Portland: population, jobs, poverty, education and disability

Portland is a parish of Jamaica, number 11 of 13 by population. The 2022 census counted 84,972 people in Portland, 3.1% of Jamaica's 2,774,538; it is 3rd smallest of 13 by population.

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Portland: The 2011 census counted 4,874 unemployed people aged 14 and over in Portland, 60 for every 1,000 residents (Jamaica: 60); that is 6th lowest of 13.
• Health in Portland: In the 2011 census 15.6% of people aged 5 and over in Portland reported some difficulty with sight (11,796 people), against 15.0% in Jamaica; 4th highest of 13.
• Education in Portland: In the 2011 census 0.72% of people aged 3 and over in Portland had no schooling (565 people), against 0.68% in Jamaica; 6th lowest of 13.
• Poverty and living standards in Portland: An estimated 15.3% of people in Portland lived below the poverty line in 2012, against 19.8% for Jamaica; 4th lowest of 13 (PIOJ/STATIN poverty mapping from the 2011 census and 2012 survey).

How parishs are governed in Jamaica

Municipal corporations (13). Councillors elected by first past the post in electoral divisions; mayor chosen by the councillors. Local planning and building control, markets, parish roads and drains, street lighting, public health enforcement, poor relief.

Every tier of government in Jamaica

Other parishs of Jamaica

• Saint Andrew And Kingston 672,904
• Saint Catherine 542,763
• Clarendon 258,643
• Manchester 193,694
• Saint James 188,656
• Saint Ann 175,310
• Saint Elizabeth 153,201
• Westmoreland 146,205
• Saint Mary 116,497
• Saint Thomas 94,485
• Trelawny 77,427
• Hanover 69,780

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Sources

• Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN): Population Census 2011: Female population 3 years and over by highest level of educational attainment, by parish, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1fb359123321…)
• Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN): Population Census 2011: Male population 3 years and over by highest level of educational attainment, by parish, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0f65c437d93f…)
• Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN): Population Census 2011: Population 5 years and over by level of difficulty related to hearing, by parish, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b6765b132716…)
• Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN): Population Census 2022: Population Change by Parish (2022 and 2011 counts), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d22b17ce77bc…)
• Planning Institute of Jamaica and Statistical Institute of Jamaica: Mapping Poverty Indicators: Consumption Based Poverty in Jamaica (2019), Table 2: predicted poverty and mean consumption by parish (pages 7-8 of the report, saved as a 2-page extract because the full file is 93 MB), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2aa1dcb644c0…)
• Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN): Population Census 2011: Population 5 years and over by level of difficulty related to sight, by parish, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6dcbcba94039…)
• Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN): Population Census 2011: Population 14 years and over unemployed in the week preceding the census, by activity status, parish and sex, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 306d65d3d4f2…)
• Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN): Population Census 2011: Population 5 years and over by level of difficulty related to walking, by parish, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5acb1fef86da…)

Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.