Life expectancy in Jamaica
Jamaica: Life expectancy was 71.87 years in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
71.87 years
World rank
92nd
of 162 countries
All-time high
72.62 years
in 2010
All-time low
33.01 years
in 1870
Years of data
24
1870–2020
Life expectancy in Jamaica, 1870–2020
Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy in Jamaica is 71.87 years, measured in 2020.
The figure is down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy in Jamaica peaked at 72.62 years in 2010 and was at its lowest, 33.01 years, in 1870.
Jamaica ranks 92nd of 162 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Life expectancy in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 33.01 years | — |
| 1880 | 34.2 years | +3.6% |
| 1890 | 36.4 years | +6.4% |
| 1900 | 37.8 years | +3.8% |
| 1913 | 37.5 years | -0.8% |
| 1925 | 38.9 years | +3.7% |
| 1929 | 43 years | +10.5% |
| 1933 | 41.6 years | -3.3% |
| 1938 | 45.9 years | +10.3% |
| 1950 | 56.89 years | +23.9% |
| 1955 | 59.23 years | +4.1% |
| 1960 | 64.37 years | +8.7% |
| 1965 | 66.7 years | +3.6% |
| 1970 | 68.36 years | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 69.62 years | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 70.38 years | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 70.78 years | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 72.3 years | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 71.55 years | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 70.94 years | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 71.04 years | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 72.62 years | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 72.39 years | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 71.87 years | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 33.01 years | 33.01 years | 33.01 years | 1 |
| 1880s | 34.2 years | 34.2 years | 34.2 years | 1 |
| 1890s | 36.4 years | 36.4 years | 36.4 years | 1 |
| 1900s | 37.8 years | 37.8 years | 37.8 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 37.5 years | 37.5 years | 37.5 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 40.95 years | 38.9 years | 43 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 43.75 years | 41.6 years | 45.9 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 58.06 years | 56.89 years | 59.23 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 65.53 years | 64.37 years | 66.7 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 68.99 years | 68.36 years | 69.62 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 70.58 years | 70.38 years | 70.78 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 71.93 years | 71.55 years | 72.3 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 70.99 years | 70.94 years | 71.04 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 72.51 years | 72.39 years | 72.62 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 71.87 years | 71.87 years | 71.87 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
- 89 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 72.13 years compare
- 90 Philippines 72.12 years compare
- 91 Bangladesh 71.97 years compare
- 93 Guatemala 71.8 years compare
- 94 Nicaragua 71.8 years compare
- 95 Saint Kitts and Nevis 71.63 years compare
More health data for Jamaica
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.3325 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,308 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 31 deaths (2100)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy in Jamaica?
- Life expectancy in Jamaica was 71.87 years in 2020, according to Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 72.62 years in 2010.
- What is the lowest life expectancy recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.01 years in 1870.
- How does Jamaica rank for life expectancy?
- Jamaica ranks 92nd out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is life expectancy rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average number of years a newborn would live if age-specific mortality rates in the current year were to stay the same throughout its life.