Topic: Economics and Statistics Office
Cayman unemployment rises but remains below Caribbean average
The latest data from the Economics and Statistics Office shows that Cayman’s unemployment rate stood at 2.6% in December 2025, up from 2.4% in the same period in 2024.
ESO report shows falling work permits amid mixed economic growth
The Third Quarter Economic Report 2025, released by Cayman’s Economics and Statistics Office on 8 May, showed a drop in work permits despite a growing economy and population.
ESO collecting data for spring labour and life quality surveys
The Economics and Statistics Office is sending interviewers into Cayman households to conduct the Spring 2026 Labour Force Survey and Quality of Life Survey.
2025 inflation steady but Iran War expected to increase 2026 prices
The latest figures from the Economics and Statistics Office show that 2025 inflation came in at 1.2%. Yet with the Iran War energy price shock already impacting prices in Cayman analysts expect inflation to rise in 2026.
Cayman’s non-oil imports jumped in second quarter
Cayman spent more on importing food, cars, machinery and building materials in the second quarter of 2025, but saved money on petroleum products.
Falling transport and utilities help slow Cayman inflation
Third-quarter data from the Economics and Statistics Office reveals rising inflation is being tempered by lower water and electricity prices.
Cayman imports hit $415 million in third quarter of 2024
Cayman imported more than $415 million worth of goods in the third quarter of last year, the latest figures have shown.
Are we getting sicker? Massive rise in hospital visits
More people made outpatient and casualty visits to the Health Services Authority last year than ever before, the latest national statistics show.
Health ranks as highest quality of life factor in ESO survey
Data from the Economics and Statistics Office show Cayman's residents are quite happy and enjoying a quality of life ranked at 82.2%
Cayman needs better data, not happiness surveys
Cayman’s government has decided it is sensible to research something called ‘Gross Domestic Happiness’, but they don't do the very basics of statistical reporting well enough right now.
Rise in education costs fuel inflation in first quarter
Spikes in costs across all levels of education pushed up Cayman's inflation rate during the first quarter of the year, according to the latest data from the Economics and Statistics Office.
Furniture, fuel, and transport costs drive inflation in 2023
Shoppers had to dig deeper into their pockets for household furnishings and food last year, as costs of these and other items drove the average consumer price index 3.8% higher than in 2022.
Fuel prices rose by nearly 30% in 2022
Inflation in the Cayman Islands hit record levels in 2022, with core inflation peaking at 7.4% and consumer prices rising to a historic high of 9.5%, based on data released by the Economic and Statistics Office.
Cayman by numbers: Highest ever temperatures and record waste going to landfill
The Cayman Islands experienced the highest maximum temperature in 10 years during 2022, according to the latest statistics.
Cayman by numbers: Population, education and healthcare
The Cayman Islands experienced its largest ever non-hurricane-related population increase last year, according to the latest statistics.
The percentage of Caymanian residents dropped below 50%...
Inflation drops to 4.1% in second quarter of 2023
Consumer prices in the Cayman Islands during the second quarter of 2023 were 4.1% more than the same period in 2022.
Unemployment hits new low as population surges again
Unemployment in Cayman has fallen to the lowest point in decades as the island's population surged yet again, according to the latest data from the Economics and Statistics Office.
Analysis: As prices soar, will employers raise wages?
Soaring rents and supermarket prices have led to a real-term pay cut for many, with employers slow to adjust salaries and hard-up workers having to move jobs or even jurisdictions in search of higher pay.
Inflation still high at 6.6% for first quarter
Consumer prices rose again in the Cayman Islands during the first quarter of 2023 to 6.6% more than the same period in 2022 and 2.1% more than last quarter.
ESO apologises over cancer patient ‘overwhelmed’ by survey
The Economics and Statistics Office has apologised for causing "inadvertent inconvenience or pain" to an elderly cancer sufferer and his wife after they were issued a non-compliance letter saying they were liable to a $5,000 fine when they stated they could not complete a detailed household budget survey.
Cancer-stricken retiree threatened with fine over household budget survey
A cancer-stricken retiree and his wife say they are facing a $5,000 fine for being unable to fill out a household budget survey being carried out by the Economics and Statistics Office.
Household expenses survey begins
The Economics and Statistics Office began carrying out its 2023 Household Budget Survey (HBS) on Sunday, 29 Jan.
