Skip to content

Population density: Jamaica vs United States compared

Updated on by Georank team

Jamaica has a population density of 678 people per square mile compared to 97.3 people in the United States. Jamaica has 41,673 sq ft of land per person vs 309,474 sq ft in the United States. Jamaica and the United States rank 43rd and 149th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Jamaica has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.007% of all countries' land area, compared to 4.21% of the population and 6.14% of the land area for the United States, making the population density in Jamaica 597% higher than in the United States.

Population density by year

Jamaica
United States

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Jamaica United States
2026 678 97.3
2025 679 96.8
2024 679 96.3
2023 679 94.8
2022 679 94.4
2021 679 94
2020 677 93.9
2019 675 93
2018 674 92.5
2017 673 92.1
2016 672 91.5
2015 670 90.8
2014 668 90.1
2013 666 89.5
2012 663 88.9
2011 660 88.2
2010 657 87.6
2009 655 86.9
2008 652 86.1
2007 649 85.2
2006 646 84.3
2005 643 83.5
2004 639 82.8
2003 635 82
2002 631 81.3
2001 628 80.6
2000 624 79.8
1999 619 79
1998 615 78.1
1997 609 77.2
1996 604 76.3
1995 598 75.4
1994 592 74.5
1993 586 73.6
1992 580 72.6
1991 574 71.7
1990 569 70.7
1989 565 69.8
1988 561 69.1
1987 557 68.5
1986 553 67.9
1985 548 67.3
1984 542 66.7
1983 534 66.1
1982 527 65.5
1981 520 64.9
1980 513 64.1
1979 507 63.6
1978 501 62.9
1977 495 62.3
1976 489 61.7
1975 483 61.1
1974 476 60.5
1973 469 59.9
1972 462 59.4
1971 455 58.7
1970 449 58
1969 444 57.3
1968 439 56.8
1967 434 56.2
1966 428 55.6
1965 423 54.9
1964 417 54.3
1963 412 53.5
1962 406 52.7
1961 400 51.9

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/jamaica/united-states | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Jamaica increased by 4.96%, compared to a 15.3% growth in the United States.

In 2006, Jamaica ranked 36th by population density and is 43rd now. The United States was 146th in 2006 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Jamaica
United States
1x
Year Urban population
Jamaica United States
2024 58.9% 80.1%
2023 58.5% 80.1%
2022 58% 80%
2021 57.5% 80%
2020 57.1% 80%
2019 56.7% 80.1%
2018 56.3% 80.3%
2017 55.9% 80.4%
2016 55.5% 80.5%
2015 55.2% 80.6%
2014 54.9% 80.6%
2013 54.5% 80.7%
2012 54.2% 80.7%
2011 54% 80.7%
2010 53.8% 80.7%
2009 53.6% 80.7%
2008 53.4% 80.6%
2007 53.2% 80.5%
2006 53% 80.4%
2005 52.8% 80.2%
2004 52.6% 80%
2003 52.4% 79.8%
2002 52.1% 79.5%
2001 51.9% 79.3%
2000 51.7% 79.1%
1999 51.5% 78.8%
1998 51.3% 78.5%
1997 51% 78.1%
1996 50.8% 77.7%
1995 50.6% 77.2%
1994 50.3% 76.7%
1993 50.1% 76.3%
1992 49.9% 75.9%
1991 49.7% 75.5%
1990 49.4% 75.3%
1989 49.3% 75.1%
1988 49.1% 74.8%
1987 48.9% 74.7%
1986 48.7% 74.5%
1985 48.5% 74.3%
1984 48.3% 74.2%
1983 48.1% 74%
1982 47.8% 73.9%
1981 47.5% 73.8%
1980 47.2% 73.8%
1979 46.8% 73.7%
1978 46.3% 73.7%
1977 45.8% 73.7%
1976 45.3% 73.6%
1975 44.8% 73.6%
1974 44.2% 73.6%
1973 43.5% 73.6%
1972 42.9% 73.6%
1971 42.2% 73.5%
1970 41.4% 73.5%
1969 40.6% 73.4%
1968 39.6% 73.2%
1967 38.4% 73%
1966 37.2% 72.7%
1965 35.8% 72.3%
1964 34.5% 71.9%
1963 33.2% 71.4%
1962 31.9% 70.9%
1961 30.7% 70.4%
1960 29.7% 70%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/jamaica/united-states | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 52.6% to 58.9% in Jamaica and from 80% to 80.1% in the United States.

Densely populated cities

Jamaica
City Population
Kingston 938K
Spanish Town 131K
Montego Bay 124K
Half Way Tree 96.5K
May Pen 61.5K
United States
City Population
New York 8.8M
Los Angeles 3.9M
Chicago 2.75M
Houston 2.3M
Phoenix 1.61M
Philadelphia 1.6M
San Antonio 1.43M
San Diego 1.39M
Dallas 1.3M
San Jose 1.01M

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/jamaica/united-states | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2001–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.