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 2.02 million people | — |
| 1990 | 2.10 million people | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 1.95 million people | -7.4% |
| 1996 | 2.32 million people | +18.9% |
| 1999 | 2.44 million people | +5.5% |
| 2002 | 2.47 million people | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 2.55 million people | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 2.81 million people | +10.1% |
| 2021 | 2.80 million people | -0.3% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 2.80 million people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 16.37 million people, 17% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 2.80 million people is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 11.75 million people, 24% of the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.02 million people | 2.02 million people | 2.02 million people | 1 |
| 1990s | 2.20 million people | 1.95 million people | 2.44 million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 2.51 million people | 2.47 million people | 2.55 million people | 2 |
| 2010s | 2.81 million people | 2.81 million people | 2.81 million people | 1 |
| 2020s | 2.80 million people | 2.80 million people | 2.80 million people | 1 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More poverty & inequality data for Jamaica
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.36 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 1,140 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -1.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 27.77 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 27.8% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in extreme poverty in Jamaica?
- Number of people living in extreme poverty in Jamaica was 2.80 million people in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 2.81 million people in 2018.
- What is the lowest number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.95 million people in 1993.
- How does Jamaica rank for number of people living in extreme poverty?
- Jamaica ranks 105th out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in households with an income or consumption above $3 per day.