Jamaica, Vermont, 1895
Jamaica’s story
246 years in pictures
Census counts: 263 in 1790, a low of 263 in 1790, 1,005 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 1895 and 4 maps from 1894 on.
- 1780Jamaica is settled
JamaicaVT
Trash & recyclingPopulation
979
2025 Census estimate · −2.1% since 2020
Typical home
$368K
−4.9% in a year
Household income
$79K
median
Median age
55.1
years
Jobs based here
210
A commuter town
Is Jamaica a good place to live?
Of the 72 Vermont towns we compare, none has a higher share of households owning their home than Jamaica. 16% of the land in Jamaica is conserved, close to Vermont’s towns (14%) and above U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Green Mountain National Forest, at 1,150 acres. Jamaica has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Jamaica stand out
Where Jamaica beats most towns.
Small town
979 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
StrattonWardsboroWinhallTownshendWindhamJamaica
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Jamaica: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Jamaica, and how to reach them.
PowerGreen Mountain Power23.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBear Creek Condominium water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers79% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpJamaica Transfer StationDrop-offTown site
SchoolsWest River Valley Modified Union Education District 72BWest River Valley Modified Union Education District 72AWindham Central Supervisory Union3 districts serve Jamaica; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Vermont you can register online up to and including Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received by Election Day).vote.govWho runs elections hereJamaica Town ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes05343, 05155, 0535905343 91% · 05155 6% · 05359 3%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Jamaica.
Work & commute
Most of Jamaica’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Jamaica for work: only 8% work in town. 4.5% of residents live below the poverty line in Jamaica, against 9.5% in Vermont’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Since 2013, Jamaica has added 64 jobs, to 210 in 2023.
8%work in town
| Jamaica | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 7.6% | 16% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Jamaica8%
Stratton12%
Londonderry6%
Brattleboro6%
Townshend4%
16 mi
median commute distance
210
jobs based in Jamaica
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Jamaica’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the West River Valley Union Education District #72A. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jamaica Village SchoolLargest public school before high schoolGrades PK | Grades PK | 9 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Who lives here
Jamaica stands out in Vermont and nationally, with the median age higher than most
Jamaica’s median age is 55.1 years. Jamaica has lost 2.1% of its people since 2020, down to 979 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 49% of Jamaica adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
55.1median age · VT 43.1
| Jamaica | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.1 years | 43.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 49% | 40% | 29% |
JamaicaVermontUnited States
Ages · share of residents
21%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school22%
Some college13%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s24%
Graduate25%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.7 points. Across Vermont, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Jamaica | VT | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 1.9% | 9.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.8% | 8.8% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.1% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.6% | 11.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.2% | 12.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.8% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 20.5% | 14.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 18.4% | 13% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.7% | 8.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.1% | 5.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 21.9% | 26.8% | 26% |
| Some college | 13.4% | 15.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.9% | 8.6% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.9% | 25.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 24.8% | 18.6% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,000, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Jamaica
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 69% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 18 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Jamaica.
69risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
18
paid flood claims since 1978
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
Jamaica has set aside 15.7% of its land for conservation
32 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
15.7%conserved
15.7%
conserved · 4,937 of 31,469 acres
32 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jamaica State Park | 6.2 mi | 1,019 |
| 2. Ball Mountain Lake | 5.2 mi | 711 |
| 3. Green Mountain National Forest | — | 1,150 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Jamaica has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Jamaica has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Jamaica is 79°F.
130″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–32°
Spring30–53°
Summer53–77°
Fall36–58°
Sep 29
typical first frost
May 13
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Jamaica is
Jamaica beats the Vermont average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 26% of adults have obesity in Jamaica.
| Jamaica | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 30% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 76% | 79% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 19% | 25% |
31 measures vs. Vermont
0 better29 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Jamaica | VT |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.8% | 10.1% |
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 64.5% | 69.2% |
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital
22.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
The typical home in Jamaica is valued at about $368K
The typical Jamaica home is worth about $368,000, down 4.9% in a year, 6% below the Vermont typical home.
$368KZillow home value
Typical home value
Jamaica$368K
Vermont$392K
−4.9%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 107 attractions →Mount Greylock and 33 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Jamaica. Close and well known come first.
37 mi MountainMount Greylock
40 mi MountainMount Monadnock
5 mi Ski areaStratton Mountain Resort106 runs · 1,899 ft vertical
11 mi Ski areaMount Snow119 runs · 1,648 ft vertical
34 mi MuseumClark Art Institute
35 mi Ski areaKillington Resort184 runs · 3,031 ft verticalSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Mount Greylock: Jstergis, CC BY 3.0 · Mount Monadnock: Jonwmcinenrey, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Stratton Mountain Resort: Rudi Riet from Washington, DC, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Mount Snow: William J Sisti from Morristown, NJ, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Clark Art Institute: Daderot, Public domain · Killington Resort: NHRHS2010, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Jamaica
19pages on Jamaica
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Jamaica; the nearest are
Landmark CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Putney17.8 mi$66,540 tuitionKeene State CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Keene, NH29.9 mi$14,784 in-state tuitionRiver Valley Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Claremont, NH31.9 mi$6,940 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Jamaica residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Vermont.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Jamaica for work
Where Jamaica’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
210jobs based in Jamaica
8%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Jamaica
10 notable people were born in Jamaica.
E
Elliot Calvin HoweBotanist · 1828–1899
About Jamaica
Town in Vermont, United States
Jamaica is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,005 at the 2020 census. The town includes the villages of Jamaica, East Jamaica and Rawsonville. Its ZIP code is 05343. The town is home to Jamaica State Park, noted for scenic camping spots and various swimming holes, including Hamilton Falls. The nearest large town is Brattleboro.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1780
- Area
- 50 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,135 ft
- ZIP code
- 05343
- Area code
- 802
Questions about Jamaica
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Jamaica, VT a good place to live?
Jamaica has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Jamaica, VT known for?
10 notable people were born here, including Florence Lee and Edward Fisher.