Total dependency ratio in Kenya

Kenya: Total dependency ratio was 67.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
67.7%
Change on year
down 2.4%
World rank
54th
of 236 countries
All-time high
118.0%
in 1976
All-time low
67.7%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023

Total dependency ratio in Kenya, 1950–2023

0255075100125195019862023

Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2023, total dependency ratio in Kenya stood at 67.7%. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.

The figure is down 2.4% on the previous year and down 17.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total dependency ratio in Kenya peaked at 118.0% in 1976 and was at its lowest, 67.7%, in 2023.

That places Kenya 54th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 103.2% 101.3% 107.0% 10
1960s 111.8% 108.0% 116.0% 10
1970s 117.4% 116.4% 118.0% 10
1980s 111.0% 106.7% 115.5% 10
1990s 100.3% 94.9% 105.6% 10
2000s 88.2% 84.7% 93.4% 10
2010s 80.0% 74.3% 84.2% 10
2020s 70.1% 67.7% 72.6% 4

Countries ranked near Kenya

  1. 51 Nauru 69.1% compare
  2. 52 Gabon 68.6% compare
  3. 53 Iraq 68.0% compare
  4. 55 Tajikistan 67.1% compare
  5. 56 Saint Helena 67.0% compare
  6. 57 Israel 66.7% compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More reference data data for Kenya

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is total dependency ratio in Kenya?
Total dependency ratio in Kenya was 67.7% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest total dependency ratio recorded in Kenya?
The highest recorded value was 118.0% in 1976.
What is the lowest total dependency ratio recorded in Kenya?
The lowest recorded value was 67.7% in 2023.
How does Kenya rank for total dependency ratio?
Kenya ranks 54th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is total dependency ratio rising or falling in Kenya?
Over the last ten years it is down 17.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Kenya data come from?
The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total dependency ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Total dependency ratio
Unit
%
Source
UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed

The number of children (under 15) and people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).