Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Kenya
Kenya: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 18.53 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
18.53 million people
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
45th
of 236 countries
All-time high
18.53 million people
in 2025
All-time low
341,702 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Kenya, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 18.53 million people for number of people living in urban and rural areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.0% on the previous year and up 24.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Kenya peaked at 18.53 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 341,702 people, in 1950.
Kenya ranks 45th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Kenya, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 341,702 people | — |
| 1951 | 364,135 people | +6.6% |
| 1952 | 387,849 people | +6.5% |
| 1953 | 412,642 people | +6.4% |
| 1954 | 438,767 people | +6.3% |
| 1955 | 466,530 people | +6.3% |
| 1956 | 496,050 people | +6.3% |
| 1957 | 527,537 people | +6.3% |
| 1958 | 560,614 people | +6.3% |
| 1959 | 595,758 people | +6.3% |
| 1960 | 633,595 people | +6.4% |
| 1961 | 673,843 people | +6.4% |
| 1962 | 716,569 people | +6.3% |
| 1963 | 760,585 people | +6.1% |
| 1964 | 805,133 people | +5.9% |
| 1965 | 851,351 people | +5.7% |
| 1966 | 900,091 people | +5.7% |
| 1967 | 952,571 people | +5.8% |
| 1968 | 1.01 million people | +6.1% |
| 1969 | 1.08 million people | +6.4% |
| 1970 | 1.15 million people | +7.2% |
| 1971 | 1.25 million people | +8.3% |
| 1972 | 1.36 million people | +9.0% |
| 1973 | 1.49 million people | +9.4% |
| 1974 | 1.63 million people | +9.5% |
| 1975 | 1.78 million people | +9.2% |
| 1976 | 1.93 million people | +8.6% |
| 1977 | 2.09 million people | +8.1% |
| 1978 | 2.25 million people | +7.4% |
| 1979 | 2.39 million people | +6.5% |
| 1980 | 2.54 million people | +6.0% |
| 1981 | 2.68 million people | +5.8% |
| 1982 | 2.83 million people | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 2.99 million people | +5.6% |
| 1984 | 3.15 million people | +5.4% |
| 1985 | 3.32 million people | +5.2% |
| 1986 | 3.49 million people | +5.0% |
| 1987 | 3.65 million people | +4.8% |
| 1988 | 3.82 million people | +4.7% |
| 1989 | 4.00 million people | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 4.17 million people | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 4.33 million people | +3.9% |
| 1992 | 4.48 million people | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 4.63 million people | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 4.79 million people | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 4.94 million people | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 5.10 million people | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 5.27 million people | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 5.45 million people | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 5.66 million people | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 5.96 million people | +5.4% |
| 2001 | 6.46 million people | +8.4% |
| 2002 | 7.13 million people | +10.4% |
| 2003 | 7.93 million people | +11.2% |
| 2004 | 8.82 million people | +11.3% |
| 2005 | 9.76 million people | +10.6% |
| 2006 | 10.70 million people | +9.6% |
| 2007 | 11.57 million people | +8.2% |
| 2008 | 12.32 million people | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 12.87 million people | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 13.26 million people | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 13.63 million people | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 13.98 million people | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 14.32 million people | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 14.64 million people | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 14.94 million people | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 15.24 million people | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 15.52 million people | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 15.76 million people | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 15.97 million people | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 16.30 million people | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 16.65 million people | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 17.05 million people | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 17.51 million people | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 18.00 million people | +2.8% |
| 2025 | 18.53 million people | +3.0% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 18.53 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.62 million people, 2.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 18.53 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.82 million people, 3.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 459,158 people | 341,702 people | 595,758 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 837,950 people | 633,595 people | 1.08 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.73 million people | 1.15 million people | 2.39 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.25 million people | 2.54 million people | 4.00 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.88 million people | 4.17 million people | 5.66 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.35 million people | 5.96 million people | 12.87 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.73 million people | 13.26 million people | 15.97 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.34 million people | 16.30 million people | 18.53 million people | 6 |
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 number of people living in urban and rural areas in Kenya?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Kenya was 18.53 million people in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 18.53 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 341,702 people in 1950.
- How does Kenya rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Kenya ranks 45th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.