Business in brief: Logic, Ritz-Carlton, ESO, Scotiabank
More than 90 players in 23 teams raised $20,000 for Meals on Wheels at the inaugural Logic Golf Invitational at the North Sound Golf Club.
Civil service size and salaries increased in 2020
The size of Cayman’s civil service is growing and average government salaries reached a record high in 2020, according to a new government report.
ESO director urges compliance as 80% of census fieldwork completed
The 2021 census has crossed the six-week mark and, with 80% of fieldwork completed, Economics and Statistics Office Director Adolphus Laidlow has urged the public to continue to cooperate with enumerators.
Census count delayed while COVID protocols clarified
The Census 2021 count by enumerators visiting households on Grand Cayman has been delayed until Wednesday, 13 Oct., according to an Economics and Statistics Office statement issued Tuesday.
No face-to-face census interviews for quarantiners
The Economics and Statistics Office has said its census field workers will not be conducting one-on-one interviews with individuals in COVID-19 quarantine.
‘Lies, damned lies and statistics’
Used properly, statistics and demographics will help the leadership of the Cayman Islands reopen the borders safely.
Population decline and pandemic impact social statistics
Cayman’s population fell by 4,128 residents to 65,786 in 2020.
Government using upper limit of error margin to estimate population
The ESO recommended government use the upper maximum of the error margin in its population estimate to calculate vaccination ratios.
Imports of merchandise goods fall
Residents imported $288.6 million of goods in the first quarter of this year, 2.4% less than during the same period in 2020.
Census 2021 launches in Brac with education, publicity campaign
Government launched the official 2021 census at the District Administration Building in Cayman Brac on Friday, 21 May.
Economy grew by 1.9% in the first quarter 2020
Cayman’s economy entered the difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown measures this year with a 1.9% first-quarter increase of its gross domestic product in real terms.
Retail and construction drove economic growth in 2019
The Economics and Statistics Office reported that Cayman’s economic performance in 2019 was one of the strongest in recent years, generating an estimated gross domestic product of 3.2%.
ESO: Cayman’s population drops to under 65,000
Cayman's population as of June fallen to an estimated 64,958, down from 69,914 at the end of 2019.
Consumer prices up 1% in the second quarter
Consumer prices increased by 1% in the second quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2019, as higher food and drinks prices were mostly offset by lower fuel and transportation costs.
ESO starts new labour force survey later this month
The Economics and Statistics Office will conduct its Fall Labour Force Survey from Sunday, 27 Sept.
National census postponed to 2021
Cayman's 2020 Population and Housing Census has been postponed to October 2021, the Economics and Statistics Office announced Wednesday.
Inside the ESO’s economic assessment and stimulus plan
The Economics and Statistics Office has this week released its COVID-19 Economic Impact Assessment and Stimulus Plan that is informing government policy on tackling the economic fallout from the pandemic. Finance Minister Roy McTaggart outlined the key findings of the report at the end of May, stating that the economy might contract by 12.2%, with nearly 10,000 jobs lost, including almost 3,000 Caymanian employees.
Statistics office carries out annual business surveys
The Economics and Statistics Office is carrying out its annual economic performance surveys.
Cayman’s economy grew 3.3% in 2018
The Cayman Islands economy expanded 3.3% last year, after 3% growth in 2017. Record numbers of stayover and cruise tourists and a construction boom propelled the economy.
Wage survey shows Caymanians earn more than expat workers
Caymanians on average earn significantly more than expatriates and men earn more than women, a new survey by the Economics and Statistics Office shows.
EDITORIAL – Seek solutions as cost of living continues to rise
What, if anything can be done? The answers, while imperfect, remain largely unchanged.
Food prices rise as inflation reaches 3.3%
Although the inflation rate to dropped to 1.7% in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017, general price increases of 4.8% in the second and 3.5% in the third quarter meant that inflation kept pace with the forecast economic growth for the year.
Economic survey to launch Monday
The Economics and Statistics Office will commence its annual business survey for measuring economic performance on Monday, April 8.
New report paints rosier picture of economy
Cayman’s economy may be bigger than economists originally thought.
Economy grew 3.6 percent in first three quarters of 2018
Cayman’s economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.6 percent through the first nine months of 2018, and the annualized inflation rate decreased slightly to 3.8 percent, according to a report released this week by the Economics and Statistics Office.
