Ranking of Jamaica's Parishes

Parishes Ranked by Size

The parish of St Ann just edges out St Elizabeth for the title of the largest parish by a difference of 1 square kilometer. Clarendon and St Catherine comes in a close 3rd and 4th.

Kingston is the smallest parish with an area of 8 square miles (22 square kilometers).

Parishes Ranked by Elevation

The parish of Portland has the highest elevation on the island, with the Blue Mountain Peak rising to 7,402ft. The Blue Mountains and John Crow Mountains are the highest mountain range on the island extending across Portland, St Thomas, St Andrew and a small section of St Mary, so it is not so surprising that St Thomas, St Andrew and St Mary rank the second, third and fourth parishes with the highest elevation.

Kingston lying predominantly within the Liguanea plain has the lowest elevation. Its highest point is located in the Long Mountain range above Rockfort Mineral Bath, where the terrain rises rapidly from sea level to an elevation of 1,106ft.

Parishes Ranked by Population

The parish of St Andrew is the most populous with the least populopus being the parish of Hanover.

Kingston is ranked #10 in population. KSAC, the single andministrative entity of Kingston and St Andrew Corporation, have a combined population of 662,491. [Updated 4/21 w/2019 data]

Parishes Ranked by Length of its Longest River

Clarendon is home of the Rio Minho, the longest river in Jamaica. The Black River in St Elizabeth, was long believed to the longest river until it was discovered that the Rio Minho holds that title. The Black River however, still holds the title of being the widest River (also described as the largest) on the isalnd.

The parish of Kingston has no rivers, so it takes the last place in the ranking. Manchester holds the penultimate position, with several short rivers near its coast. The Milk River that runs through Clarendon crosses into Manchester just before it meets the Caribbean sea. See List of Jamaica's Principal Rivers

Parishes Ranked by Length of its Coastline

Jamaica's coastline is 1,022km / 636mi long.

The parish of Portland has the longest coastline including Navy and Pellen Islands, followed by St Catherine, which includes the islands of Salt, Little Goat and Great Goat Islands. St Andrew, takes the last position.

Parishes Ranked by the Number of Caves

A lesser known fact about Jamaica is its vast number of caves, many of which are still waiting to be discovered. Two thirds of its land area is made up of highly dissected limestone plateaus varying in height from 1,000 to 3,000 ft. With its vast number karstic regions, caves and sinkholes are common.

According to the 2012 Jamaican Cave Register, there are 1,233 registered caves in Jamaica. Trelawny has the greatest number of caves, closely followed by Manchester, with Kingston having none.

Parishes Ranked by Povery Levels

Jamaica’s poverty rate fell to a historic low of 8.2% in 2023, but disparities remain across parishes. St. Thomas remains the poorest, with an estimated >30% poverty rate, while rural parishes like Portland, Manchester and Clarendon exceeds the national average. The others are around the national average with urban areas such as Kingston and St. Andrew with the lowest rates, between 3% and 6%, due to better access to jobs and services.

In general St. Thomas faces chronic poverty due to economic decline and lack of infrastructure. While many rural parishes have seen improvements since 2020, poverty remains notably higher than in urban centers. Kingston and St. Andrew benefit from greater access to jobs, services, and infrastructure, resulting in much lower poverty rates.

The below table synthesizes the latest available data and credible reporting from 2023. These estimates are based on the Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions (JSLC), conducted by STATIN and analyzed by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ). While full 2023 parish-level data has not yet been published, figures are drawn from recent surveys and poverty mapping studies supported by the World Bank, which use household consumption data and statistical modeling to estimate conditions by region.

Distribution of Poverty in Jamaica (2002 data)

Parishes Ranked by Tourism Activity and Growth Potential

The following table ranks all 14 Jamaican parishes by tourism prominence based on visitor arrivals, resort concentration, cruise ports, government focus, and recent development trends. The top tiers reflect established and rapidly emerging tourism hubs, while lower tiers include parishes with niche, eco, or cultural tourism, and those targeted for future growth.

Top 5 parishes (St. James, St. Ann, Westmoreland, Hanover, Trelawny) account for the vast majority of Jamaica’s tourism arrivals, hotel rooms, and cruise ship calls. Hanover is rapidly climbing the ranks due to major resort and casino developments and is now officially described as an emerging leader

The opening of Ian Fleming International Airport in St. Mary has enhanced direct international access to Jamaica’s north coast, particularly benefiting the tourism sectors of St. Mary and St. Ann, and offering improved connectivity for boutique and eco-tourism in nearby Portland. This strategic investment supports the region’s positioning as a luxury and alternative tourism destination, complementing the traditional hubs of Montego Bay and Ocho Rios.