Life Expectancy in Jamaica (2024): Men 69.1, Women 74.1

Life expectancy in Jamaica since 1960

Women
Men

Since 1960, life expectancy in Jamaica has risen by 7.8 years, from 63.8 to 71.6. During the COVID-19 pandemic it fell by 2.4 years (from 71.5 in 2019 to 69.1 in 2021) and has since recovered. Women live 5.0 years longer than men (74.1 vs 69.1).

Expected age at death in Jamaica by age

Life expectancy at birth includes deaths in childhood. Once people reach adulthood they can expect to live longer — here is the average expected age at death for people who have already reached each age:

Current age	Birth	20	40	60	80
Men	69.1	70.9	71.9	75.0	84.2
Women	74.1	76.0	76.8	79.0	86.2

Birth: World Bank. Other ages: our survival model calibrated to Jamaica’s figures (method).

How people die in Jamaica

Chronic diseases: 78.2%
Infections, maternal & nutritional: 9.8%
Injuries: 12%

In 2019, 78% of deaths in Jamaica were caused by chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes (world: 74%). A Jamaica man has a 23% chance and a woman 18% of dying of one of these diseases between the ages of 30 and 70 (world: 21% and 16%). Road traffic accidents kill 15.1 people per 100,000 each year (world: 16.7).

See which causes of death are most likely for you →

Child mortality

Out of every 1,000 babies born in Jamaica, about 17.8 die before their fifth birthday (world: 37.4). This is one of the main reasons life expectancy at birth differs so much between countries.

Jamaica compared with its region

Jamaica is in the World Bank’s Latin America & Caribbean region, where the average life expectancy is 75.5 years. It ranks #37 of 42 countries there.

#	Country	Overall	Men	Women
33	Guatemala	72.7	70.4	75.0
34	Venezuela	72.7	68.9	76.7
35	El Salvador	72.3	67.8	76.5
36	Saint Kitts and Nevis	72.3	68.7	76.2
37	Jamaica	71.6	69.1	74.1
38	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	71.4	68.8	74.5
39	Dominica	71.3	68.4	74.7
40	Guyana	70.3	66.6	74.1
41	Bolivia	68.7	66.3	71.3

See all 217 countries ranked →

Frequently asked questions

What is the life expectancy in Jamaica?

71.6 years in 2024: 69.1 for men and 74.1 for women, according to the World Bank.

Do women live longer than men in Jamaica?

Yes. Women in Jamaica live about 5.0 years longer than men. Worldwide the gap is 4.9 years in favour of women.

How does Jamaica rank for life expectancy?

Jamaica ranks #142 out of 217 countries and territories with data. That is 1.9 years below the world average of 73.5.

What is the average age of death in Jamaica?

Life expectancy at birth (71.6) is pulled down by deaths in childhood. Adults live longer: a 40-year-old man in Jamaica can expect to live to about 71.9, and a 40-year-old woman to about 76.8.

Sources

World Bank, World Development Indicators: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, SP.DYN.LE00.MA.IN, SP.DYN.LE00.FE.IN), under-5 mortality (SH.DYN.MORT), causes of death (SH.DTH.NCOM.ZS, SH.DTH.INJR.ZS), mortality from major chronic diseases (SH.DYN.NCOM.MA.ZS, SH.DYN.NCOM.FE.ZS) and road traffic deaths (SH.STA.TRAF.P5). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Link

Data updated October 25, 2026.