GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands — Overall satisfaction with quality of life in the Cayman Islands increased to 84.9 per cent in Spring 2026, up 0.9 percentage points from Fall 2025, according to the latest findings.

Caymanians also reported an improvement, with satisfaction rising by 0.6 percentage points to 83.6  per cent .

However, their rating remained below that of the wider resident population.

Some of the questions asked include whether people in the neighbourhood knew each other and whether greenspaces were accessible.

The findings show gains across several areas, including employment, material living conditions, safety and social connections. Health and wellness remained the strongest contributor to overall quality of life, with a satisfaction rating of 85.3 per cent.

Mental wellness improved, while healthcare waiting times also showed progress. However, delays in accessing care remained the lowest-rated element within the health and wellness category, with Caymanians reporting greater dissatisfaction with public healthcare waiting times.

Employment and job quality recorded one of the largest gains, increasing 1.6 percentage points to 85.1 per cent. The improvement reflected lower levels of underemployment and more residents reporting that their income exceeded their standard of living.

Material living conditions rose to 87.3 per cent, supported by reduced household overcrowding, fewer bills in arrears and fewer disconnections from household services.

Economic and physical safety recorded the highest satisfaction rating among the categories at 88.6 per cent. The findings pointed to lower poverty and food insecurity, alongside a stronger sense of safety.

Leisure and social satisfaction edged up to 82.1 per cent, with improvements in social support networks and neighbourhood connections. Loneliness was reported by 19.9 per cent of Caymanians, compared with 23 per cent of residents overall.

Satisfaction with the natural and living environment remained the lowest-rated category, although it increased to 77 per cent. The assessment linked improvements to economic and social development, including infrastructure, access to capital and human capital development.

East End records highest district satisfaction

East End recorded the highest overall quality-of-life satisfaction among the districts, at 89.3 per cent, followed by West Bay at 87.6 per cent and North Side at 86.5 per cent.

George Town recorded 85.3 per cent, while Bodden Town stood at 84 per cent.

The Sister Islands had the lowest rating, at 82.1 per cent.

Despite the overall improvements, the findings identified several issues requiring attention across the districts.

These include healthcare waiting times, road conditions and congestion, access to green spaces and walkable communities, and support for small businesses and entrepreneurship.

Housing overcrowding, environmental management and opportunities for education and lifelong learning were also highlighted.

The comparison between Caymanians and the wider resident population showed that Caymanians recorded lower satisfaction in every quality-of-life category, although both groups experienced improvements over the six-month period.

The largest gaps appeared in employment and income, where Caymanians recorded 83.2 per cent compared with 85.1 per cent among residents overall.

For material living conditions, the respective ratings were 85.9 per cent and 87.3 per cent. Caymanians also reported lower satisfaction with health and wellness, at 83.9 per cent, compared with 85.3 per cent among residents.

In economic and physical safety, Caymanians recorded 87.8 per cent, while the overall resident rating was 88.6 per cent.

Leisure and social satisfaction showed a narrower difference, at 81.8 per cent among Caymanians and 82.1 per cent overall.

The natural and living environment recorded the widest gap among the categories, with Caymanians reporting 75.7 per cent satisfaction compared with 77 per cent for residents.