Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Jamaica
Jamaica: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income was 17.2% in 2021. ▬ Flat
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income 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. Measured in %.
Analysis
Jamaica recorded 17.2% for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in 2021.
That represents a change of up 44.5% on the previous year and up 44.5% over five years.
Over the whole period, proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Jamaica peaked at 18.1% in 1988 and was at its lowest, 11.9%, in 2018.
Jamaica ranks 23rd of 123 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 18.1% | — |
| 1990 | 13.5% | -25.4% |
| 1993 | 14.8% | +9.6% |
| 1996 | 12.7% | -14.2% |
| 1999 | 15.3% | +20.5% |
| 2002 | 17.0% | +11.1% |
| 2004 | 15.7% | -7.6% |
| 2018 | 11.9% | -24.2% |
| 2021 | 17.2% | +44.5% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 17.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 14.8%, 1.2× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 17.2% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 18.0%, 96% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 18.1% | 18.1% | 18.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 14.1% | 12.7% | 15.3% | 4 |
| 2000s | 16.4% | 15.7% | 17.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 11.9% | 11.9% | 11.9% | 1 |
| 2020s | 17.2% | 17.2% | 17.2% | 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 proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Jamaica?
- Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Jamaica was 17.2% 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 proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 18.1% in 1988.
- What is the lowest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.9% in 2018.
- How does Jamaica rank for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
- Jamaica ranks 23rd 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 Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of people in the population who live in households whose per capita income or consumption is below half of the median income or consumption per capita. The median is measured at 2021 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) using the Poverty and Inequality Platform (http://www.pip.worldbank.org). For some countries, medians are not reported due to grouped and/or confidential data. The reference year is the year in which the underlying household survey data was collected. In cases for which the data collection period bridged two calendar years, the first year in which data were collected is reported.