Prices of goods and services continued to increase in Q3
The average price of goods and services in Cayman increased by 3.5 percent in the third quarter of 2018 over Q3 of 2017, according to recently released data from the Economics and Statistics Office.
Cayman economy continued growth in 2018, set new employment high
Cayman’s economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.7 percent in the first half of 2018, setting new highs in employment and inflation in the process.
Work begins for 2020 census
The Economics and Statistics Office has started working on the 2020 census, government announced on Friday.
Labour Force Survey begins this weekend
The Fall Labour Force Survey, conducted by the Economics and Statistics Office to help determine information on Cayman’s employment rate, will begin on Sunday, Sept. 30.
Unemployment rate drops to pre-financial crisis level
Unemployment in the Cayman Islands has dropped to levels last seen before the financial crisis.
Half-year budget surplus reported at $201 million
The Cayman Islands government has a lot more money in the bank than it thought it would by June 30.
Central government revenues up 44% in decade
Cayman Islands central government revenues have risen by 44 percent in the past 10 years, according to budget records produced by the public sector’s Economics and Statistics Office.
Inflation picks up during first quarter
Cayman’s inflation rate hit 3.2 percent in the first quarter of this year, compared to prices from the first quarter of 2017, according to a recently released report from the Economics and Statistics Office.
ESO conducts field work to update household register
Staff from the Economics and Statistics Office will be in various communities across all districts this week collecting basic housing information to update the ESO’s household register.
Unemployment rate creeps up during 2017
Cayman’s overall unemployment rate increased nearly a full percentage point between fall 2016 and fall 2017, government statistics released last Thursday revealed.
Cayman population grows 14 percent in 5 years
There are nearly 8,000 more people living in the Cayman Islands than there were five years ago, according to government labor statistics released last week.
Economics and Statistics Office conducting labor and business surveys
The Economics and Statistics Office is conducing two surveys – its spring labor force survey and the mandatory business survey.
Consumer prices increased by 1.9 percent from 2016 to 2017
Average prices in the Cayman Islands went up by 1.9 percent last year, according to the consumer price index for 2017. The latest CPI report by the Economics and Statistics Office shows that prices increased in all four quarters ranging from 1.4 percent to 2.8 percent.
Solid economic expansion in 2017
The Cayman economy grew at a rate of 2.4 percent in the first nine months of last year.
Employment in Cayman hits record high
The total number of employed people in the Cayman Islands hit another new high as the local economy continued to grow through the first half of 2017.
Prices continue to increase in Q3
The average price of goods and services in Cayman increased by 1.4 percent in the third quarter of this year over Q3 of 2016, according to recently released data from the Economics and Statistics Office.
Wage surveyors to begin visiting homes
Surveyors collecting data on employment and wage details will begin visiting homes this week.
Small Business Association hosts expo
The Cayman Islands Small Business Association organized an expo featuring 20 vendors and several government departments at the Sir Vassel Johnson Hall in the University College of the Cayman Islands on Oct. 21.
Mandatory survey seeks information on wages
Government is launching a survey that will require all employers in the territory to provide information about the people they employ, including their qualifications, nationality, compensation, skills, and workload.
EDITORIAL – The difference between statistics and the truth
It is said that numbers don’t lie, but they certainly can equivocate. We were reminded of that last week by two stories that appeared in the Compass, one about the George Town Landfill and one about unemployment figures.
100,000 tons of waste added to landfill in 2016
Cayman Islands residents, businesses and tourists added more than 100,000 tons of waste to the George Town Landfill in 2016, according to data compiled by the Economics and Statistics Office.
Economy shows signs of broad-based growth in first quarter
Cayman’s gross domestic product grew by 2 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2016. The construction sector, wholesale and retail trade and utilities contributed most to the growth.
Unemployment rate stabilizes at 4.1 percent
Fewer Caymanians were jobless during the first half of this year, according to the government’s Economics and Statistics Office Labour Force Survey for spring 2017.
Labour Force Survey begins Sunday
The Economics and Statistics Office will begin its fall Labour Force Survey on Sunday, Oct. 1. The survey seeks to collect data on the employed and unemployed individuals in the Cayman Islands, as well as those who are not in the labor force, a press release states.
Report: Banking sector slide continued in 2016
The number of Class B banks registered in the Cayman Islands fell from 172 in 2015 to 148 last year, the largest decline since 2004, according to the Economics and Statistics Office’s 2016 annual economic report.
