Ranked by population size, the Jamaican diaspora in the United States forms a vibrant and diverse community, enriching American society with their culture, traditions, and contributions. This analysis sheds light on the states where Jamaican Americans have chosen to call home, highlighting the significant presence of this community in various regions of the United States.

Jamaican Americans form a significant part of the rich tapestry of cultures in the United States, contributing their heritage, traditions, and talents to the country’s diverse landscape. According to data from the Embassy of Jamaica in Washington, DC, Jamaican Americans are most heavily concentrated in the eastern United States, with the highest numbers found in New York, Florida, and Georgia.

In New York, Jamaican Americans number over 315,000, representing approximately 1.6% of the state’s population. Florida boasts the second-highest number of Jamaican Americans, with over 311,000 residing in the state, accounting for around 1.4% of its total population. Georgia comes in third, with a Jamaican American population of 71,085, making up a significant portion of the state’s demographic makeup. While Jamaican Americans are prominent in these states, they are also present in smaller numbers across the rest of the country. Many states have less than 0.1% of their population identifying as Jamaican American.

For example, Idaho has the smallest number of Jamaican Americans, with only 205 people, making up just 0.01% of the state’s population. Overall, Jamaican Americans account for less than 2% of the population in all 50 states.

Jamaican Americans are an ethnic group of Caribbean Americans who have full or partial Jamaican ancestry. The largest proportions of Jamaican Americans live in South Florida and New York City, both of which have been home to large Jamaican communities since the 1950s and ’60s. There are also communities of Jamaican Americans residing in Georgia, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, and California.

The vast majority of Jamaican Americans are of black African-Caribbean descent, while smaller numbers are of full or partial Indian Jamaican, Chinese Jamaican, European, and Lebanese descent.

It’s important to note that the numbers provided by the Embassy of Jamaica in Washington, DC, are estimates and are likely to be higher as many undocumented Jamaicans are not accounted for. Despite their relatively small numbers compared to the total U.S. population, Jamaican Americans have made significant contributions to American society, enriching the cultural fabric of the nation.

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