People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Jamaica
Jamaica: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 37,761 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Jamaica, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Jamaica is 37,761 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 9.8% on the previous year and down 52.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Jamaica peaked at 132,953 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 37,761 people, in 2024.
Jamaica ranks 98th of 178 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 132,953 people | — |
| 2001 | 129,238 people | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 125,593 people | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 121,952 people | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 118,263 people | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 114,527 people | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 110,732 people | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 106,884 people | -3.5% |
| 2008 | 102,986 people | -3.6% |
| 2009 | 99,067 people | -3.8% |
| 2010 | 95,150 people | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 91,239 people | -4.1% |
| 2012 | 87,294 people | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 83,297 people | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 79,241 people | -4.9% |
| 2015 | 75,135 people | -5.2% |
| 2016 | 70,984 people | -5.5% |
| 2017 | 66,798 people | -5.9% |
| 2018 | 62,586 people | -6.3% |
| 2019 | 58,369 people | -6.7% |
| 2020 | 54,260 people | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 50,160 people | -7.6% |
| 2022 | 45,994 people | -8.3% |
| 2023 | 41,861 people | -9.0% |
| 2024 | 37,761 people | -9.8% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 37,761 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 40,286 people, 94% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 37,761 people is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 48,260 people, 78% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 116,219 people | 99,067 people | 132,953 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 77,009 people | 58,369 people | 95,150 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 46,007 people | 37,761 people | 54,260 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More environment data for Jamaica
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.93 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.15 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.284 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.76 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 4.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.7158 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Jamaica?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Jamaica was 37,761 people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 132,953 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 37,761 people in 2024.
- How does Jamaica rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Jamaica ranks 98th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People in rural areas not using an improved water source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people not using improved drinking water sources. These people might use surface water sources or unprotected springs or wells, as no safe and reliable improved drinking water source is available to them.