As of 2017, 19.3% of the Jamaican population lived below the poverty line (see table 5) (STATIN, 2018) with a GINI coefficient of 35- placing Jamaica at a global ranking of 97 for this measure (CIA, 2019). Additionally, Jamaica’s inequality income was reported at 32% in 2018 as compared to the regional average of 34% (UNDP, 2019).

Table 5: Poverty Incidence by Region

Region	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017
Kingston Metropolitan Area	19.7	17.8	15.3	14.3	11.9	17.1
Other Towns	16.6	20	16.2	14.7	16	20.1
Rural Areas	21.3	31.3	24.9	28.5	20.5	20.1
Jamaica	19.9	24.6	20.0	21.2	17.1	19.3

 

Source, Statistical Institute of Jamaica, 2018, https://statinja.gov.jm/living_conditions_poverty.aspx

References:

CIA. (2019). Central America: Jamaica — The World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/jamaica/

Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN). (2019). Living Conditions and Poverty: Table Incidence of Poverty by Region: 1994-2014. Available from: https://statinja.gov.jm/living_conditions_poverty.aspx

UNDP. (2019). Human development Report 2019: Beyond Income, Beyond Averages, Beyond Today: Inequalities in Human Development in the 21^st century. Available from: https://hdr.undp.org/content/human-development-report-2019