Gini index in Jamaica
Jamaica: Gini index was 39.9 in 2021. ▼ Falling
Gini index in Jamaica, 1988–2021
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
Analysis
In 2021, gini index in Jamaica stood at 39.9.
That represents a change of up 13.0% on the previous year and up 13.0% over five years.
Over the whole period, gini index in Jamaica peaked at 48.3 in 2002 and was at its lowest, 35.3, in 2018.
That places Jamaica 28th out of 123 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
Gini index in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 43.2 | — |
| 1990 | 41.1 | -4.9% |
| 1993 | 35.7 | -13.1% |
| 1996 | 40.4 | +13.2% |
| 1999 | 44.1 | +9.2% |
| 2002 | 48.3 | +9.5% |
| 2004 | 45.5 | -5.8% |
| 2018 | 35.3 | -22.4% |
| 2021 | 39.9 | +13.0% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 39.9 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 36.9, 1.1× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 39.9 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 43.6, 92% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 43.2 | 43.2 | 43.2 | 1 |
| 1990s | 40.33 | 35.7 | 44.1 | 4 |
| 2000s | 46.9 | 45.5 | 48.3 | 2 |
| 2010s | 35.3 | 35.3 | 35.3 | 1 |
| 2020s | 39.9 | 39.9 | 39.9 | 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 gini index in Jamaica?
- Gini index in Jamaica was 39.9 in 2021, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest gini index recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 48.3 in 2002.
- What is the lowest gini index recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.3 in 2018.
- How does Jamaica rank for gini index?
- Jamaica ranks 28th out of 123 countries with data for 2021.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Gini index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality.