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Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026

Jamaica: Poverty & Inequality

Where is income shared most fairly, and poverty shallowest?

Jamaica is placed 86th of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 39.87 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 0.32 (2023).

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Poverty & Inequality

86th

of 159 countries placed

Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics

Country Index 2026, all topicsjoint 76th of 183 →

01The evidence

The 3 key statistics that decide it

Only these place Jamaica on poverty & inequality — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.

Why these keys

  1. Key 1 of 3

    Gini Index

    World Bank Group

    Why it is a key

    Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Jamaica’s is from 2021 · CC BY 4.0

    39.87

    Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)

    Lower is better

    Jamaica: 39.87. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 23 (India) to 59.07 (Namibia); the world median is 33.72.

    World median
    33.72
    Best in Caribbean
    34.07 Barbados

  2. Key 2 of 3

    Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day

    World Bank Group

    Why it is a key

    Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Jamaica’s is from 2021 · CC BY 4.0

    0.32

    Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)

    Lower is better

    Jamaica: 0.32. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0 (Czechia) to 48.69 (DR Congo); the world median is 0.345.

    World median
    0.345
    Best in Caribbean
    0.01 Saint Lucia

  3. Key 3 of 3

    Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet

    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

    Why it is a key

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0

    26.4

    Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)

    Lower is better

    Jamaica: 26.4. Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Belarus) to 93.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 26.4.

    World median
    26.4
    Best in Caribbean
    7.1 Saint Lucia

03In context

Jamaica beside its neighbours

A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 159 countries on poverty & inequality, never a place within the region.

Caribbean
1st159thNot placed · 65 countries with too few key statisticsNo data

The whole world on poverty & inequality

Jamaica and Caribbean

Jamaica has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 159; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.

CountryStandingGini IndexGini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)Poverty Gap at $3.00 a DayPoverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy DietShare of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)
Saint Lucia60th43.690.017.1
Dominican Republic74th38.40.3716.2
Barbados76th34.070.87—
Jamaica86th39.870.3226.4
Grenada88th43.820.1822.9
Anguillanot placed———
Antigua and Barbudanot placed———
Arubanot placed———
Bahamasnot placed———
British Virgin Islandsnot placed———
Cayman Islandsnot placed———
Cubanot placed———
Curaçaonot placed———
Dominicanot placed———
Haitinot placed——88.9
Montserratnot placed———
Puerto Riconot placed———
Saint Kitts and Nevisnot placed———
Saint Martinnot placed———
Saint Vincent and the Grenadinesnot placed———
Sint Maartennot placed———
Trinidad and Tobagonot placed——32
Turks and Caicos Islandsnot placed———
United States Virgin Islandsnot placed———

“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is

Placed either side on poverty & inequality

The countries immediately above and below Jamaica in the topic’s list.

04Context, no vote

Where Jamaica is ahead of the world, and behind

17 more statistics filed under poverty & inequality, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.

Every country

Ahead of the world median8

Statistics on which Jamaica does better than the middle country measured.

  • Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.936No earlier reading

    Jamaica: 0.936 · world median 0.529 · Adjusted wealth parity index, lower secondary completion (poorest vs richest fifth; 1 = parity). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.032 to 1.022; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 21.269.231No earlier reading

    Jamaica: 9.231 · world median 21.26 · Children aged 6-23 months fed from at most 2 of 8 food groups (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 1.169 to 63.08; lower is better.

    Position 89th of 113 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Exclusion by Socio-Economic GroupV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2023 · world median 0.4130.186▲ Improved since 2013

    Jamaica: 0.186 · world median 0.413 · Exclusion by socio-economic group index (0–1; higher = more exclusion). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.014 to 0.969; lower is better.

    Position 131st of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Global Multidimensional Poverty IndexOPHI · 2025 · world median 0.0390.011No real change since 2018

    Jamaica: 0.011 · world median 0.039 · MPI (0–1). Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.517; lower is better.

    Position 79th of 109 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Multidimensional Poverty MeasureWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.2521.591No earlier reading

    Jamaica: 1.591 · world median 4.252 · Multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 87.96; lower is better.

    Position 108th of 157 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Working Poverty RateILO · 2025 · world median 4.8850.77▼ Worsened since 2015

    Jamaica: 0.77 · world median 4.885 · Employed people living in extreme poverty (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.007 to 86.02; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour BenefitsWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 18.6527.69No earlier reading

    Jamaica: 27.69 · world median 18.65 · Benefits received as a share of beneficiaries' total income or consumption (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.455 to 90.86; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up EstimatesWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 2.11.18▼ Worsened since 2014

    Jamaica: 1.18 · world median 2.1 · Population below $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP, World Bank line-up estimate (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 89.54; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

Behind the world median4

Statistics on which Jamaica does worse than the middle country measured.

  • Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6090.59▼ Worsened since 2013

    Jamaica: 0.59 · world median 0.609 · IHDI (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.226 to 0.923; higher is better.

    Position 97th of 169 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 12,8007,975▼ Worsened since 2017

    Jamaica: 7,975 · world median 12,800 · Actual individual consumption per capita (PPP, current international $). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.

    Published values in that edition run from 688.7 to 52,654; higher is better.

    Position 111th of 173 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2021 dataset

  • Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.955.8No real change since 2015

    Jamaica: 55.8 · world median 20.9 · Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 1 to 88.8; lower is better.

    Position 24th of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Income Growth of the Poorest 40%World Bank Group · 2024 · world median 1.841-3.302No earlier reading

    Jamaica: -3.302 · world median 1.841 · Annualized growth in real income or consumption per person of the bottom 40% (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from -4.185 to 14.51; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

Level with the median, or no median to compare2

  • Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.25▼ Worsened since 2014

    Jamaica: 0.25 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Coefficient of Human InequalityUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 17.0517.05▼ Worsened since 2013

    Jamaica: 17.05 · world median 17.05 · Coefficient of Human Inequality (%). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 4.865 to 43.08; lower is better.

    Position 85th of 169 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

No better end3

These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.

  • Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.556.21Moved since 2017

    Jamaica: 6.21 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingWorld Bank Group · 2019 · world median 6.8810.2No earlier reading

    Jamaica: 10.2 · world median 6.88 · Population in households spending more than 10% of their budget on health out of pocket (%). World Bank Group, 2019 edition, data for 2019.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.133 to 31.21.

    Chart and every countryThe 2019 dataset

  • Poverty Headcount at National Poverty LinesWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 21.88.2No earlier reading

    Jamaica: 8.2 · world median 21.8 · Population below the national poverty line (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 82.3.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

No current reading for Jamaica

Gini Index (last 2021), Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID) (last 2021), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings (last 2014), Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2021), Income Share Held by Richest 10% (last 2021), Intergenerational Persistence in Education, Low Pay Rate (last 2014), Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person (last 2021), Palma Ratio (last 2021), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Prosperity Gap (last 2021) and Societal Poverty Rate (last 2021). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.

“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing

05Country Index 2026

Poverty & Inequality among Jamaica’s 16 topics

Poverty & Inequality is Jamaica’s 9th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.

On the profile
  1. Work & Labour25th of 182
  2. Gender & Equalityjoint 34th of 183
  3. Peace & Security36th of 177
  4. Education & Knowledge43rd of 198
  5. Democracy & Civil Liberties51st of 198
  6. Governance & Institutions56th of 194
  7. Economy & Innovation93rd of 176
  8. Risk & Resilience103rd of 193
  9. Poverty & Inequality86th of 159
  10. Health & Wellbeing120th of 200
  11. Food & Agriculture112th of 184
  12. Mobility & Trade110th of 177
  13. Digital & Technology125th of 198
  14. Development & Human Capital132nd of 196
  15. Energy123rd of 165
  16. Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 143rd of 186

06The top of the list

Who leads on poverty & inequality

The three countries placed highest of 159, and the leaders Jamaica can most readily be measured against.

All 159 countries
  1. 1

    Belarus

    Eastern Europe

    1st of 159 · 3 of 3 keys

    Photo: zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  2. 2

    Slovenia

    Southern Europe

    2nd of 159 · 3 of 3 keys

    Photo: Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 3.0, greyscale

  3. =3

    Ukraine

    Eastern Europe

    Joint 3rd of 159 · 2 of 3 keys

    Photo: uploaded by Chern038 · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

Placed highest nearby

  1. Highest in Americas

    Canada28th3/3 keys

  2. Highest in Caribbean

    Saint Lucia60th3/3 keys

  3. This page

    Jamaica86th3/3 keys

Positions out of 159 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.

07Method

Method, sources and how to cite

What this topic does not measure

Survey-based figures come from household surveys, which most countries run every few years rather than annually, so each country is read from its most recent survey of the last decade and the year of every reading is shown; a country with no survey in that time has no standing here. Wealth, as distinct from income, is not measured, because no global source of household wealth is available to this site under a licence that allows republishing it. Multidimensional poverty, national poverty lines and the income growth of the poorest are published here as context, and what work pays is under Work & Labour.

About poverty & inequality, in full

How the Poverty & Inequality standing is decided

A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.

The poverty & inequality method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built

The key statistics and their licences

The other 17 statistics on this page come from 8 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.

The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photographs

Jamaica’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). Jamaica: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/jamaica/poverty