Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kenya
Kenya: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 14.2% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kenya, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kenya stood at 14.2%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kenya peaked at 14.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 9.6%, in 1950.
That places Kenya 148th out of 179 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 9.6% | — |
| 1955 | 10.2% | +6.0% |
| 1960 | 10.7% | +5.4% |
| 1965 | 10.8% | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 10.5% | -2.6% |
| 1975 | 10.1% | -4.2% |
| 1980 | 10.8% | +7.5% |
| 1985 | 11.4% | +5.1% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 12.7% | +9.5% |
| 2000 | 13.6% | +6.8% |
| 2005 | 13.5% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 13.2% | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 13.7% | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 14.2% | +3.9% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 14.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 24.9%, 57% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 14.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.9%, 49% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 9.9% | 9.6% | 10.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 10.7% | 10.7% | 10.8% | 2 |
| 1970s | 10.3% | 10.1% | 10.5% | 2 |
| 1980s | 11.1% | 10.8% | 11.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 12.1% | 11.6% | 12.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 13.5% | 13.5% | 13.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 13.4% | 13.2% | 13.7% | 2 |
| 2020s | 14.2% | 14.2% | 14.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More population data for Kenya
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1094 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0288 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.40 million people (2100)
- Population density 183.07 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7363 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.9 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kenya?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kenya was 14.2% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 14.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.6% in 1950.
- How does Kenya rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Kenya ranks 148th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.