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
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.
Total dependency ratio in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 103.5% | — |
| 1951 | 102.1% | -1.4% |
| 1952 | 101.3% | -0.7% |
| 1953 | 101.3% | -0.1% |
| 1954 | 101.6% | +0.4% |
| 1955 | 102.2% | +0.6% |
| 1956 | 103.1% | +0.8% |
| 1957 | 104.2% | +1.1% |
| 1958 | 105.6% | +1.4% |
| 1959 | 107.0% | +1.3% |
| 1960 | 108.0% | +0.9% |
| 1961 | 108.8% | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 109.6% | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 110.3% | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 110.7% | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 111.6% | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 113.2% | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 114.4% | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 115.3% | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 116.0% | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 116.5% | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 117.0% | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 117.6% | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 117.8% | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 117.9% | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 118.0% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 118.0% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 117.7% | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 117.1% | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 116.4% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 115.5% | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 114.5% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 113.5% | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 112.4% | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 111.3% | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 110.3% | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 109.4% | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 108.5% | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 107.7% | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 106.7% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 105.6% | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 104.5% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 103.4% | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 102.2% | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 100.9% | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 99.7% | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 98.5% | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 97.3% | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 96.2% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 94.9% | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 93.4% | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 91.9% | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 90.5% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 89.3% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 88.1% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 87.0% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 86.2% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 85.6% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 85.1% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 84.7% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 84.2% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 83.7% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 83.0% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 82.1% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 81.1% | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 80.0% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 78.6% | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 77.2% | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 75.7% | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 74.3% | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 72.6% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 70.9% | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 69.3% | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 67.7% | -2.4% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 67.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 67.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 77.8%, 87% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
More reference data data for Kenya
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5379 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 58.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 68.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.05 (2050)
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.
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About this data
Number of children (under 15) and people aged 65 and over per 100 working-age people (aged 15 to 64).