Market Research Companies in Jamaica

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Read the Jamaica research guide

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  1. Dichter & Neira Jamaica

    Kingston, Jamaica
    Full Service Agency

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    Full service offices in 14 Latin American and Caribbean countries, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and the Dominican Republic, is a genuine leading market research co…

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Country guide

Conducting market research in Jamaica

A compact, English-speaking island market of 2.77 million people across 14 parishes, with a data protection law in force since December 2023: what to know before planning fieldwork in Jamaica.

Key figures for researchers

Population
2,774,538 (2022 census)1
Population growth
+2.8% since 2011, 0.24% a year on average (2022 census)1
Administrative divisions
14 parishes in 3 counties (Cornwall, Middlesex, Surrey)2
Urban population
61% of residents (2022 census, up from half in 2011)3
Most urbanised parishes
Kingston 100%, St Andrew 90%, St James 75%, St Catherine 71% (2022 census)3
Internet users
90.1% of individuals (2024)4
Mobile subscriptions
118 per 100 people (2024)5
GDP per capita
about US$8,000 (2025)6
Hurricane season
1 June to 30 November7

Research guide

Research landscape

Jamaica is a small market, and most research activity is based in Kingston, the capital and largest city. Local agencies typically cover consumer, media, social and opinion research, and many also run fieldwork for regional or multi-country Caribbean studies coordinated from abroad.

The 2022 census counted 2,774,538 people, only 2.8% more than in 2011: growth averaged 0.24% a year, the lowest rate recorded since 1970. The parishes that grew most were St Catherine (around Spanish Town), Clarendon, and Kingston and St Andrew, the most densely populated area of the island.

Languages and fieldwork

English is the official language and the written language of questionnaires. Day to day, most Jamaicans speak an English-based dialect known as patois: interviewers who are comfortable in both help with rapport, probing and pilot testing, especially in qualitative work and with lower-income respondents.

The island is divided into 14 parishes, and national samples are usually stratified by parish and by urban and rural area. In 2022, 61% of the population lived in urban areas (half in 2011). Kingston is fully urban, St Andrew 90%, St James (around Montego Bay) 75% and St Catherine 71%, while rural parishes need more travel time and cost per interview.

Which methods work

Connectivity is high: 90.1% of individuals used the internet in 2024 and there were 118 mobile subscriptions per 100 people. Online and mobile surveys work well for urban and younger targets, and online qualitative methods are possible for professional audiences.

Online panels are much smaller than in large markets, so sample size, quotas and incidence should be checked with the agency before committing. Face-to-face and telephone interviews remain common for national, rural, older and lower-income samples, and focus groups are usually held in Kingston or Montego Bay.

Timing

Plan around public holidays: in 2026, New Year’s Day, Ash Wednesday (18 February), Good Friday and Easter Monday (3 and 6 April), Labour Day (observed 25 May), Emancipation Day (1 August), Independence Day (6 August), National Heroes’ Day (19 October), Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Early August, with Emancipation and Independence days close together, and the Christmas period are harder for fieldwork.

The hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November. Keep a contingency in the schedule for face-to-face fieldwork in this period: Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Westmoreland as a Category 5 storm on 28 October 2025 and caused catastrophic damage, and some areas may still be affected.

Data protection

Personal data is governed by the Data Protection Act 2020, which took effect on 1 December 2023. It is supervised by the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC). Data controllers must register with the OIC and pay an annual fee, appoint a responsible person such as a data protection officer, and keep personal data safe, secure and confidential.

Ask your agency whether it is registered with the OIC, which lawful basis it uses, how respondents are informed, where the data is hosted and how identifiable data, recordings or video will be shared with you.

Working with a local agency

  • Share a clear brief: objectives, target, sample size, parishes, urban and rural split, method, languages and deadline.
  • Ask whether interviewers are comfortable in both English and patois, and how the questionnaire will be piloted.
  • Ask which panels or fieldwork teams will be used, the realistic online sample size for your target, and how fraud and duplicates are removed.
  • Check that the agency is registered with the Office of the Information Commissioner, and agree in writing who is controller and who is processor and the retention period.
  • Compare several proposals: you can send one request to up to 5 companies from this page.

Frequently asked questions

Is an online survey representative of the Jamaican population?

For many urban and younger targets, yes, with quotas and weighting: 90.1% of individuals used the internet in 2024. Online panels are small, though, so national, rural or older samples are often completed by telephone or face to face.

Which data protection rules apply to a survey in Jamaica?

The Data Protection Act 2020, in effect since 1 December 2023 and supervised by the Office of the Information Commissioner. Data controllers must register with the OIC and appoint a responsible person such as a data protection officer.

When should fieldwork be avoided in Jamaica?

Avoid the Christmas period, early August (Emancipation Day on 1 August and Independence Day on 6 August) and plan around Easter and other public holidays. The hurricane season, from 1 June to 30 November, can also delay face-to-face fieldwork.

Should questionnaires be translated into patois?

Questionnaires are usually written in English, the official language. As most Jamaicans speak patois day to day, interviewers fluent in both and a careful pilot help make sure questions are understood, especially in qualitative research.

How should a national sample be structured?

Usually by parish and by urban and rural area. Jamaica has 14 parishes, and 61% of the population lived in urban areas in 2022, from 100% in Kingston to much lower shares in rural parishes.

Can a foreign company run a survey in Jamaica?

Yes. Foreign companies usually commission a Jamaican agency, which handles sampling, fieldwork and recruitment. Personal data must be processed under the Data Protection Act 2020.