Female labor force participation rate (Labour Force) in Jamaica
Jamaica: Female labor force participation rate (Labour Force) was 60.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate in Jamaica, 1960–2023
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, female labor force participation rate in Jamaica stood at 60.6%.
The figure is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 14.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in Jamaica peaked at 66.5% in 1982 and was at its lowest, 36.5%, in 1970.
That places Jamaica 54th out of 194 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate (Labour Force) in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 49.8% | — |
| 1970 | 36.5% | -26.6% |
| 1974 | 58.6% | +60.5% |
| 1975 | 62.0% | +5.9% |
| 1976 | 61.3% | -1.3% |
| 1978 | 64.3% | +4.9% |
| 1980 | 40.4% | -37.1% |
| 1981 | 65.2% | +61.3% |
| 1982 | 66.5% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 40.5% | -39.0% |
| 1988 | 47.0% | +15.9% |
| 1990 | 62.4% | +32.7% |
| 1991 | 39.2% | -37.2% |
| 1994 | 62.4% | +59.3% |
| 1995 | 61.8% | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 60.6% | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 59.0% | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 57.6% | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 56.5% | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 53.6% | -5.1% |
| 2002 | 55.3% | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 53.0% | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 55.3% | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 57.0% | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 55.5% | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 53.6% | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 52.2% | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 52.3% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 52.6% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 52.9% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 53.1% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 56.1% | +5.6% |
| 2017 | 56.9% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 56.3% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 57.5% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 55.4% | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 56.0% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 58.4% | +4.2% |
| 2023 | 60.6% | +3.8% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 60.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 52.2%, 1.2× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 60.6% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 53.7%, 1.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate (Labour Force) in Jamaica changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +61.3% | 40.4% | 65.2% |
| 1974 | +60.5% | 36.5% | 58.6% |
| 1994 | +59.3% | 39.2% | 62.4% |
| 1985 | -39.0% | 66.5% | 40.5% |
| 1980 | -37.1% | 64.3% | 40.4% |
| 1991 | -37.2% | 62.4% | 39.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 49.8% | 49.8% | 49.8% | 1 |
| 1970s | 56.5% | 36.5% | 64.3% | 5 |
| 1980s | 51.9% | 40.4% | 66.5% | 5 |
| 1990s | 57.4% | 39.2% | 62.4% | 8 |
| 2000s | 54.8% | 53.0% | 57.0% | 7 |
| 2010s | 54.4% | 52.2% | 57.5% | 9 |
| 2020s | 57.6% | 55.4% | 60.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More work & labour data for Jamaica
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.69 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.25 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.0152 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1,904 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 799.47 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 544.43 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 522.35 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 1,067 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate in Jamaica?
- Female labor force participation rate in Jamaica was 60.6% in 2023, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 66.5% in 1982.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.5% in 1970.
- How does Jamaica rank for female labor force participation rate?
- Jamaica ranks 54th out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.