Median Income
$53,333
household / year
Median Home Value
$69,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$575
gross / month
Cost of Living
93
national avg = 100

Is Jamaica, IA a Good Place to Live?

Jamaica is a small town of 195 in Iowa, with a median household income of $53,333 and a 4.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.

Strengths: Jamaica stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Jamaica is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Jamaica city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 92.7

Jamaica's overall cost of living index is 92.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Jamaica costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.

Metric Jamaica, IA National Avg
Median Home Value $69,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $575 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 80.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $53,333 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Crime data for Jamaica is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.

Schools & Education

Metric Jamaica, IA National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 89.9% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Jamaica sees average highs of 29.5°F in January and 85.4°F in July, with 34.3 inches of annual precipitation and 32.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricJamaica, IA
Average High — January29.5°F
Average High — July85.4°F
Annual Precipitation34.3"
Annual Snowfall32.8"

Demographics

MetricJamaica, IANational Avg
Population195—
Median Age41.838.9
Unemployment Rate4.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time42.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)100.0%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.0%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1827.7%22.2%
65 and over21.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Dawson, IA 4 mi Yale, IA 6 mi Bagley, IA 6 mi Rippey, IA 8 mi Lake Panorama, IA 10 mi

ZIP Codes in Jamaica

Jamaica, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

50128

Jamaica vs Other Cities

Jamaica, IA vs Dawson, IA Jamaica, IA vs Yale, IA Jamaica, IA vs Bagley, IA Jamaica, IA vs Rippey, IA Jamaica, IA vs Lake Panorama, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

Jamaica's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average. That makes Jamaica roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $69,600 and median rent is $575/month.
Crime data for Jamaica is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Jamaica, IA has a population of 195, a median household income of $53,333, and an unemployment rate of 4.9%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Jamaica averages 29.5°F in January and 85.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 34.3 inches with about 32.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Jamaica, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 50128.
The population of Jamaica, Iowa is 195 with a median age of 41.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Jamaica: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $69,600, median household income $53,333. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Jamaica side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.