Share of population living in urbanized areas in Kenya
Kenya: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 30.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
30.0%
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
183rd
of 202 countries
All-time high
30.0%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Kenya, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urbanized areas in Kenya is 30.0%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
The figure is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 21.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in Kenya peaked at 30.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Kenya 183rd out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.2% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.6% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.6% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 0.7% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 0.8% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 0.8% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 0.9% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 1.0% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 1.1% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 1.2% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 1.3% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 1.4% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 1.6% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 1.7% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 1.9% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 2.1% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 2.3% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 2.5% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 2.7% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 3.0% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 3.2% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 3.5% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 3.9% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 4.3% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 4.7% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 5.1% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 5.6% | +9.5% |
| 1951 | 5.7% | +2.8% |
| 1952 | 5.9% | +2.8% |
| 1953 | 6.1% | +2.8% |
| 1954 | 6.2% | +2.8% |
| 1955 | 6.4% | +2.8% |
| 1956 | 6.6% | +2.8% |
| 1957 | 6.8% | +2.8% |
| 1958 | 7.0% | +2.8% |
| 1959 | 7.2% | +2.8% |
| 1960 | 7.4% | +2.8% |
| 1961 | 7.6% | +2.8% |
| 1962 | 7.8% | +2.8% |
| 1963 | 8.0% | +3.4% |
| 1964 | 8.3% | +3.5% |
| 1965 | 8.6% | +3.4% |
| 1966 | 8.9% | +3.4% |
| 1967 | 9.2% | +3.4% |
| 1968 | 9.5% | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 9.8% | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 10.3% | +4.5% |
| 1971 | 10.7% | +4.3% |
| 1972 | 11.2% | +4.5% |
| 1973 | 11.7% | +4.7% |
| 1974 | 12.3% | +4.8% |
| 1975 | 12.9% | +4.9% |
| 1976 | 13.5% | +4.2% |
| 1977 | 14.0% | +4.3% |
| 1978 | 14.7% | +4.5% |
| 1979 | 15.3% | +4.6% |
| 1980 | 15.7% | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 15.9% | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 16.1% | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 16.4% | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 16.7% | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 17.0% | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 17.2% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 17.5% | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 17.7% | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 18.0% | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 18.2% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 18.4% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 18.5% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 18.7% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 18.9% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 19.0% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 19.2% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 19.3% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 19.5% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 19.7% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 19.9% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 20.1% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 20.3% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 20.5% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 20.8% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 21.0% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 21.2% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 21.5% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 21.7% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 21.9% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 22.2% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 22.7% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 23.2% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 23.7% | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 24.2% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 24.8% | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 25.3% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 25.8% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 26.3% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 26.8% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 27.3% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 27.9% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 28.4% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 28.9% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 29.5% | +1.9% |
| 2025 | 30.0% | +1.8% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 30.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47.0%, 64% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 30.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46.2%, 65% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urbanized areas in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1760s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1770s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1780s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1790s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1800s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1810s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1830s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
| 1840s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 1850s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
| 1860s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 1870s | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 1880s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 1890s | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 1 |
| 1900s | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 1 |
| 1910s | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 1 |
| 1920s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 1930s | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 1 |
| 1940s | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.1% | 1 |
| 1950s | 6.3% | 5.6% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 8.5% | 7.4% | 9.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.7% | 10.3% | 15.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.8% | 15.7% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.9% | 18.2% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.9% | 19.9% | 21.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.5% | 22.2% | 26.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.7% | 27.3% | 30.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More population data for Kenya
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0288 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.22 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.0288 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1094 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 85,212 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.9 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7363 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Population density 183.07 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.40 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urbanized areas in Kenya?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in Kenya was 30.0% in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 30.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Kenya rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- Kenya ranks 183rd out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urbanized areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of population living in urban areas in a country over time.