What is life expectancy in Jamaica?

Life expectancy in Jamaica was 71.48 years in 2023, according to Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

What is the highest life expectancy recorded in Jamaica?

The highest recorded value was 72.44 years in 2013.

What is the lowest life expectancy recorded in Jamaica?

The lowest recorded value was 26.4 years in 1918.

How does Jamaica rank for life expectancy?

Jamaica ranks 158th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.

Is life expectancy rising or falling in Jamaica?

Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Jamaica data come from?

The figures come from Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Life expectancy in Jamaica

Name: Life expectancy in Jamaica
Creator: Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Jamaica: Life expectancy was 71.48 years in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)

71.48 years

Change on year

down 0.0%

World rank

158th

of 236 countries

All-time high

72.44 years

in 2013

All-time low

26.4 years

in 1918

Years of data

143

1881–2023

Life expectancy in Jamaica, 1881–2023

Source: Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.

Analysis

The most recent figure for life expectancy in Jamaica is 71.48 years, measured in 2023.

The figure is down 1.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, life expectancy in Jamaica peaked at 72.44 years in 2013 and was at its lowest, 26.4 years, in 1918.

That places Jamaica 158th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 143 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1880s	37.33 years	34.2 years	40.1 years	9
1890s	37.71 years	34.3 years	39.2 years	10
1900s	35.81 years	29.5 years	40.4 years	10
1910s	35.2 years	26.4 years	38.2 years	10
1920s	38.33 years	30.7 years	43 years	10
1930s	44.82 years	41.6 years	48.5 years	10
1940s	50.27 years	47.6 years	53.9 years	10
1950s	59.97 years	56.56 years	63.25 years	10
1960s	65.36 years	63.83 years	66.52 years	10
1970s	67.93 years	66.73 years	68.81 years	10
1980s	70.08 years	68.99 years	71.51 years	10
1990s	71.51 years	71.17 years	71.82 years	10
2000s	71.47 years	71.28 years	71.72 years	10
2010s	72.07 years	71.53 years	72.44 years	10
2020s	70.87 years	69.08 years	71.48 years	4

Countries ranked near Jamaica

155 Samoa 71.7 years compare
156 Kyrgyzstan 71.68 years compare
157 Egypt 71.63 years compare
159 Vanuatu 71.48 years compare
160 Western Sahara 71.39 years compare
161 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 71.23 years compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More health data for Jamaica

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)
Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 24,044 (2025)
Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 23,267 (2025)
Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 23,487 (2025)
Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 22,723 (2025)
Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 23,435 (2025)
Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 22,662 (2025)

All data for Jamaica →

Frequently asked questions

What is life expectancy in Jamaica?: Life expectancy in Jamaica was 71.48 years in 2023, according to Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest life expectancy recorded in Jamaica?: The highest recorded value was 72.44 years in 2013.
What is the lowest life expectancy recorded in Jamaica?: The lowest recorded value was 26.4 years in 1918.
How does Jamaica rank for life expectancy?: Jamaica ranks 158th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is life expectancy rising or falling in Jamaica?: Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Jamaica data come from?: The figures come from Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UN WPP (2024) – with major 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 — 143 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Life expectancy
Unit: years
Source: Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 236 places, 19,452 data points, 1543–2023
Last refreshed: 06 August 2026

Period life expectancy is the number of years the average person born in a certain year would live if they experienced the same chances of dying at each age as people did that year.