Jellyfish live in almost every kind of water on Earth, from the surface of warm tropical seas to the icy depths of the Arctic and deep ocean.

Quick Scoop: Where Do Jellyfish Live?

  • Jellyfish can be found in all the world’s oceans , following currents across both warm tropical waters and cold polar seas.
  • They occur from near the surface where sunlight reaches, all the way down to the deep sea and even on or near the seafloor for some species.
  • Many species are common in coastal zones , but others prefer the open ocean, often drifting 20–40 miles or more offshore.
  • While most jellyfish are marine, a few relatives live in freshwater , such as the hydrozoan jellyfish Craspedacusta sowerbii found in calm lakes and slow rivers.
  • Famous hotspots for large jellyfish “blooms” include parts of Japan, the Mediterranean, the North Atlantic shelf, and various coastal regions worldwide.

In short: if there’s a body of water—especially salty ocean water—there’s a good chance some kind of jellyfish or jelly‑like relative is there.

TL;DR: Jellyfish live almost everywhere there is ocean water (from shorelines to open sea, surface to deep), plus a few species in freshwater lakes and rivers.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.