Life expectancy in Jamaica
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.
Life expectancy in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1881 | 34.2 years | — |
| 1882 | 40.1 years | +17.3% |
| 1883 | 38.1 years | -5.0% |
| 1884 | 37.2 years | -2.4% |
| 1885 | 37.8 years | +1.6% |
| 1886 | 36.9 years | -2.4% |
| 1887 | 35.5 years | -3.8% |
| 1888 | 38.6 years | +8.7% |
| 1889 | 37.6 years | -2.6% |
| 1890 | 34.3 years | -8.8% |
| 1891 | 37.3 years | +8.7% |
| 1892 | 39.2 years | +5.1% |
| 1893 | 38.6 years | -1.5% |
| 1894 | 39 years | +1.0% |
| 1895 | 37.4 years | -4.1% |
| 1896 | 37.6 years | +0.5% |
| 1897 | 37 years | -1.6% |
| 1898 | 39.1 years | +5.7% |
| 1899 | 37.6 years | -3.8% |
| 1900 | 37.8 years | +0.5% |
| 1901 | 38.1 years | +0.8% |
| 1902 | 40.4 years | +6.0% |
| 1903 | 34.6 years | -14.4% |
| 1904 | 33.6 years | -2.9% |
| 1905 | 37.6 years | +11.9% |
| 1906 | 32.4 years | -13.8% |
| 1907 | 29.5 years | -9.0% |
| 1908 | 36.8 years | +24.7% |
| 1909 | 37.3 years | +1.4% |
| 1910 | 36.7 years | -1.6% |
| 1911 | 37.9 years | +3.3% |
| 1912 | 34.4 years | -9.2% |
| 1913 | 37.5 years | +9.0% |
| 1914 | 38.2 years | +1.9% |
| 1915 | 37 years | -3.1% |
| 1916 | 35.6 years | -3.8% |
| 1917 | 31.7 years | -11.0% |
| 1918 | 26.4 years | -16.7% |
| 1919 | 36.6 years | +38.6% |
| 1920 | 35.4 years | -3.3% |
| 1921 | 30.7 years | -13.3% |
| 1922 | 37 years | +20.5% |
| 1923 | 38 years | +2.7% |
| 1924 | 38.6 years | +1.6% |
| 1925 | 38.9 years | +0.8% |
| 1926 | 40.7 years | +4.6% |
| 1927 | 39.4 years | -3.2% |
| 1928 | 41.6 years | +5.6% |
| 1929 | 43 years | +3.4% |
| 1930 | 45.3 years | +5.3% |
| 1931 | 42.7 years | -5.7% |
| 1932 | 44.2 years | +3.5% |
| 1933 | 41.6 years | -5.9% |
| 1934 | 44.4 years | +6.7% |
| 1935 | 44 years | -0.9% |
| 1936 | 44.4 years | +0.9% |
| 1937 | 47.2 years | +6.3% |
| 1938 | 45.9 years | -2.8% |
| 1939 | 48.5 years | +5.7% |
| 1940 | 47.6 years | -1.9% |
| 1941 | 49.4 years | +3.8% |
| 1942 | 49.8 years | +0.8% |
| 1943 | 50.3 years | +1.0% |
| 1944 | 49.1 years | -2.4% |
| 1945 | 49.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 51.4 years | +4.7% |
| 1947 | 50.4 years | -1.9% |
| 1948 | 51.7 years | +2.6% |
| 1949 | 53.9 years | +4.3% |
| 1950 | 56.56 years | +4.9% |
| 1951 | 57.13 years | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 58.11 years | +1.7% |
| 1953 | 58.87 years | +1.3% |
| 1954 | 59.64 years | +1.3% |
| 1955 | 60.4 years | +1.3% |
| 1956 | 61.16 years | +1.3% |
| 1957 | 61.95 years | +1.3% |
| 1958 | 62.65 years | +1.1% |
| 1959 | 63.25 years | +1.0% |
| 1960 | 63.83 years | +0.9% |
| 1961 | 64.26 years | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 64.62 years | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 65 years | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 65.35 years | +0.5% |
| 1965 | 65.66 years | +0.5% |
| 1966 | 65.93 years | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 66.09 years | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 66.32 years | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 66.52 years | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 66.73 years | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 67 years | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 67.3 years | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 67.61 years | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 67.91 years | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 68.17 years | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 68.41 years | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 68.59 years | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 68.74 years | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 68.81 years | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 68.99 years | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 69.12 years | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 69.25 years | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 69.55 years | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 69.81 years | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 70.1 years | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 70.45 years | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 70.87 years | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 71.16 years | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 71.51 years | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 71.7 years | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 71.79 years | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 71.82 years | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 71.76 years | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 71.62 years | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 71.49 years | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 71.33 years | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 71.22 years | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 71.17 years | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 71.19 years | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 71.28 years | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 71.29 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 71.48 years | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 71.58 years | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 71.54 years | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 71.49 years | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 71.39 years | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 71.4 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 71.5 years | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 71.72 years | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 71.98 years | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 72.25 years | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 72.4 years | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 72.44 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 72.36 years | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 72.21 years | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 72.05 years | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 71.88 years | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 71.61 years | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 71.53 years | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 71.45 years | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 69.08 years | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 71.48 years | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 71.48 years | -0.0% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 71.48 years is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 74.42 years, 96% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 71.48 years is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 75.34 years, 95% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Life expectancy in Jamaica changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | +38.6% | 26.4 years | 36.6 years |
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
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)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0278 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, 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 71.48 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
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.